ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump is proposing to give U.S. citizens living abroad a major tax break, casting the idea as an effort to gain votes from potentially millions of Americans who could benefit.
The former president and Republican candidate made the pledge in a video released by Solomon Yue, CEO of Republicans Overseas. Trump was expected to emphasize his idea Thursday during an appearance at the Economic Club of Detroit.
It is the latest in a series of tax breaks that Trump has targeted at specific constituencies. He also proposes exempting tip income, overtime and Social Security benefits from income taxes.
Those three previous proposals are mainly aimed at working- and middle-class voters. But the bulk of Trump’s tax plan — reinstating his 2017 tax overhaul and cutting the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% — remains focused on corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
Trump’s promise concerns policies that could require Americans abroad to pay taxes in the country where they live and to the U.S. government. The US has bilateral agreements with some countries that ease the burden in some cases.
His campaign has not provided details about his proposal.
“You have to make sure you are registered and vote, because I am going to take very good care of you,” Trump said in the video statement that Yue posted on his account on the social media platform X.
“Once and for all, I am going to end double taxation on our foreign citizens,” Trump continued. ‘You’ve wanted this for years, and no one has listened to you. And you deserve it. And I’m going to do it. … I’m going to do this for you.”
The foreign tax breaks could also ultimately benefit some wealthy citizens, as it could provide more opportunities for them to live abroad in low-tax countries and avoid U.S. taxes.
Yue praised Trump for his efforts.
“Republicans abroad have been fighting for the rights of Americans abroad since our founding a decade ago,” Yue said in a statement. “We have spoken to many politicians over the years, and while they sympathized with the burden of double taxation, very few politicians were willing to take action.”
The former president’s embrace of U.S. citizens living abroad comes after statements lumping those voters together with his baseless accusations that Democrats are planning widespread fraud in the 2024 election.
“The Democrats talk about how they are working so hard to get millions of votes from Americans living abroad,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on September 23. “Actually, they’re getting ready to cheat!”
He argued that efforts to make it easier for foreign citizens to vote would “dilute” the votes of military service members, who Trump believes will favor him over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
“WATCH! Remember: IF YOU VOTE ILLEGALLY,” he threatened, “YOU WILL GO TO JAIL.”
