Vance bashes CBO report on Trump bill fueling inequality: ‘Very atrocious’

Vice President Vance bashed the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Thursday over a recent analysis that showed President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” will make the poorest Americans even poorer, while benefiting the highest earners.

While speaking at an industrial refrigeration manufacturing facility in Peachtree City, Ga., about the policy package, Vance criticized the CBO assessment in his response to a question on how he justifies the impact on the poorest Americans.

“First of all, the Congressional Budget Office, sometimes they put out reports that are absolutely atrocious, and I think this is a good example of a very atrocious report,” he said to applause from the crowd.

The CBO report, which was done at the request of Democrats, found that the top 10 percent of earners in the country will see an average boost of $13,600 per year over the next decade as a direct result of provisions in the law, while the bottom 10 percent will see an average annual decrease of $1,200.

Vance continued to tout the benefits of the law, including no tax on tips and on overtime.

“The most important thing for people who are living at the bottom of the income ladder is that they not pay taxes on their income sources,” the vice president said.

He added, “So, if you’re working hard and you’re working overtime, you’re going to get a big fat tax cut. If you’re working at a restaurant or some other business where you’re earning your wages primarily through tips, you’re going to get a big fat tax cut. And most importantly, the president’s economic policies are going to prevent your job from being shipped off to Asia or to Mexico. That is the very best thing for people at the bottom of the income ladder.”

During his remarks in Georgia, Vance also said “if you’re working hard the government ought to leave you alone.”

The CBO report challenges the Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ argument that the law will benefit workers at all levels of wealth and income. The administration has been referring to it recently as Trump’s “working families tax cuts” instead of the “big, beautiful bill.”

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.