Trump ‘open to changes’ on key tax bill

DONALD Trump has hinted that he could accept changes to his key tax bill as he looks to win over holdout Republican senators in an effort to pass the package by the end of the year.

In a tweet, the president said: “With just a few changes, some mathematical, the middle class and job producers can get even more in actual dollars and savings.”

He suggested openness to making unspecified changes to the way millions of “pass-through” businesses are taxed, a sticking point for some legislators.

Mr Trump and Republicans have set as a vital political goal the passage of tax overhaul legislation by the end of the year.

The House of Representatives recently passed a $1.5 trillion (£1.1 trillion) bill, and Senate Republican leaders hope to muscle the bill through this week.

The package blends a sharp reduction in top corporate and business tax rates with more modest relief for individuals.

Mr Trump is meeting five members of the Senate Finance Committee who are on board with the Republican plan, and will travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to personally lobby Republican senators.

In a boost for Republican efforts, senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said he would back the measure.

“I’m not getting everything I want - far from it. But I’ve been immersed in this process.

“I’ve fought for and received major changes for the better - and I plan to vote for this bill as it stands right now,” Mr Paul said.

Last week, Mr Trump promised to “give the American people a huge tax cut for Christmas”.