Will Trump support the GOP's plan to double the federal minimum wage?
President
Donald Trump
is signaling uncertainty over whether he will support a high-profile Republican proposal to more than double the federal minimum wage, reflecting ongoing divisions within the GOP as economic populism gains traction in Washington.
Speaking from the
Oval Office
on Wednesday, Trump responded to questions about the 'Higher Wages for American Workers Act,' a bipartisan bill introduced last week by GOP
Senator Josh Hawley
of Missouri and Democrat Senator Peter Welch of Vermont. The legislation would raise the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 per hour—unchanged since 2009—to $15 per hour, a move that would impact millions of workers nationwide.
'I haven't seen it. I'd have to speak to Josh. He's a very good friend of mine,' Trump said. 'That's interesting that Josh did that. You have to think about that one.' He added, 'Some people agree with it. Some people don't. You know, some people say it really turns away business, restaurants, clothes and a lot of things happen. Other people agree. I'd have to speak to Josh — he's a good guy'.
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The politics of a wage hike
The proposal marks a notable shift for Senator Hawley, who has positioned himself as an economic populist. 'If we're going to be a working people's party, we have to do something for working people,' Hawley told NBC News after introducing the bill. 'And working people haven't gotten a raise in years. So they need a raise.'
Hawley's support for a
higher minimum wage
follows his recent efforts to cap credit card interest rates and his alignment with progressive senators on certain consumer protection issues.
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Currently, at least 31 states—including Missouri—require most businesses to pay above the federal minimum wage, but 20 states still adhere to the $7.25 standard. The proposed legislation would more than double the federal base wage, a move that supporters say is overdue given
inflation
and stagnant wage growth.
Critics, however, warn that such a sharp increase could hurt small businesses, lead to job losses, and drive up prices for consumers.
Trump's record and the broader debate
Trump's ambivalence is consistent with his past positions. While he has occasionally expressed openness to modest increases, he has generally opposed large federal hikes, citing concerns about regional cost differences and the potential for negative impacts on small businesses. In an earlier interview, Trump had acknowledged the minimum wage was 'very low' but warned against drastic changes, pointing to restaurant closures in high-wage states like California as a cautionary tale.
The debate comes at a time when
Democrats
are also pushing for a separate bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour by 2030, with further increases tied to median wage growth. However, with the Republican-controlled Senate and Trump's uncertain stance, the path forward for any significant wage increase remains unclear.
Adding to the complexity, Trump recently revoked a Biden-era executive order that had set a $15 minimum wage for federal contractors, lowering it to $13.30 per hour for most contracts. This move has further highlighted the administration's mixed signals on wage policy.
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