WASHINGTON — After musing publicly and privately with the idea of raising the top tax rate for wealthy millionaires as Republicans draft his big bill in Congress, President Donald Trump early Friday backed off that call — sort of.
Trump posted on social media that hiking taxes on anyone, even the rich, could stir a political backlash, reviving the ‘‘Read my lips: No new taxes’’ warnings of the Bush-era that helped topple a president. The post came days after he floated the idea of higher taxes on those single filers earning $2.5 million and above.
But this time, the president, didn’t completely discourage GOP lawmakers from pursuing that option as they rush to finish their massive tax breaks and spending cuts package this weekend.
‘‘The problem with even a ‘TINY’ tax increase for the RICH, which I and all others would graciously accept in order to help the lower and middle income workers, is that the Radical Left Democrat Lunatics would go around screaming, ‘Read my lips,’’’ Trump wrote.
‘‘In any event, Republicans should probably not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!’’ Trump wrote Friday.
The last ditch-push by the president comes as Republicans are laboring to push his ‘‘big, beautiful bill’’ toward public hearings next week, on track for a House vote by Memorial Day. Divisions run strong in the party, and the president’s on-again, off-again push for millionaires taxes complicates the outcome.
Over the past months, Trump has repeatedly brought up the idea of imposing a higher rate for millionaires and the president revived his request in private talks.
Trump told Speaker Mike Johnson again this week he wants to see a higher rate on the wealthy in the big bill coming from Congress, according to a person familiar with the conversations and granted anonymity to discuss the private talks.