President Donald Trump's eldest daughter on Monday channeled her roles as a working mother, entrepreneur and senior adviser to the president to help him sell his administration's tax plan for reform, which she said is overdue to address the needs of the modern American family in an increasingly competitive global market.
Ivanka Trump joined U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza and former U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth of New York for an hour-long town hall-style meeting at a senior center outside Philadelphia. During the discussion, she called tax reform "critical" legislation and touted the proposed changes to the tax code as changes that will help everyday Americans.
"There are many elements of this tax plan that I think are squarely targeted at creating jobs and growth in this country and offering relief to our middle-income families," she told the audience. "This is about the recognition that, as a country, we have to have policies that mirror our values. We have to encourage the next generation to be competitive and compassionate. For me, I think this couples together our core values as a country."
The president has prioritized tax reform as his top agenda item and is urging Congress to pass legislation. He and other Republican leaders have crafted a proposal calling for steep tax cuts for corporations and potentially individuals, a doubling of the standard deduction used by most Americans, a reduction in the number of tax brackets from seven to three or four, and a repeal of the inheritance taxes on multimillion-dollar estates. The tax system would be simplified, and most Americans would be able to file their income taxes on a postcard, according to the plan.
Ivanka Trump has been focused on promoting a plan to expand the child tax credit, which she highlighted Monday as "well-designed." She drew on her life experience to connect with the audience as a mom who has an understanding of the challenges parents face with the rising cost of child care.
"Every parent has to manage the competing demands of raising a family and their passions," she told the crowd. "I, too, had to manage that, but I am far more fortunate than most. I had help, and I recognized that I wouldn't be able to do even a small fraction of what I was able to do professionally or as a parent ... if I didn't have access to the means to be able to put my children in a secure and safe and protected and nurturing environment."
Increasing the child tax credit, she said, could mean the difference between sending a child to an after-school program or paying for quality day care — and could even aid some young couples wrestling with whether they can afford to start a family.
Trump received a hearty reception from the audience when she talked about how tax reform will benefit small businesses. While she said the need for some regulation is necessary, she argued that America's tax system is too burdensome and expensive and is affecting the country's ability to compete.
"If you level the playing field, nobody's going to beat the spirit of the American worker," she said. "No country is more innovative. But our corporate rates are dramatically higher than our prime competitors in the developing world. We want people to be choosing America not just because it's their preferred place to locate but because it makes sense. I do think it can't just be about cutting taxes. You want to fuel an incentivized growth that will lead to the long-term benefit of both."
Details on how much the $1,000 child tax credit should increase have not been settled, and the president's daughter has not publicly offered a number.
Later in the day, Fox News Channel planned to air an interview with her. She was expected to continue discussing taxes.
