Trump pushes GOP tax plan in Missouri -- live updates
President Trump touted the GOP tax plan during a speech from St. Charles, Missouri Thursday afternoon.
He paid a visit to Capitol Hill for a meeting Tuesday with GOP leadership to discuss the Senate's upcoming vote on the bill. Mr. Trump has made it clear he's not expecting help from Democrats on the legislation. Also on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi declined an invitation to discuss the tax overhaul with Mr. Trump at the White House, although their Republican counterparts were present. The Democratic leaders backed out of the meeting after he tweeted, "I don't see a deal!" hours before their scheduled gathering.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Mr. Trump each criticized Schumer and Pelosi for their lack of cooperation with the Trump administration in order to pass legislation, tax-related or otherwise.
Trump criticizes Sen. McCaskill
"We're going to keep winning and winning and winning and winning," the president said, labeling the GOP tax plan as "the American model" and "the Trump model."
"This week's vote can be the beginning of the next great chapter for the American worker," he said.
He then criticized Democratic Missouri senator Claire McCaskill for being "weak" on crime, the military and illegal immigration.
"But other than that she's doing great," he said sarcastically, drawing a laugh from the audience.
Mr. Trump also criticized department stores and individuals that don't explicitly say "Merry Christmas" and opt for a more neutral seasonal well-wishing.
"You don't see 'merry Christmas' any more. With Trump as your president, we are going to be celebrating 'merry Christmas' again and it's going to be done with a big beautiful tax cut. Thank you everybody, god bless you," he concluded.
Trump teases "little rocket man" Kim Jong Un
The president teased North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, calling him "little rocket man," which is a critical nickname he's given to the regime's leader before.
"He is a sick puppy," Mr. Trump said.
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the East Sea Tuesday afternoon ET, marking their third test of an ICBM and their first missile launch in ten weeks.
"We're going to fix trade"
"We're going to fix trade, because trade is unfair," Mr. Trump said of the United States' relationship with other nations.
Mr. Trump said that the tax plan would cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent, thus bringing back revenue from overseas.
He also assured that countries the United States spends defense funding on would have to start contributing more in order to maintain that defense. He described these countries as knowing that they are "getting away with murder."
He then went on to say that after tax cuts, his administration would tackle health care, welfare reform and infrastructure development.
He added that recipients of welfare are better off than people who are working their "a** off," yet not receiving government assistance.
"Hey look I'm president. I don't care. I don't care any more"
"Hey look I'm president. I don't care. I don't care any more," Mr. Trump said, joking again that the Republican tax plan would not benefit him and that his accountants "must be going crazy" as a result.
The president promised that his plan would benefit the working class, calling them "the people I grew up with."
Shifting gears from the working class, he then went on to say that the middle class would reap the benefits of the tax plan.
"Under our plan middle class families will not only see their taxes go down, they will also see their incomes go up by an average of $4,000," Mr. Trump said.
Trump says tax cut will be "bigger than Reagan"
Mr. Trump said that the proposed tax legislation will be "the biggest tax cut in the history of our country, bigger than Reagan," citing former president Ronald Reagan's tax reform efforts.
"We're going to make sure that you take more of your hard earned money," he said, also promising job preference flexibility without citing a specific plan.
He said that under the current GOP tax plan, married couples will not be taxed on their first $24,000 earned and also promised to increase the child tax credit.
Trump promises tax plan is "not good" for him
Mr. Trump cited economic success and stock market growth under his administration, adding that the hurricanes devastating Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico got in the way of further growth.
"Right now America's tax code is a total dysfunctional mess," he said.
"This is not good for me. Me, and some very wealthy friends, not good for me," Mr. Trump said, adding that the current tax code is "riddled with loopholes."
Trump calls "Main Street" the "heart of our economy"
"Look at all the fake news back there, they're all watching," Mr. Trump said, pointing to news orgniazations' cameras set up behind the crowd gathered for his speech.
The president touted "Main Street" as "the heart of our economy" and promised that the GOP tax plan would bring back money to small towns and provide tax cuts for American families as well as small businesses.
"I will tell you this in a non-braggadocious way: there has never been a ten month president that has accomplished what we have accomplished, that I can tell you," he said.
President Trump begins tax speech
"Today I've come back to this incredible state to spend an afternoon with its amazing citizens," Mr. Trump said, recalling the beginnings of his "tax tour" in Missouri.
The president praised the House for its passage of their tax overhaul bill, and promised that the Senate's version, which is expected to come to a floor vote this week, will be popular with the American people.
"Massive tax cuts and reform, I don't even mention the word reform," Mr. Trump said.
"America will win again like never ever before. A vote to cut taxes is a vote to put America first again," he later said.