Scott Kirby, chief executive of United Airlines, has made a call for national wealth taxation as well as taxes on inheritance at close to 100% levels, stating that the increasing inequality between the wealthy and the poor poses a risk to American society. The statement was made in an interview with The New York Times, which came out on Sunday, while talking about reduced confidence in business leaders. The proposed measure would be quite a departure from the present US tax regime, whereby only part of large inheritances face estate taxes at the federal level.
The remarks have drawn attention partly because of Kirby’s own compensation. Based on reports from Fox News, the airline executive earned around $32.3 million in total compensation for FY 2025. In the interview, the executive stated that he was ready to pay the inheritance taxes that he supported.
