Republicans struggle to highlight Trump’s cuts as Americans see little effect on Tax Day – US politics live

President Donald Trump’s security aide Sebastian Gorka is seeking to become the next head of the National Counterterrorism Center, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, nearly a month after the center’s previous head quit due to differences over the war in Iran.

Joe Kent, who previously headed the center, had said while resigning last month that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States.

The US National Counterterrorism Center and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on the Washington Post report.

Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.

It is Tax Day and Republicans are ramping up their efforts to highlight last year’s sweeping tax cuts and turn them into political capital.

Party leaders had anticipated that the legislation would lead to a surge in refunds, creating a tangible benefit for voters and delivering a much-needed boost at the ballot box.

However, early indications suggest that may not be the case. Refunds have risen only modestly, reports Politico, with most taxpayers not noticing the difference.

Donald Trump says his “big, beautiful bill” gave the American people the biggest ever tax cuts – although, depending on your yardstick, the 2025 cuts would rank at the third or sixth biggest since 1980.

But Republicans are pushing to keep the tax cuts in the forefront of voters’ minds, even if they may have overplayed their tangible impact.

Of course, the president’s decision to go to war in the Middle East has done little to alleviate the cost of living pressure facing ordinary Americans.

Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform said a quick solution to the war with Iran could reduce some of the pressure on prices that are currently overshadowing tax cuts.

Speaking at a pre-Tax Day event, he said: “But that’s not guaranteed. I run a taxpayer group. War’s kind of out of my control sometimes.”

In other developments:

• Eric Swalwell officially resigned from Congress amid the threat of an expulsion vote and other misconduct allegations he has denied. A special election to fill his vacant seat will be held 18 August. At a Los Angeles press conference this morning, Lonna Drewes accused Swalwell of drugging and raping her in 2018, telling reporters she “did not consent to any sexual activity.”