In a shot at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, President Trump told workers who are benefiting from his tax cuts Wednesday that their bonuses and pay raises are “not crumbs.”
During a meeting at the White House, the president met with seven workers from Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Georgia to hear their stories about the impact of the tax cuts approved in December.
John Anfinson, who operates Anfinson Farm Store in Cushing, Iowa, noted that his company awarded $1,000 bonuses and 5-percent pay raises to seven full-time employees. He also told the president that his granddaughter and her husband will pocket an extra $6,000 this year from the tax cuts.
“They were shocked what it was going to amount to them personally, and just ecstatic,” Mr. Anfinson told the president.
“It is not crumbs. That I can tell you,” Mr. Trump replied to laughter.
“No, not crumbs,” Mr. Anfinson agreed.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, has referred dismissively to the bonuses and benefit increases from companies responding to the tax cuts as “crumbs.”
To date, more than 275 companies nationwide have announced bonuses, raises, expanded benefits, or new jobs as a result of the bill, said White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters.
Mr. Trump hosted the workers in the Oval Office a day after his first State of the Union address, in which he said the tax cuts were creating a new American revival. The president noted that Apple Inc. has announced a $350 billion investment in the U.S., and ExxonMobil has revealed a plan for $50 billion in new investments.
“I’ve been talking about reaping the rewards of the big tax cut bill,” Mr. Trump said, gesturing to the workers with him. “And these are people who have —they’ve worked hard. They have businesses. In some cases, they’re making tremendous percentage amounts more than they were going to before the plan. So we have a lot of things happening.”
Among the other workers meeting with the president Wednesday was William Harmon of Total System Services in Muskogee County, Georgia, which awarded $1,000 bonuses to 11,500 employees. The company also raised its 401(k) match from 4 percent to 5 percent.
“Ultimately these new tax laws [are] really helping everyone out,” Mr. Harmon told the president. “Like me personally, I was able to take some money from the bonus, put it aside for vacation — a much needed vacation — that I plan on taking my family on this year. And, you know, that’s huge for us.”
Michael Porter, employed by Aflac in Columbus, Georgia, noted that his employer increased its 401(k) match from 50 percent to 100 percent on the first 4 percent of employee contribution, and made a one-time contribution of $500 to every employee’s 401(k) plan.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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