U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick appeared on Fox News Wednesday and talked about President Donald Trumpās plan to dismantle the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a step toward tax reductions.
Trumpās vision, Lutnick said on āJesse Watters Primetime,ā hinges on eliminating the IRS to shift the tax burden from American shoulders to foreign entities and companies operating under non-U.S. flags, such as cruise ships and supertankers that currently bypass U.S. taxes by registering in countries like Liberia or Panama. He also pointed out similar practices in the alcohol industry, where foreign products enter the U.S. market tax-free.
āHis goal is to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and let all the outsiders pay. I mean, this is someone who is focused on America. Letās drive down our waste, foreign abuse,ā Lutnick told Watters.
šŗ Embedded media ā coming soon
Lutnick discussed what he said was a common method that large vessels use to avoid U.S. taxation. Under Trumpās proposed policy, these loopholes would close, redirecting the fiscal responsibility to these outsiders and, thus, according to Trumpās plan, lower Americansā tax rates.
āIāll give you an example, cruise ships. You ever see a cruise ship with an American flag on the back? They have flags of Liberia or Panama. None of them pay taxes. Every supertanker, none pays taxes. Alcohol, all foreign alcohol, no taxes,ā Lutnick said.
The presidentās plan, Lutnick said, does not stop at just reassigning tax burdens. He said the plan aims to balance the U.S. budget and slash personal taxes.
āThis is going to end under Donald Trump, and those taxes are going to be paid, and Americansā tax rates are going to come down. Thatās what Donald Trump wants to do. Balance our budget and cut our taxes,ā Lutnick said. āI mean, imagine a Democratic senator going against that. What planet are these people on? Well, youāre saying French.ā
Elon Muskās Department of Government Efficiency staffer Gavin Kliger reportedly arrived at the IRS headquarters to assess the agencyās operations. Kliger requested details on the functions, 90-day plans, and current risks of each IRS business unit, according to insiders cited by the outlet.
A July Pew Research poll said that the IRS ranks as the least favored federal agency, with 50% of Americans holding an unfavorable view, especially among Republicans who criticize the agency for alleged biases against conservative tax-exempt groups. In 2017, the IRS apologized for subjecting these groups to excessive scrutiny and delays, admitting to improperly demanding extra information from organizations like Linchpins of Liberty.
Conservatives also strongly criticized the IRS following former President Joe Bidenās decision to add 87,000 new employees over 10 years. Danny Werfel, appointed by Biden as IRS commissioner, aimed to increase the workforce to 100,000 in April as part of a modernization plan, but he resigned from his position after Trump assumed office.
(Featured Image Media Credit:Ā Screenshot/Fox News)
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporterās byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with US, please contactĀ [email protected].