Democrats are sounding highly dubious about working with Republicans on tax reform after President Trump said Thursday he’s interested in a bipartisan approach to one of the top Republican legislative priorities.

In virtual remarks Thursday before the Davos Economic Forum, Trump ceded that he would likely need Democratic votes to pass an extension of his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — a bill that not a single Democrat supported during his first term.

“When we do the renewal of the Trump tax [cuts], we have to get Democrats to approve it. If the Democrats didn’t approve it, I don’t know how they can survive with about a 45 percent tax increase,” Trump said.

Trump and Republicans are facing enormous pressure to extend key provisions of the 2017 tax law, including cuts to individual income tax rates that will expire at the end of the year.

Failing to renew the law and deliver on key Trump campaign promises could kneecap Republican efforts to stave off Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.

“We were kind of hoping that we could get something done ourselves, but we’ll see. [Trump is] usually pretty accurate. It’s all math right now,” Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), a member of the tax writing Ways and Means Committee, told The Hill.

Most Democrats are pooh-poohing the notion of any kind of participation in the GOP tax plan, though a few key Democrats have signalled openness amid tensions within the Republican conference on taxes and their tiny majority in the House.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries........

© The Hill