Tesla reported $2.3 billion of U.S. income in 2024 but paid zero federal income tax. Over the past three years, the Elon Musk-led company reports $10.8 billion of U.S. income on which its current federal tax was just $48 million.

President Donald Trump pitched the idea of eliminating the federal income tax entirely to instead tariff and tax foreign nations "to enrich our citizens."

President Donald Trump is calling for the elimination of federal income tax, advocating for a shift to a tariff-based revenue system. He argues that this approach, which he says previously made the US “richer” and a more “powerful” economy,