Malliotakis talks taxes, DOGE and tariffs

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) called the recent national security breach a “learning experience” that needs to be addressed. She was referring to the incident in which the Trump administration’s top security officials inadvertently added a journalist to a Signal group chat where they disclosed classified war plans.

“Obviously, it’s problematic,” Malliotakis said. “We need to make sure that these apps are not being used to transmit classified information.”

Reconciliation and tax reform: As Congress continues work on reconciliation, Malliotakis said she wouldn’t mind raising the debt limit as Speaker Mike Johnson has previously proposed. The lawmaker said she supports raising the debt limit as long as the vehicle it moves through can get 218 votes.

Malliotakis also laid out what her top three priorities are for a tax package: restoring SALT relief on a federal level, reducing taxes for senior citizens and bringing the supply chain back to the United States. All of those, she said, are also on Trump’s tax reform wish list.

“I think we need to recognize the reason we need SALT relief on the federal level is because my mayor and my governor tax people to death, and that’s the reality,” she said.

DOGE: Malliotakis said that while DOGE has good intentions to find inefficiencies and implement savings, the department should operate as an advisory organization and leave cuts to the agency leaders and Congress.

“It needs to be advisory and it needs to be well thought-out,” she said. “It should not be a sledgehammer. It should be a scalpel.”

Trump’s tariffs: As the Trump administration continues to dangle tariffs over foreign goods, Malliotakis said the president’s moves were a smart strategy. However, she cautioned the administration against increasing tariffs on pharmaceuticals as it could take years for the United States to build its domestic drug manufacturing system.

She cautioned against alienating “friendly” countries like Ireland, Poland, Costa Rica and Switzerland, and instead work with them on pharmaceutical supplies.

“I think that that’s something I would caution the administration on increasing tariffs on pharmaceuticals that needs to be looked at a little more closely,” Malliotakis said.

You can watch the full video here.