Deevers Comments on Trump’s Reported Consideration of Federal Income Tax Repeal

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, responded on Friday to Thursday’s New York Times report that former President Donald Trump is seriously considering supporting eliminating the federal income tax.

“In a time when government bloat, earmarks, and abuse of funds are out of control, and when the American people are suffering under crushing inflation and taxation, the repeal of the federal income tax would be among the most historic achievements in American history. Should he win in November, I encourage former President Trump to follow through on what he is reportedly considering.”

In response to the New York Times’ claim that “experts have dismissed his idea as mathematically impossible and economically destructive,” Deevers pointed out that it is very doable if Congress stops spending recklessly.

“Trillions of taxpayer dollars are wasted annually on frivolous programs, sprawling bureaucracy, and corrupt handouts to friends of Congress in the form of earmarks,” Deevers said. “Those who claim the income tax is necessary to fund the government have been conditioned to believe this waste and corruption are normal and unavoidable aspects of American life. But they are not. It does not have to be this way. We did not always have an income tax and we do not need to keep it another day.

“Estimates vary as to how many federal agencies exist with some estimates as high as 430, in which case we have almost as many federal agencies as we have Congressmen. These agencies in total cost about 2.2 trillion dollars per year and most of them are entirely unnecessary to the flourishing of the American people. If many of them were defunded, most Americans would not even know they were gone. Elon Musk has suggested we cut at least 80 percent of these agencies and I wholeheartedly agree with him, as would just about every taxpayer who sees how much of their money is being stolen to fund senseless bureaucracy that does nothing to better the lives of the American people.”

Deevers also said that Trump’s consideration of repealing the federal income tax is an opportunity for Oklahoma to reconsider the need for our own income tax.

“President Trump is reportedly considering repealing the income tax because it is good policy. The income tax is both crushing to the middle class and fundamentally unjust. The Oklahoma GOP Platform as well as Governor Kevin Stitt have called for the total elimination of the state income tax. I filed legislation to do so in 2024 and will be doing so again in 2025 for the good of the people of Oklahoma. It is time to end the income tax.”

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Dusty Deevers at 405-521-5567 or email Dusty.Deevers@oksenate.gov.