Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) stuck to his conservative principles when asked about President Donald Trump raising the prospect of a tax increase on the highest income earners in the country.

NBC’s Kristen Welker pressed the top Senate Republican on the issue during the latest airing of “Meet The Press” after Trump said he would be “OK” with a tax hike on the rich to help lower and middle income workers in the “big, beautiful bill” — even as the president conceded “Republicans should probably not do it” considering the political consequences.

“I want to talk about the president’s tax bill. In order to get some of the savings needed to pass it, President Trump floated the idea of increasing taxes on the highest income earners, those making more than $2.5 million. He also acknowledged the politics are quite thorny, but, senator, would you support that? Increasing taxes on the highest income earners?” Welker asked.

“Well, I’m a conservative, and I don’t want to increase taxes on anybody,” Barrasso replied. “What you do know is that the Democrats, if we don’t get this bill passed, they’re going to raise taxes by $4 trillion on the American people. It will hit every working family in America with higher taxes. And you know, 84% of Americans don’t like what the Democrats are proposing. Our goal is to keep more money in people’s pockets so they can go to the store, pay their rent, save for retirement. That’s what our focus is — lower costs and higher wages.”

Barrasso refused to budge as Welker sought to clarify whether he was ruling out the possibility of increasing taxes on the highest income earners.

“I oppose raising taxes on anyone and the Democrats want to raise $4 trillion of taxes on everyone,” Barrasso said.

He added later: “I am against raising taxes on anyone. We’re working the bill through the process. It’s going through the House. We’re ironing out the details right now. We’re going to get a bill passed and signed by the president that’s going to put more money in people’s pockets and give them the certainty that taxes aren’t going to go up.”

Hamas announced in a statement on Sunday that it plans to release American hostage Edan Alexander.

According to the terrorist group, the 21-year-old dual Israeli-American citizen will be released as part of negotiations for a ceasefire.

“The movement has shown a high level of positivity, and the Israeli soldier with dual American citizenship, [Edan] Alexander, will be released as part of the steps being taken toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings, and the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.

Edan was born in Rockville, Maryland, before moving to New Jersey. He joined the Israeli Defense Forces after high school and was taken captive during Hamas’ October 7 massacre while at a small outpost by Kibbutz Nir Oz. He has been seen in Hamas propaganda videos.

Hamas added that Alexander’s release “affirms its readiness to immediately begin intensive negotiations” to bring the war to the end.

Hamas said that it hopes any final agreement influences a “mutually agreed-upon captive exchange, and ensures that the Gaza Strip is managed by an independent professional body.”

“This would guarantee long-term calm and stability, as well as reconstruction and the lifting of the blockade.”

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The statement did not specify when Alexander would be released, but the Jerusalem Post reported that sources said the release may come in the next 48 hours.

President Trump posted on Truth Social confirming the upcoming release:

President Trump confirms that Edan Alexander is going to be released by Hamas. pic.twitter.com/WgjIOeTqSA

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 11, 2025

Alexander’s parents told Israel’s Channel 12 that they were aware of the announcement and have been updated by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

The White House hostage envoy has requested that Hamas also release the bodies of the four other American citizens it still holds.

The statement comes after President Donald Trump ordered humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza in a way that attempts to keep the terror organization from stealing it.

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U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced Trump’s aid plan on Friday, noting that private firms, not Israel, would be tasked with transporting and distributing the aid, but Israel would help with security.

“The Israelis are supportive of this program, they want it to happen, but they are not operating it,” Huckabee said. “That’s important because there are some entities that would not want to participate if they thought it was an IDF operation.”

Huckabee said that a top priority is implementing the plan in a way in which the terror organization does not profit as it has in the past from humanitarian aid.

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“The next factor is that all of this be done in a way where Hamas cannot get its hands on it,” Huckabee said. “Nobody is interested in helping Hamas because Hamas has taken food that was intended to help very desperate citizens and stolen it from them, sold it on the black market, and then took the money to buy weaponry to murder more people.”

Last week, Israel approved an expanded ground operation plan that includes plans to conquer and retain more areas of the Gaza Strip. The plan, named “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” will go into effect if Hamas fails to make an agreement with Israel by the end of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this upcoming week, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16, the second foreign trip of his second term.