World News: OnPolitics Today: That tax plan Trump touted largely doesn't exist

with Josh Hafner

OnPolitics Today: That tax plan Trump touted largely doesn't exist

President Trump gestures while speaking about tax reform

President Trump went from Texas to taxes on Wednesday, following his tour of Harvey's damage with a Main Street-focused pitch in Springfield, Mo., for what he called "pro-American tax reform."

Sounds great, except the plan barely exists. Trump's speech proved heavy on promises and light on specifics, essentially repeating a single-sheet outline for tax reform he debuted in April. Trump called for simplifying the tax code, lowering the rate on overseas profits and slashing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%.

"This is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver real tax reform for everyday hardworking Americans," Trump said.

Yet tax reform efforts are barely breathing in Congress, stuck somewhere behind bigger priorities like the budget, infrastructure and health care. Still, Trump seemed excited to talk about Americans' taxes - just don't ask him about his own.

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Trump's pal says his border wall may have to wait

A close ally of the president's, Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, said most members of his conservative Freedom Caucus would be willing to vote for a short-term funding bill to prevent a government shutdown, even if it didn't include funding for a southern border wall. That seems at odds with Trump, who said last week that he was willing to shut down the government if Congress didn't provide funding for his would-be signature wall. "We're calling on our leadership to go ahead and pass a funding bill the first week back," Meadows, who chairs the Freedom Caucus, said.

Most Americans don't like Trump's conduct

A new poll from the Pew Research Center found that 58% of Americans don't like the way Trump has handled himself since becoming president. The poll, released Tuesday, found just 16% said they approved of Trump's conduct in office. While Democrats predictably disapproved of the president's actions (89%), even Republicans said they had mixed feelings (46%).

Mattis on Trump's transgender policy: Not so fast

From our friends at the Short List: Although President Trump announced more than a month ago that transgender troops will no longer be allowed "to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military," those troops will remain for the time being. The president issued a notification Friday night directing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to study the issue and determine how to implement it. Mattis announced late Tuesday that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military, pending the results of that study.

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