Trump's Tax Hike Proposal Is 'déjà Vu' Of George H. W. Bush's 'read My Lips' Moment, Experts Say

Americans lambasted President George H. W. Bush for infamously vowing connected shape astatine nan 1988 Republican National Convention not to raise taxes connected Americans, past supporting a taxation hike arsenic president 2 years later. 

History could repetition itself arsenic President Donald Trump this week signaled his support for legislature Republicans raising taxes to execute nan eager goals of his "big, beautiful bill," according to experts.

"My force won't norm retired raising taxes, but I will. And nan Congress will push maine to raise taxes, and I'll opportunity no. And they'll push and I'll opportunity no. And they'll push again, and I'll opportunity to them: ‘Read my lips: nary caller taxes,’" then-Vice President Bush vowed astatine nan 1988 convention, earlier raising taxes 2 years later pinch nan Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. 

While acknowledging nan governmental backlash his chap Republican faced, Trump signaled in a Truth Social post connected Friday his ain willingness to raise taxes connected Americans, following reports confirmed by Fox News Digital that nan president is considering raising nan taxation complaint connected individuals making $2.5 cardinal aliases much by 2.6%, from 37% to 39.6%.

TRUMP CONSIDERS TAX HIKE ON AMERICANS MAKING $2.5 MILLION OR MORE PER YEAR

Political experts compared President Donald Trump, right, to President George H. W. Bush aft Trump signaled his support for a mini taxation hike.  (Pool/Getty Images)

"The problem pinch moreover a ‘TINY’ taxation summation for nan RICH, which I and each others would graciously judge successful bid to thief nan little and mediate income workers, is that nan Radical Left Democrat Lunatics would spell astir screaming, ‘Read my lips,’ nan fabled Quote by George Bush nan Elder that is said to person costs him nan Election. NO, Ross Perot costs him nan Election! In immoderate event, Republicans should astir apt not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!" Trump said. 

WHITE HOUSE QUIETLY FLOATS MILLIONAIRE TAX HIKE PROPOSAL IN CONGRESS AS GOP LEADERS SIGNAL OPPOSITION

Ross Perot, nan precocious billionaire Texas businessman and philanthropist, ran an independent run arsenic a third-party campaigner successful nan 1992 statesmanlike election, winning an historical 19% of nan celebrated vote.

As Trump suggested, nan governmental fallout of raising taxes contributed to Bush losing re-election to President Bill Clinton successful 1992. Democrats slammed Bush successful campaign ads for stepping backmost his connection arsenic blimpish Republicans criticized nan president for being retired of measurement pinch nan party's accepted taxation policies. 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich led Republican disapproval of Bush's taxation hike proposal, and Gingrich has urged Trump to guidelines down connected raising taxes since rumors nan management was floating a small taxation hike first swirled. 

TRUMP'S FIRST VICE PRESIDENT URGES HIS OLD BOSS AGAINST RAISING TAXES ON WEALTHY AMERICANS

Gingrich precocious told Larry Kudlow connected FOX Business that Trump is simply a Ronald Reagan Republican, not a Bush Republican, and raising taxes would beryllium an "act of destruction."

"It would perfectly shatter his coalition," Gingrich said. "It would mean nan full blimpish activity would emergence successful rebellion, and it would mean each mini business successful nan state would commencement recalculating who they are going to laic off, if they are moreover going to enactment successful business. It would make nary consciousness astatine all."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is starring ongoing fund negotiations for Trump's "big, beautiful bill." (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Negotiations are ongoing among House Republicans to finalize Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which is expected to see an hold of Trump's 2017 taxation cuts and fulfill run promises, including nary taxation connected tips, overtime aliases Social Security. 

Republican politicians and pundits person joined Gingrich's critique of Trump's imaginable taxation hike, arguing Trump is repeating nan aforesaid mistakes arsenic Bush. 

"[House] Speaker [Mike] Johnson and Republican members of Congress must person knowledgeable corporate déjà vu erstwhile President Trump urged Congress to raise taxes," New England College President Wayne Lesperance, a seasoned governmental intelligence and governmental historian, told Fox News Digital.           

"Harkening backmost to nan infamous 'Read my lips' promise made by George H. W. Bush astatine nan 1988 GOP Convention, today's Republicans must beryllium tense astatine nan president's alteration connected what is simply a sacrosanct rumor for nan statement — taxation cuts. Interestingly, George H. W. Bush's determination to break his promise was surrounded by notably different circumstances," Lesperance added. 

In this Feb. 11, 1991, record photo, President George H. W. Bush talks to reporters successful nan Rose Garden of nan White House successful Washington, D.C., aft gathering pinch apical subject advisors to talk nan Persian Gulf War.  (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)

But Lesperance reminded Republicans, who presently power nan House and Senate, that Democrats could summation an separator successful nan 2026 midterms if taxation hikes beryllium to beryllium arsenic unpopular among Republicans arsenic they were successful 1992. 

"Facing a Democratically controlled Congress, Bush reneged connected his promise arsenic a discuss to trim nan shortage and walk nan 1990 fund agreement. Bush's determination to discuss connected taxes is wide credited pinch costing him his bid for re-election. As Speaker Johnson and Republican members of Congress look up to midterm elections, location must beryllium corporate interest that President Trump's shifting position connected taxes will costs them astatine nan polls," Lesperance said. 

Longtime Republican advisor David Carney, a seasoned of galore GOP statesmanlike campaigns, said nan move by Bush "was astir apt nan azygous astir detrimental point to his re-election."

Then-Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump speaks during a run rally astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York connected Oct. 27, 2024. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Carney, who served successful nan elder Bush’s White House and worked connected his statesmanlike campaigns, told Fox News "the woody he trim was excellent. He trim spending, balanced retired nan taxes."

But Carney emphasized "all that’s wrong shot and nan reality is it was a awesome opportunity for group from nan correct and nan near to make hay retired of it, and it was perfectly hurtful."

However, fiscal conservatives stay optimistic that Trump won't raise taxes, contempt nan president softening to nan thought connected societal media connected Friday morning. 

"President Trump campaigned connected not raising taxes, and we are assured that’s precisely what he’ll do," Club for Growth President David McIntosh told Fox News Digital. 

When reached for remark astir nan Bush comparison, nan White House pointed to property caput Karoline Leavitt's comments during nan White House briefing connected Friday. 

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"The president wants taxation cuts, nan largest taxation cuts successful history," Leavitt said. "He wants to widen his historical taxation cuts from 2017, and he wants to spot each nan different taxation priorities," including nary taxation connected tips, overtime aliases Social Security. 

"The president has said he himself personally would not mind paying a small spot much to thief nan mediocre and nan mediate people and nan moving people successful this country. I think, frankly, that's a very honorable position. But again, these negotiations are ongoing connected Capitol Hill, and nan president will measurement successful erstwhile he feels necessary," she added. 

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.