Schumer says Trump flip-flopped on raising SALT cap
In a battle of New Yorker vs. New Yorker, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), a resident of Brooklyn, accused President Trump, a longtime resident of Manhattan, of betraying their home state's taxpayers by telling GOP lawmakers Tuesday that they should “let go” of their bid to raise the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions.
Raising the SALT cap is a hot-button issue in high-tax New York, especially on Long Island and in Westchester County, where residents pay some of the highest property tax rates in the state.
Trump called for eliminating the cap on SALT deductions during the 2024 presidential campaign, but now he’s telling lawmakers such as Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who represents Rockland, Putnam and Westchester counties, to let go of their demands to dramatically raise the SALT cap.
That has Schumer, who had pledged to eliminate the SALT cap if Democrats kept control of the Senate in 2025, on the war path.
“Some may be shocked, shocked to hear that just a few moments ago, right here in the Capitol, President Trump completely, completely reversed himself,” Schumer said on the floor.
“President Trump came to the Capitol — apparently to send a message to New York Republicans: he’s reversing himself and breaking his promises on SALT. Just as I long warned he would do,” Schumer said.
Schumer highlighted Trump’s promise during a campaign visit to Long Island to cut New York families’ taxes.
He argued that Trump’s claim, made Tuesday, that raising the SALT cap will help Democratic governors completely ignores the impact of keeping the cap low on New York taxpayers.
“If New York Republicans don’t stand up to Donald Trump right now, they will look like fools. They have said over and over again that they’re gonna fight this horrible SALT cap which hurts so many New Yorkers. So many in their own districts,” he said.
“They have said they will fight to the end. Will they stand up now to Donald Trump, or cave, disappointing millions of New Yorkers?” he asked.