Trump pushes tax hikes for wealthy as 'big, beautiful bill' deadline looms

House Republicans are trying to find the right cocktail of tax reductions and new revenue to pass President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" by Memorial Day. 

No taxes on tips is politically popular and is a key campaign promise of the president, but a coalition of deficit hawks could block that if the GOP fails to find revenue to cover the gap. 

That is why the president pushed House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., this week to raise taxes on the super rich. 

HORSE SENSE: HOUSE REPUBLICANS WORK TO PASS ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

President Donald Trump pushed House Speaker Mike Johnson to raise taxes on the wealthy. (Fox News Digital)

Trump is considering allowing the rate on individuals making $2.5 million or more to increase by 2.6%, from 37% to 39.6%, Fox News Digital reported Thursday.

Such a move would resonate with working-class Americans who elected the president. However, many conservatives have signed pledges for years against raising any taxes. 

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2025. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP )

Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday morning, "The problem with even a ‘TINY’ tax increase for the RICH, which I and all others would graciously accept in order to help the lower and middle income workers, is that the Radical Left Democrat Lunatics would go around screaming, ‘Read my lips,’ the fabled Quote by George Bush the Elder that is said to have cost him the Election. NO, Ross Perot cost him the Election! In any event, Republicans should probably not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!"

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Then-President-elect Donald Trump speaks to members of the media following a meeting with Republican senators at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 8, 2025. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) also remains unresolved as a group of Republican representatives from New York threaten to vote against the latest proposal. Meantime, a debate rages about health assistance.

House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, accused Democrats of trying to "paralyze our conference" and "frighten" Republicans about Medicare and Medicaid cuts. Specifics are key.

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"Until we see what comes out of the committee, I don’t know what’s on and what’s off," said Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md.