The Senate is "moving toward a vote today" on President Donald Trump's megabill despite Democrats' efforts to halt "momentum," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday.
The Trump official sat down with co-host Brian Kilmeade shortly after speaking with Capitol Hill leaders regarding the "big beautiful bill," currently simmering in the Senate vote-a-rama where lawmakers on either side of the aisle can submit an unlimited number of amendments to the bill.
"Twenty hours [of debate] doesn't worry me, because it's just the Democrats trying to obstruct this one big, beautiful bill," Bessent told co-host Brian Kilmeade.
"President Trump has incredible momentum from the border to Israel-Iran. Now, we're going to bring it home on the tax bill, and then we'll do trade next week," he added.
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Senate Democrats have railed against the bill for its slew of changes to Medicaid, green energy tax subsidies and how the bill, particularly its design to make Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Job act permanent, would balloon the federal deficit.
Some Republican lawmakers have voiced their opposition to aspects of the bill, including Sens. Rand Paul and Tom Tillis, the latter of whom raised concerns over the potential impacts the measure could have on Medicaid.
"I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree with him," Bessent said.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 1: U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) walks to the Senate floor during overnight votes at the U.S. Capitol on July 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"We want to make Medicaid available to mothers and children and those who need it. There are lots of able-bodied people who have taken advantage of the system. We're going to put in a work requirement, and we're just trying to get the levels back to where we were pre-COVID, which I don't think anybody disagrees with."
Bessent also downplayed criticism that the bill will largely benefit top earners, pinpointing policies that would cut taxes on tips and overtime in addition to the lower tax on social security and more.
"Those sound like working-class tax breaks to me," he added.
At the same time, former DOGE leader Elon Musk ramped up his criticism of the bill, pledging to found a third political party to rival the two currently in charge.
Bessent responded by saying, "I admire Elon's leadership on rockets. I will take care of the finances."
Fox News' Alex Miller contributed to this report.