In an opinion column Tuesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich urged current Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, to stand firm against any internal push for tax increases within President Donald Trump’s anticipated “big, beautiful bill.”
While acknowledging that the GOP has passed an initial “blueprint,” Gingrich stressed that the crucial battle lies ahead in preventing “misguided members” from adding tax hikes to the final legislation.
Gingrich argued that succumbing to calls for tax increases, even targeted ones, would be a grave error with potentially severe historical and political consequences. He asserted that a faction favoring tax increases has persistently existed within the Republican party, contrasting this with the successful supply-side economic principles championed by President Ronald Reagan.
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“The truth is, there has always been a pro-tax increase faction within the GOP,” Gingrich wrote, recalling how even some of Reagan’s aides sought ways to “claw back” money returned to taxpayers via the landmark 1981 tax cuts. He credited Reagan, influenced by figures like Jack Kemp and Art Laffer, with revolutionizing GOP thinking by demonstrating that lower taxes could fuel economic growth and job creation, despite initial skepticism from traditional “fiscal hawks.”
The former Speaker pointed to the presidency of George H.W. Bush as a cautionary tale. He described Bush’s 1990 decision to break his famous “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge as a “catastrophic decision” that weakened the economy, fractured the Republican Party, and contributed directly to his 1992 election defeat.
Gingrich identified a resurgence of this “pro-tax” thinking among some Republicans today, who suggest raising taxes on higher earners could offset proposed cuts elsewhere, such as eliminating taxes on tips or Social Security, and potentially shield Trump from accusations of favoring the wealthy. Gingrich dismissed this strategy outright, calling it “balderdash” and predicting Democrats would criticize Republican tax plans regardless of their specifics.
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He invoked Grover Norquist’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” as a vital commitment against raising taxes, stating that any budget reconciliation bill including tax hikes would violate the party’s long-held principles.
Gingrich strongly advocated for the passage of Trump’s bill without any tax increases, setting an ambitious deadline of June 2025 for it to be signed into law. He argued this timeline is crucial for economic recovery by early 2026, which in turn would strengthen the GOP’s position heading into subsequent elections.
“Given the current mood of Democrats, the bill will have to be passed with Republican votes,” Gingrich stated, warning that “poison pill tax increases” would only incite destructive internal party fighting. He called for unwavering commitment from Republicans in the House, Senate, and potentially the White House to a no-new-taxes approach, framing it as essential not only for “making America wealthy again” but also as a “real building block toward a permanent Republican majority.”
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