Fox Contributor Questions Trump’s Plan to Eliminate Income Tax: ‘The Math Doesn’t Really Work There’

On Friday, Fox News contributor James Freeman questioned President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to “almost completely” eliminate income tax, saying, “The math doesn’t really work there.”

On Thursday, Trump floated a dramatic revenue promise, telling reporters the U.S. could “substantially” cut, or even “completely” eliminate, income taxes in the next few years thanks to tariff revenue. Earlier this month, however, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted Trump’s tariffs are not meant to generate profit and will continue to shrink over time.

Freeman, also the assistant editor for The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, told Fox’s Alicia Acuna that while the president’s message is a “beautiful spirit,” the plan’s feasibility remains fuzzy.

“If you’re thinking, ‘Let’s get rid of all income taxes completely,’ that’s kind of a tough program because his tariffs — assuming the Supreme Court allows them all — raise about $200 billion a year,  roughly. The government spends about $7 trillion a year. So, the math doesn’t really work there, but I think people can appreciate the spirit of it,” said Freeman.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Trump even has the legal authority to impose his sweeping tariff program, with several justices from across the political spectrum questioning whether an emergency statute allows tariffs this broad without Congress.

Lower courts have already ruled parts of the program unlawful, and if the Supreme Court agrees, key tariffs could be struck down.

Freeman continued on-air, praising the president for past work on income tax relief, but offering a reminder: “The reason progressives created the income tax more than 100 years ago was to pay for all of their government programs. So, if we want to get rid of it, I think we do have to focus on shrinking, in a very serious way, the size of the government. The president had the DOGE effort, which maybe was a good start, but we have a long way to go.”

Watch above via Fox News.