President Trump promotes tax plan in Missouri

UPDATE: President Trump made a last minute push for tax reform in his speech Wednesday and called out Sen. Claire McCaskill.

He started off his speech by calling Attorney General Josh Hawley “our senator” and later said he would campaign for him in the Show Me State.

In his speech, the president repeatedly said the tax plan would not benefit the wealthy. That’s been one of the main criticism of the GOP tax cut plan.

“Believe me this is not so good for me. I have some very wealthy friends–not so happy with me,” the president said. “Now it is great for companies because companies are going to bring back jobs and we’re lowering the rates substantially.”

President Trump also criticized McCaskill.

“She wants your taxes to go up, she’s weak on crime, weak on borders and she’s weak on the military,” he said, adding sarcastically, “Other than that I think she’s doing a great job.”

In response to his speech, Sen. McCaskill tweeted that the bill is “anti-worker.”

ORIGINAL: President Donald Trump will speak in St. Charles, Missouri, Wednesday to promote the GOP tax plan ahead of a Senate vote.

According to a telephone briefing with senior administration officials, the president’s speech will emphasize the need for tax relief and will focus on bringing “main street roaring back to life.”

Several local impact stories that are specific to individuals in the St. Charles area will be highlighted in the president’s speech, according to a senior administration official.

This will be the president’s second trip to Missouri in three months. He started his tax reform push by traveling to Springfield, Missouri, in August. The president won Missouri in both the primary and general election.

GOP senators say the tax plan will boost economic growth and benefit the middle class. Critics say it will increase the federal debt and only benefit the wealthy. The senate bill also eliminates the individual mandate on Obamacare.

The House already passed its own version of the spending bill. A senior administration official said the president will leave it up to Congress to reconcile the differences if the Senate bill passes.

During his trip to Springfield in August, the president called out Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and said she should be pushed out of office if she didn’t vote for tax reform.

A senior administration official said there is one mention of McCaskill in the president’s speech today, but added that the president could expand. McCaskill voted against the plan in a Senate Finance Committee vote earlier this month.

McCaskill is seeking a third term on the November 2018 ballot. Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is vying for McCaskill’s seat, is expected to be in attendance today.

President Trump’s speech comes one day after the Senate Budget Committee advanced the GOP tax bill. A vote could happen as early as the end of the week. The GOP can only lose two votes in order to pass the bill, assuming all Democrats vote against it.