During a Sunday exchange, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sparred with CNN’s Dana Bash over the implications of the newly enacted “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” a massive legislative package signed into law by President Donald Trump on Independence Day. This nearly 900-page reconciliation bill, potentially the hallmark of Trump’s second term, has created some intense debates, particularly over its Medicaid reforms.
Bash pressed Bessent, suggesting the bill would cut Medicaid funding, but the Treasury Secretary swiftly countered. “Only in DC is a 20% hike over 10 years a cut,” he declared, stressing that Medicaid funding will rise by 20% over the next decade.
He emphasized a renewed focus on the program’s core beneficiaries: “the pregnant women, the disabled, and families with children under 14.”
Bessent clarified that the reforms target those who aren’t considered “vulnerable.” “Able-bodied Americans are not vulnerable Americans, so a work requirement or a community service requirement, that’s very popular with the public, and many state programs have that now,” he said, pointing to similar policies already in place at the state level.
When Bash argued that the bill contradicts President Trump’s pledge of “no changes to Medicaid benefits,” Bessent drew a sharp line. “There is no change in benefits. There’s a change in requirements to get the benefits,” he corrected, linking the reforms to the administration’s push to revive manufacturing jobs and tighten immigration enforcement, which he said would create plentiful job opportunities.
Bessent didn’t hold back in criticizing Democrats, accusing them of patronizing Medicaid recipients by claiming new registration rules would be too burdensome. “It is a group of Democrats who unfortunately seem to think that poor people are stupid,” he said.
“I don’t think poor people are stupid. I think they have agency, and I think to have them registered twice a year for these benefits, that is not a burden,” he continued, dismissing detractors as “alarmists.”
WATCH:
Bessent on Medicaid cuts: "The able-bodied Americans are not vulnerable Americans … people can get off Medicaid and get a job that has good healthcare benefits … I don't think poor people are stupid. I think they have agency." pic.twitter.com/raDM6GQEOU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 6, 2025
The “One Big, Beautiful Bill” extends far beyond healthcare, boosting funding for border security and national defense while prioritizing fossil fuel development and scaling back tax credits for green energy and electric vehicles.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, instrumental in guiding the bill through Congress, is confident it will resonate with voters. Speaking over the weekend, he predicted a strong Republican campaign ahead of the midterms.
“Our Republicans are going to be out across the country telling the simple truth, and guess what? It will be demonstrated. Everyone will have more take-home pay,” Johnson stated.
“They’ll have more jobs and opportunity. The economy will be doing better. And we will be able to point to that as the obvious result of what we did.”
As the bill’s sweeping changes take shape, it stands as an important move by the Trump administration. Supporters view the legislation as a game-changer, but media outlets like CNN seem to be increasingly skeptical even as Trump administration officials try and convince them as the bill’s positive impact for Americans.
The Fairview Gazette will keep you updated on any developments regarding the fallout of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”
