Key facts
- President Trump will visit Las Vegas to promote tax cuts and new paid family leave incentives.
- The U.S. Treasury Department is expanding incentives for employers to offer paid family leave through tax credits.
- The policy aims to support Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.
- Democrats oppose the tax legislation, arguing it benefits the wealthy and could harm social programs.
- A recent poll shows voters prefer Democrats on economic issues.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Las Vegas to advocate for his administration's tax cut policies and highlight differences with Democrats, as Republicans seek to maintain their control of Congress in the upcoming November midterm elections. The trip is part of an intensified political engagement from the White House, addressing voter concerns about the economy.
The U.S. Treasury Department will announce new guidance expanding incentives for employers to offer paid family leave, a policy that centers on an expansion of a tax credit created in 2017. This credit allows employers to claim a tax benefit if they offer at least two weeks of family and medical leave worth at least 50% of an employee's wages, and the new guidance permits employers to claim the credit if they pay insurance premiums for this leave.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and House Speaker Mike Johnson are set to join Arizona Representative Juan Ciscomani to discuss the policy. The U.S. is the only member of the 38-nation Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development without a paid family and medical leave requirement. The policy was outlined in Trump's signature tax and immigration law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Trump and conservatives are seeking to use that law as the centerpiece of their message in November's elections, though Republicans have lost ground on economic issues. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday found that voters prefer Democrats' stewardship of the economy 37% to 36%, and registered voters side with Democrats on a generic congressional ballot by a 5% margin. The Trump administration's policy seeks to use tax incentives to encourage employers to bear the cost, rather than the federal government, and has long been championed by Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer.
Trump is expected to join Republican congressional candidate Marty O’Donnell in a district currently represented by Democrat Susie Lee. The focus of the visit will be on tax provisions from last year's Republican spending package, specifically measures that remove taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security income for many Americans. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston stated these provisions ensure Americans keep more of their earnings. O’Donnell has criticized Representative Lee for voting against Trump's tax legislation. Democrats, however, unanimously opposed the bill, characterizing it as a benefit for the wealthy that could harm social safety net programs. Lee has argued that Americans are working harder for less value. Democrats are positioning the Iran war and rising prices as central themes for the midterms. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that only one-third of Americans support the military campaign in Iran.