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Trump Meets With Business Leaders At White House; Vows To Cut Corporate Taxes

WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Donald Trump opened what his team has dubbed "Day One'' of his presidency by meeting with business leaders in the White House.

Trump hosted a breakfast with about a dozen leaders in the Roosevelt Room on Monday morning. Among those in attendance were Kevin Plank of Under Armour, Elon Musk of Tesla, Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin and Mario Longhi of US Steel.

The newly-inaugurated president told the group that he wants to lower taxes for the middle class and for companies to "anywhere from 15 to 25 percent,'' down from 35 percent. He told the business leaders that the deal is contingent upon keeping business operations inside the United States: "All you have to do is stay. Don't leave. Don't fire your people in the United States.''

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One of the campaign promises Trump listed on his website was to "reform the entire regulatory code to ensure that we keep jobs and wealth in America.''

Trump said there will "be advantages'' to companies that make their products in the United States and suggested he will impose a "substantial border tax'' on foreign goods entering the country. The president also repeated a campaign promise to cut regulations "by 75 percent, maybe more.''

Trump suggested he wanted to hold these meetings quarterly.

After the breakfast, Trump has another so-called listening session with union leaders and workers in the afternoon; and a reception later on with members of Congress he'll need on board to overhaul the nation's health care system, among other goals. He'll also hold his first meeting as president with the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.

On Twitter, Trump wrote he has a "busy week planned with a heavy focus on jobs and national security."

On Sunday, Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The two also discussed plans to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The president invited Netanyahu to the White House next month.

Trump has other meetings with world leaders planned.

"It's been a very interesting few days," Trump said. "We have set up meetings with the prime minister of the United Kingdom, we're also meeting with the prime minister of Canada and we will be meeting with the president of Mexico -- who I know -- and we're going to start some negotiations having to do with NAFTA."

The president also welcomed in 30 assistants, swearing them in with Vice President Mike Pence.

(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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