Trump Touts No Tax on Tips at Las Vegas AC Hotel Symphony Park Event

The president addressed roughly 250 people at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park, his first Nevada visit since his inauguration.

President Donald Trump visited the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park on Thursday to promote his administration's no-tax-on-tips policy, addressing a crowd of roughly 250 people and urging Nevadans to vote Republican in November's midterm elections. The visit marked Trump's first trip to Nevada since taking office for his second term, and included a private meeting with Gov. Joe Lombardo, according to state GOP chairman Michael McDonald.

Trump Claims Victory on Tipped Worker Tax Cuts

Addressing supporters adorned in Trump-themed merchandise, Trump asserted that Las Vegas is home to the largest tipped worker base 'anywhere in the country, anywhere in the world.' He credited his administration's tax legislation with delivering record refunds to service industry workers across Nevada.

'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 at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park. 'And I just want to say, You're welcome.'

Trump first floated the idea of eliminating taxes on tips at a June 2024 rally in Las Vegas. Politicians in Nevada quickly embraced the concept given the state's heavy reliance on gig work and the service industry. Last year's Republican tax and spending megabill ultimately included a provision allowing workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips, including casino chips.

Policy Details and Democratic Criticism

Nevada has one of the highest shares of tipped workers in the nation, although the policy is structured such that the highest-earning employees receive the largest tax benefits. The no-tax-on-tips provision is set to expire in 2028, a point Nevada Democrats have criticized, proposing more expansive versions of the policy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, appearing in Las Vegas, said more than 6 million Americans claimed a tax deduction under the tips policy. Even more Americans claimed deductions under other new tax cuts, such as the 'no tax on overtime' rule implemented last summer, according to the Treasury. An Upgraded Points analysis of IRS data conducted before filing closed suggested Nevadans would see some of the biggest refunds in the nation.

The White House and the Department of the Treasury did not respond to questions about how many Nevadans specifically deducted their tips or the size of their refunds.

Midterms Warning and Meeting with Lombardo

Trump tied the survival of his tax policies directly to the outcome of this year's midterm elections. 'We got to win the midterms,' Trump said. 'If we don't, these policies are going to be taken away.' Notably, Trump did not mention Gov. Joe Lombardo's re-election bid during the event, despite having endorsed Lombardo last fall.

GOP chairman Michael McDonald told reporters that the president's visit also included a meeting with Lombardo. Nevada Democrats, meanwhile, planned press calls and rallies to counter-program the president's visit.

Trump painted an optimistic picture of the broader economy, saying 'our economy is booming' and attributing a lack of coverage to events in Iran. However, tourism has slumped in Las Vegas, and broader data points to affordability pressures facing Nevada residents.

Attendees React to the No-Tax-on-Tips Promise

Conservative activist Rosemary Flores, a longtime former cocktail waitress who called herself a Trump 'mega-fan,' attended the event wearing bedazzled clothing decorated with the American flag. Flores told reporters she believed her adult son, who identifies as nonpartisan and works in the casino industry, would become a Trump supporter if the president could sustain the no-tax-on-tips policy long term.

'People can't afford to live,' Flores said.

The event underscored the political salience of the tips issue in Nevada, a state whose economy is deeply tied to the hospitality and service sectors. The policy's temporary nature and its income-skewed benefits remain points of contention heading into the 2026 election cycle.

Nevada's Broader Political and Economic Backdrop

Trump's Las Vegas visit comes amid a contentious political environment in Nevada. Gas prices in the state averaged $5 per gallon as of April 14, approaching historic highs recorded in 2022, according to local reporting. Gov. Lombardo and likely Democratic gubernatorial challenger Attorney General Aaron Ford have offered sharply different explanations for the elevated prices.

Lombardo has attributed high gas prices to California's refinery emissions regulations, noting that nearly 90 percent of Nevada's gasoline and diesel comes from California refineries. Ford has pointed to Trump's military engagement with Iran as a factor cutting into international oil supply, and has criticized Lombardo for vetoing AB44, a 2025 bill that would have prohibited price manipulation on essential goods including gasoline.

David Damore, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, noted that 'Lombardo has to deal with a bad economy and a very unpopular president,' adding that Democrats would work to make that association appear logical to voters. Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution specializing in technology policy, said he does not expect gas prices to fall to pre-war levels before November's elections.

What we know

• President Trump spoke at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park on Thursday, addressing roughly 250 people to promote his no-tax-on-tips policy.
• Trump first proposed eliminating taxes on tips at a June 2024 rally in Las Vegas.
• The Republican tax and spending megabill includes a provision allowing workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips, including casino chips.
• The no-tax-on-tips provision is set to expire in 2028.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said more than 6 million Americans claimed a tax deduction under the tips policy.
• GOP chairman Michael McDonald confirmed Trump's visit included a meeting with Gov. Joe Lombardo.
• Nevada gas prices averaged $5 per gallon as of April 14, approaching historic highs recorded in 2022.
• Lombardo vetoed AB44, a 2025 bill that would have prohibited price manipulation on essential goods such as gasoline.

Why it matters

Nevada's service-heavy economy makes the no-tax-on-tips policy particularly consequential for the state's large tipped workforce. With the provision set to expire in 2028 and Trump explicitly linking its continuation to Republican success in the midterms, the Las Vegas visit signals that Nevada will remain a focal point of national political attention. Simultaneously, rising gas prices and affordability concerns are shaping the competitive 2026 governor's race between Lombardo and Ford, giving both parties high-stakes issues to contest heading into election season.

What’s next

Nevada's primary races are drawing increased national attention, with the first ballots expected to arrive in the mail in the coming weeks. The Clark County Commission GOP primary between Albert Mack and Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama is among the contests being closely watched. The governor's race between Lombardo and Attorney General Aaron Ford is expected to intensify, with gas prices and economic affordability likely to remain central issues through the November elections.

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