Trump advisers exploring tax proposal that would lower “middle class” rate to 15 percent

President Trump’s economic advisers are exploring whether the president should campaign for reelection proposing a 15 percent tax rate for the American middle class, with some seeing the idea as a simple way of selling Republicans’ economic agenda as not merely beneficial to the rich, according to multiple people involved in the White House’s internal deliberations over “tax cut 2.0.”

Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, is spearheading the effort behind Trump’s second tax cut package and is widely seen as a leading proponent of the new 15 percent rate. It is unclear if Trump has approved the idea, but the president has pushed aides to develop a simple tax message for 2020 focused on middle class tax relief.

The White House has faced sharp criticism for its 2017 tax cut law, because its tax cuts for individuals and families will eventually expire in a few years but the reductions for businesses are permanent. The new plan is unlikely to pass Congress before the 2020 election but would give the White House a specific plan to present to voters during next year’s presidential campaign.