COTTLEVILLE, Mo. (KMOX) - Sen. Josh Hawley changed his tune on Donald Trump's tax plan during his visit in Cottleville, Missouri Thursday.
In 2017, when campaigning for his Senate seat, Hawley, who was then- Missouri Attorney General said Donald Trump's tax plan was "the right way forward."
Earlier this summer, Hawley said corporations should not pay less in taxes than individuals do.
KMOX's Sean Malone questioned him on why he changed his position during his visit to Cottleville in St. Charles County Thursday.
"I wasn't there for the Trump tax cuts in 2017, I wasn't there to vote for it, but I stand by my remarks that (Malone) just read," said Hawley to KMOX News. "I think labor shouldn't be taxed more than capital and I think this idea that all these corporations, who by the way many of them don't pay any taxes."
"GE, they don't pay any taxes. The idea that they can get all of these tax breaks and meanwhile working people are paying more and more payroll taxes. I just think it's the reverse of how it should be."
When asked by Malone if taxes should be raised for corporations, Hawley said "if these corporations want favorable tax treatment, they better be showing they are doing something for the United States of America, beginning with American workers."
"I want to see they are employing American workers, they are giving them good wages, and creating jobs in this country," said Hawley. "If they're not, then I don't know why we would give them more tax cuts. I just don't get that. But I'll tell you who does deserves a tax cut, the working people, especially working families. Way too expensive to raise kids in America."
Hawley previously said he voted against the bill codifying access to IVF because there were parts of the bill he did not support. Would he apply the same standard to Trump's tax bill?
"Well it needs to meet the criteria I just laid out," said Hawley. "I mean it needs to be something that creates jobs, raise wages for workers, and actually benefits the country. If it's just a giveaway to corporations, then no I'm not going to vote to give away more money to corporations."
Hawley stop in Cottleville, Missouri was one of the stops he made around the state Thursday. Earlier in the day, in Parkville, Missouri, which is about 16 minutes away from downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Hawley held a rally where he landed the endorsement from Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.
Butker also accompanied Hawley to his trip to Cottleville Thursday .
"I'm trying to use my platform to stand up to conservative values," said Butker in his appearance in Cottleville.
"When you hear Sen. Hawley talk about women that are competing in men's sports potentially and men competing in women's sports, which obviously is the bigger issue. Those hit home to me and I think we need to preserve so many of the traditional values in this country that seem to be washed away."