LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — President Donald Trump visited Las Vegas on Thursday to highlight his "no tax on tips" policy, saying the provisions of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act have unique impacts here in Nevada.
Trump led a roundtable discussion with a handful of Nevadans affected by the bill's tax cuts, including a Metro Police officer, the leader of an education non-profit and a bartender.
"You know, this state covers them all," Trump said during the roundtable. "You have the seniors, you have the overtime, but you have no tax on overtime, you have no tax on tips, and you have no tax, think of it, on Social Security. So those three things."
You can watch the president's full speech here:
During the roundtable, Trump reminded the Republican crowd that what he called "every single radical left Democrat voted against" the One BIg Beautiful Bill Act.
But Nevada Democrats before the rally said they voted against the measure not because they opposed helping workers, but because they didn't like how Trump's measure was structured.
Rep. Steven Horsford — who has a competing measure he urged the president to pass — said in an interview he'd tell Trump that the president's bill is inadequate.
"Mr. President, your promise falls short of what you delivered," Horsford said. "Your no tax on tips is not permanent, unlike the tax break for billionaires and big corporations, which is permanent. It is capped at $25,000, it penalizes married couples."
Horsford said he tried to bring amendments to fix those flaws, but Republicans rebuffed his efforts.
And Rep. Dina Titus said Trump was wrong when he touted the economy, including a record-breaking stock market.
"President Trump is mistaken when he claims he has made life more affordable for Nevadans," she wrote. "Las Vegas is at the very epicenter of his affordability crisis with rising gas prices, empty hotel rooms, more expensive groceries, and an affordable housing shortage."
Trump referenced the war in Iran at various times during his appearance, calling it a "journey" and a "diversion." He told the crowd he expects the war's effects on energy prices and the overall economy to be short-lived.
"Let's see what happens over the next week or so," he said. "I think you're going to be very impressed. And if you are, vote for Republicans in the midterms, OK?"
Republicans have been eyeing polls and special election results warily, worried about the impacts of Trump policies on immigration, tax cuts, health care and the war on Iran on their electoral prospects in November.
If Democrats were to retake the House or the Senate, they could stymie Trump's agenda for the final two years of his term.
Trump also touted other aspects of his tax bill, including a deduction for interest on car loans — so long as the car is American-made — as well as rules for amortizing small business expenses and an individual savings account for children as soon as they're born to defray college expenses.
How is "no tax on tips" affecting Las Vegas locals?
You probably remember, President Donald Trump first promoted his "no tax on tips" policy — which became central to his 2024 presidential campaign — right here in Las Vegas. The idea was to boost take-home pay for people in the service industry.
For local workers, the response to "no tax on tips" has been mixed.
In an interview with Channel 13 on Tuesday, Pinches Tacos owner Javier Anaya said the policy "goes a long way" for many workers, but the impact hasn't been the same for everyone, "especially dealing with inflation."
Despite its name, the "no tax on tips" policy does not eliminate all taxes on tips. Instead, it allows eligible workers to deduct a portion of their tip income from their federal taxes, reducing what they owe. The deduction is capped at $25,000 per year and phases out for higher-income earners.
We also heard from one local who wrote in to Channel 13's Let's Talk about the impact of "no tax on tips."
"I received the largest tax return in my life this year all because my tips weren’t being taxed any longer," wrote Joshua H. "This is something that should’ve been normal years ago."
If you have thoughts about "no tax on tips," the economy, cost of living, or the president's visit to Las Vegas, let us know. You can share your thoughts with Channel 13 at ktnv.com/letstalk or click the banner below.
