'We got to win the midterms': Trump visits Las Vegas on last-minute trip to celebrate tip tax elimination

President Donald Trump stopped by Las Vegas on a last-minute trip organized to celebrate one of his most popular accomplishments in the state: the elimination of the federal tip tax.

The event, held at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park, drew about 250 attendees and was attended by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said days earlier that the measure benefited as many as six million workers who claimed their tip-related tax deductions.

"Thanks to our tax cuts, this week, thousands of Nevada waiters, waitresses, casino dealers, bartenders, bellmen, barbers, caddies—oh, I love those caddies, they're very good if you have the right caddy—and valets received the biggest tax refunds of their entire lives," Trump said during the address. "And I just want to say, 'You're welcome.'"

The president used the occasion to tie the future of his tax policies to the November midterm elections. "We got to win the midterms," he said."If we don't, these policies are going to be taken away."

According to the Treasury, the measure, which was included in the Republican mega tax bill passed last year, allows workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips, including casino chips. The policy became so popular that even Democrats are now considering extending it and making it more comprehensive, remembering that the measure expires in 2028. The elimination of the tip tax came from Trump at a 2024 rally precisely in Las Vegas.

Nevada, a key swing state

Just like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania or North Carolina, Nevada is one of the most swing states in the country and, despite Trump's optimism, according to local media the economic reality is more complex on the ground.

According to The Nevada Independent, Las Vegas, Nevada's main city, recorded an 11% drop in visitors last year, with Canadian tourism falling noticeably in rejection of the Trump Administration's tariff policy. Gasoline prices, moreover, already exceed $5 per gallon with the context of the war against Iran in Middle East.

As local citizens are affected, Trump tried to downplay the economic difficulties of recent months by attributing them to the war with Iran, which is approaching two months old.

"Our economy is booming," he said, arguing that the war conflict overshadows his administration's good decisions. "For the remainder of 2026, you're going to see a big surge. The numbers are really tremendous, and that's why I'm out here. If they were bad, I wouldn't be here today. I'd be sitting home watching television."