In a recent interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, former President Donald Trump discussed [1] his interest in removing federal income taxes and reintroducing high tariffs on imported goods should he win the 2024 presidential election.
Trump, appearing on the popular show Friday, referenced the tariff policies of President William McKinley, who implemented nearly 50 percent duties on imports in the 1890s, and suggested a similar approach for today’s economy.
When Rogan, 57, inquired about the seriousness of Trump’s proposal to replace income taxes with tariffs, Trump responded affirmatively, saying, “Why not, our country was the richest in the 1880s and the 1890s.” Trump described McKinley as the “tariff king” and praised his economic approach, stating, “We will not allow the enemy to come in and take our jobs, take our factories, take our workers and take our families unless they pay a big price. The big price is tariffs.”
Trump’s proposed plan would involve substantial tariffs, possibly as high as 60 percent, especially on imports from countries like China, which he has previously criticized for economic practices he believes are harmful to American industry.
His remarks came days after he reiterated this stance while speaking at a barbershop event in the Bronx on Monday, where he was questioned about the feasibility of ending federal income taxation.
Trump again raised the idea of McKinley-era tariffs, contrasting the past with the current tax burden on American families.
“It had all tariffs. It didn’t have an income tax,” Trump said. “Now we have income taxes, and we have people that are dying. They’re paying tax, and they don’t have the money to pay the tax.” Trump, however, has yet to release detailed plans on how he would implement such a shift or clarify if his proposal would include eliminating other forms of federal taxation, such as corporate income and payroll taxes.
BREAKING: Donald Trump says on the Joe Rogan podcast he wants to eliminate federal income tax. pic.twitter.com/pZ5AkHwguC [3]
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 26, 2024 [4]
In past comments, Trump has argued that consumers would not bear the full brunt of tariff costs, suggesting that foreign companies would absorb much of the expense.
Beyond tax and tariff policies, Trump’s appearance with Rogan included discussions on several topics, from UFOs to the still-sealed JFK and Martin Luther King assassination files.
The JFK files are finally coming out, and Trump will release them “almost immediately upon entering office.”
Rogan asked Trump why he never opened them up during his first term, and Trump responded that certain people “asked [him] not to do it.”
“I can’t tell you whether or not… pic.twitter.com/dqHUknPDga [5]
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) October 26, 2024 [6]
As Trump advances his campaign for 2024, his remarks on the economy and his potential tax policy have sparked interest and debate, particularly regarding the feasibility and impacts of reintroducing high tariffs to offset federal income taxes.
Watch the full episode with Joe Rogan and Donald Trump:
TRUMP: “I just got interviewed by a great guy, Joe Rogan. It’s the longest interview I’ve ever done in my life. He’s a good guy. My people said I could cancel this evening event but I said no way I’m not going to cancel. We need to win.”
pic.twitter.com/gBBcnR1hEO [7]
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) October 26, 2024 [8]