United CEO’s 100% Inheritance Tax Call Draws Ire as Pay Soars

Dagen McDowell fired back at United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby after he called for a national wealth tax and inheritance levies approaching 100%. Her criticism zeroes in on the irony of an executive earning tens of millions advocating taxes that would effectively confiscate family fortunes, while the airline itself charges premium prices for elite customer access.

Kirby made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published Sunday, during a discussion about declining public trust in corporate leaders.

“Wealth inequality has become a danger to our society, and we need to address that,” Kirby said, according to the Times.

He has received $32.3 million in total compensation for fiscal year 2025, according to company filings.

The billionaire-class debate is not new. President Joe Biden proposed an annual 2% wealth tax on individuals with net worth over $100 million and a 25% minimum tax on high-income earners during his presidency, measures that never passed Congress. A 2021 proposal by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren would have taxed the top 700 families in America more than $3 trillion over a decade, but the plan stalled amid Republican opposition and moderate Democratic reservations.

Kirby suggested a federal levy, not state-by-state, since the wealthy would simply relocate. “It won’t work by state because people will just move,” he said.

The current estate tax already targets large inheritances, but at a top rate of 40% rather than near-total confiscation. The basic exemption stands at $15 million per individual in 2026, according to IRS figures.

Kirby did not specify the wealth threshold that would trigger his proposed inheritance tax, nor the rate he would endorse for a national wealth tax.

McDowell, a Fox Business host and former ABC News business anchor, highlighted the contrast between Kirby’s public policy position and his personal financial gain, calling out what she described as hypocrisy. She also drew a parallel to United’s own tiered pricing model, which charges more for elite-status perks and preferred seating.

Kirby defended the airline’s pricing structure in the same interview, saying customers who want a window or aisle seat should expect to pay more. “There are some customers who want to sit in a window seat or a better seat, and that costs money to deliver,” he said.

United’s stock fell $0.50, or 0.52%, to close at $95.60 in recent trading.

Kirby ended the conversation on a positive note, describing the U.S. economy as having an “incredibly bright” future.

A United Airlines plane flies past clouds after taking off from San Francisco International Airport.