Trump Budget to Take Ax to ‘Radical’ Safety Net Programs

Trump Budget to Take Ax to ‘Radical’ Safety Net Programs

The Trump administration, which has made clear that it aims to slash government spending, is preparing to unveil a budget proposal as soon as next week that includes draconian cuts that would entirely eliminate some federal programs and fray the nation’s social safety net. The proposed budget for the 2026 …

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Republicans Want to Make the Trump Tax Cuts Last Forever

Republicans Want to Make the Trump Tax Cuts Last Forever

When Republicans cut taxes in the past, they did so only temporarily, bowing to Washington’s arcane budget rules that limited how much they could add to the federal deficit. They gambled — mostly successfully — that the tax cuts would not actually end because Democrats would eventually vote to continue …

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Trump’s Tariff Plans Spook Investors and EU Threatens Retaliation

Trump’s Tariff Plans Spook Investors and EU Threatens Retaliation

What’s behind door No. 1? President Trump likes a big splash, and he’s not holding back for Wednesday’s introduction of reciprocal tariffs on America’s trading partners: Expect a major announcement in the Rose Garden. Otherwise, detail is lacking. That prompted a major stock sell-off, with the S&P 500 experiencing its …

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Scammers Stole Their Retirement Savings. Then the Tax Bill Arrived.

Scammers Stole Their Retirement Savings. Then the Tax Bill Arrived.

They were conned by skilled online criminals into draining their retirement savings. After the shock, shame and grief that followed, the victims were often left with something else: an enormous income tax bill. Mary Ellen Strange, a 75-year-old widow who was deceived by fraudsters impersonating federal investigators, now owes the …

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Markets and Corporate America Are Unfazed by Washington Chaos, for Now

Markets and Corporate America Are Unfazed by Washington Chaos, for Now

Even by Washington standards, the second Trump presidency has begun in frenetic fashion: mass firings at federal agencies, tariff threats against allies and foes alike, and haggling over how to get a Republican budget through a narrowly divided Congress. Business leaders and corporate investors are confident that things will turn …

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Republicans Want Lower Taxes. The Hard Part Is Choosing What to Cut.

Republicans Want Lower Taxes. The Hard Part Is Choosing What to Cut.

Since their party swept to power, Republicans have entertained visions of an all-inclusive tax cut — one that could permanently lower rates for individuals, shower corporations with new incentives and deliver President Trump’s sprawling suite of campaign promises. If only it were so easy. House Republicans are preparing to adopt …

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Federal Debt Is Now Worrying Even Progressives

Federal Debt Is Now Worrying Even Progressives

The 119th Congress began, as it so often has in recent years, with calls from Republican politicians for wrestling down the national debt, which is near a record level relative to the size of the economy. But this time, the G.O.P. had company: Progressive economists and budget wonks, who have …

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What Did the Trump Tax Cuts Do? Nobody Really Knows.

What Did the Trump Tax Cuts Do? Nobody Really Knows.

Seven years ago, when Republicans passed the most significant overhaul of the tax code in a generation, they were sure the law would supercharge investment, raise wages and shift the American economy into a higher gear. So did it? The answer, at least for now, is largely lost to history. …

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