The president addressed a roaring crowd with a long list of his new administration’s accomplishments and priorities.
President Donald Trump held his first post-inauguration rally at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.
The Galaxy Ballroom, with a capacity of approximately 1,500, was filled with supporters seen dancing in anticipation of the president’s arrival and erupting in applause when he walked to the podium with Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” playing over loudspeakers.
“It’s great to be back in this wonderful city after an historic first week in the White House,” Trump said.
Standing in front of a huge banner with “No tax on tips” emblazoned in all capital letters, the president waited for the song to end before he vowed to eliminate taxes on gratuities and make permanent the tax cuts enacted in his first administration, with legislation to be introduced in Congress in the coming weeks.
“If you’re a worker who relies on tipped income, your tips will be 100 percent yours,” Trump said. “We’ll get it passed.”
More than 4 million workers nationwide, including 700,000 single mothers, earn a significant percentage of their income from tips, according to the president.
“The forgotten men and women of our country are going to be forgotten no longer,” he said.
He also jokingly suggested moving newly hired Internal Revenue Service agents to the border.
Rethinking the country’s tax structure is a priority for the new administration, with Trump introducing an “External Revenue Service,” which will collect significant revenue in the form of tariffs that will increase the competitiveness of domestic producers.
He pointed to a period in the nation’s history of high tariffs from 1870 to 1913, when Americans paid no income taxes, as evidence that the modern method is not necessarily the most effective.
“It was when we were the richest,” Trump said.
The president said he visited the Silver State to express gratitude to voters who supported his campaign, as he won 15 of 17 counties in Nevada and prevailed statewide by more than 46,000 votes—slightly more than 3 percent.
By Travis Gillmore
