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Donald Trump advocates for the removal of income tax and replacing it with tariffs, deeming the proposal an effective solution to making Americans richer and powerful. The 47th POTUS has been a longtime proponent of abolishing income tax, repeatedly voicing it throughout his presidential campaign. While citizens happily bought into the prospect, many dismissed it as a mere campaign manifesto. Most argued that putting such policies into practice was not feasible as it would drastically reduce the countryโs net income, the majority of which comes from taxation.
Trump understood these reservations and was already two steps ahead. Speaking at the 2024 Republican Issues Conference, held at the Trump National Doral Miami on January 27, 2025, in Doral, Florida, the POTUS reiterated his โno income taxโ proposal. To bridge the gap the Income Tax abolition creates, Donald Trump proposed โtariffing and taxing foreign nationalsโ rather than Americans. This would effectively add to the countryโs reserve without stifling Her citizensโ finances. He noted,
โAmericaโs gonna be very rich again and its gonna happen very quickly. Itโs time for the US to return to a system that made us richer and powerful than ever before. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich foreign nations, we should be taxing foreign nations to enrich our citizens.โ
Donald Trumpโs Proposal to End Income Tax Wins Over the Internet

This declaration at the packed Florida conference echoed his previous advocacy for removing income tax. Naturally, the prospect became more realistic for Americans, who heard him echoing it even after taking office as president. Americans stormed social media with varying reactions to Trumpโs proposal, urging him to see it through. Citizens also commended the president for embracing policies targeted at improving the peopleโs standard of living rather than enriching the government, describing it as his single greatest accomplishment if pulled off. Reacting to a clip highlighting Donald Trumpโs income tax proposal, one X user wrote,
โThis is what weโve been waiting for, a president who truly understands the burden of taxation on the American people Trump is a genius, he knows that abolishing the income tax will unleash unprecedented economic growth and prosperity. Itโs time to take back out country from social elites and their tax-and-spend policies. Letโs make America great again.โ
Another wrote,
โAbolishing the income tax would be an impetus to economic growth, investment, and opportunity unlike any weโve seen in over a century.โ
A third noted,
โWhen Trump says America First, he means it. What a difference a few days can make.โ
A fourth quipped,
โHeโs Donald J Trump. About to pull off one of the greatest accomplishments in our lifetimes.โ
Another X user noted that successfully abolishing the income tax would make Donald Trump a national hero. Amid the sea of praise, some Americans remained skeptical, reluctant to believe โone more campaign promiseโ by a politician. One X user voiced,
โThereโs no way in hell congress would do this. Never happen.โ
A second chimed in,
โDid they really say that? No one watches CNN so we couldnโt confirm it. Trump has the best one-liners.โ
โIs he serious or just seriously ignorant about economics?โ asked a third.
Trump Moves to Introduce No Income Tax With New Agency

While the law has yet to be enacted, Donald Trump took the first step in making his proposal a reality, announcing the establishment of the External Revenue Service during his speech at the House Republican Members Conference in Florida. He believes with the body in action, tasked with collecting all tariffs, duties, and revenue, massive amounts of money would keep pouring into the countryโs treasury from foreign sources.
Experts have weighed in on Donald Trumpโs vision to end income tax and the potential impact on the nationโs economy. Contrary to the presidentโs picture of a flourishing nation under the no-tax income policy, experts pointed out that tariffs on foreign countries, which make up only 2% of Americaโs total tax revenue, can hardly be viewed as a revenue source, making the plan not feasible. If the idea of replacing income tax with tariffs does happen successfully, it would inherently lead to higher tariffs on imported goods, ultimately leading to increased prices on such goods, which is a recipe for inflation.