Overview

• Donald Trump privately told Republican senators he is open to raising tax rates for the highest-earning Americans, according to meeting participants.
• The proposal could help address Democratic criticisms that GOP tax policies favor the wealthy over working-class voters.
• Republican lawmakers are exploring ways to extend the 2017 tax cuts while considering offsets, such as a new tax bracket for million-dollar earners.
• Some GOP members, including Rep. Andy Harris, have expressed conditional support for modest tax increases on high earners to fund initiatives like the child tax credit.
• Party leaders remain divided, with some focused on avoiding any tax increases and others open to targeted adjustments to address fiscal challenges.