President Donald Trump Reaffirms Commitment to Tax-Free Tips in Las Vegas

Posted on: January 27, 2025, 09:36h. 

Last updated on: January 27, 2025, 10:19h.

President Donald Trump doubled down on his campaign promise to eliminate the federal tax levied on tips that hospitality workers receive during his first official trip as the 47th commander in chief.

Donald Trump taxes tips Las Vegas
President Donald Trump pledges no taxes on tips while in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. The president spoke at Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas. (Image: X)

Trump had a busy Friday, as he traveled from the nation’s capital to hurricane-ravaged western North Carolina, and then to Los Angeles to discuss wildfire recovery. His day ended in Las Vegas.

After spending the night at his Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, Trump on Saturday ventured downtown to Circa where he thanked Nevadans for delivering the Silver State in November and reaffirmed his desire to make tips tax-free.

We’re going to get it or you — no tax on tips,” Trump said in front of more than 1,000 supporters at the casino owned by Derek Stevens. “If you’re a restaurant worker, a server, a valet, a bellhop, a bartender, one of my caddies … I go through caddies like candy. Your tips will be 100% yours.”

Last June, Trump first suggested eliminating federal taxes on tips. It was a rallying cry for many hospitality and gaming industry workers to get behind the Republican’s 2024 campaign.

Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, pledged tax-free tips in August. Trump said Harris was a “copycat.”

Trump’s Las Vegas Visit

Trump’s return to the White House was aided by Nevada casting its six Electoral College votes for the billionaire who formerly owned casinos in Atlantic City and Northwest Indiana. In 2016, Nevada went for Hillary Clinton. In 2020, Nevada went for Joe Biden.

I’m here to say thank you,” Trump told the crowd. “I want to come to Nevada to pay my respects because this was the only Republican win of this state in decades, and it was a very big landslide. But I think Republicans are going to win a lot now.”

Nevada last voted Republican for president in 2004 with George W. Bush.

After speaking, Trump toured the raucous Circa casino floor with Stevens amid cheers of “USA, USA, USA.” As the president passed a bustling roulette table, one player yelled, “Give me $47 on 47!” Of course, the numbers on a roulette table only go to 35.

Union, Trade Support

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartends Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of Unite Here, which represents some 60K resort workers in Las Vegas and Reno, urged its members to vote for Harris. The union thanked Trump for maintaining his commitment to removing taxes on tips.

“Eliminating taxes on tips and ending the $2.13 sub-minimum wage, which is the reality in too many states across the country, will uplift millions of hospitality workers,” said Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge.

Republicans have made promises to lower the cost of living for Americans. Delivering on those commitments must start with meaningful action and they must work with Democrats to raise the sub-minimum wage, eliminate taxes on tips, and address corporate greed driving up prices on essential goods like food, gas, and housing,” Pappageorge added.

The American Gaming Association (AGA), the lobbying group of the commercial and tribal gaming industries based in Washington, DC, also endorses tax-free tips.

“Today’s event is a testament to the president’s commitment to making sure that the tax code not only encourages job creation but also ensures workers keep more of their hard-earned money,” said AGA President Bill Miller. “It’s exciting for our industry that the president visited a casino property so early in his second term. This event clearly demonstrates the positive role the gaming industry plays in the US economy.”