“It is my promise to everyone here when I am president, we will continue to fight for working families, including to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers,” Harris said.
Trump proposed the policy at a June rally, also in Las Vegas. It was received well in Nevada, which has one of the highest concentrations of tipped workers in the nation, and the former president has pointed to the proposal as he's courted voters across the country.
The Republican nominee quickly took to Truth Social to respond to Harris' speech Saturday night, accusing her of stealing his idea.
"Kamala Harris, whose 'Honeymoon' period is ENDING, and is starting to get hammered in the Polls, just copied my NO TAXES ON TIPS Policy," Trump wrote. "This was a TRUMP idea - She has no ideas, she can only steal from me."
Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris attends a campaign event at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) campus, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., August 10, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt Kevin Mohatt, REUTERS
The Harris campaign told Reuters that her proposal would require legislation to be passed by Congress.
"As president, she would work with Congress to craft a proposal that comes with an income limit and with strict requirements to prevent hedge fund managers and lawyers from structuring their compensation in ways to try to take advantage of the policy," the official said.
Recent polls show the race is tight, but some show that Harris is up by 3 percentage points nationally and is leading in three key swing states . Trump and Harris have agreed to debate Sept. 10 on ABC News.
In a later post, Trump called Kamala a "COPYCAT" prompting #CopyCatKamala to trend on X, formerly Twitter.
In practice, the idea supported by both candidates would mean exempting tips from federal income and payroll taxes. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimated it could reduce federal revenues by $150 to $250 billion over the next decade.
Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_
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