Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) voiced enthusiasm Thursday about the economic and regulatory direction charted by President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy, describing their influence as “exciting” and poised to bring significant change to Washington.
In remarks following meetings on Capitol Hill, Scott, known for his private-sector background, highlighted the trio’s plans to streamline government, reduce federal overreach, and cut bureaucratic red tape. He framed the incoming administration’s agenda as a way to curb inflation, pay down the national debt, and spur job creation.
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“This is an exciting time,” Scott said. “As a business guy, I know you have to constantly focus on costs. Elon, Vivek, and President-elect Trump understand that we need dramatic change—not a tweak at the edges—if we want to reduce inflation, pay down our debt, and bring more full-time jobs to Americans.”
Scott drew from his own experience as Florida governor, recalling that when he slashed the state’s regulatory environment by 20 percent, private-sector employment flourished. He expects similar results on a national scale, arguing that the new leadership will target “every avenue” to enhance efficiency and productivity in government operations.
While acknowledging that entrenched interests in Washington will fight back, Scott expressed confidence in the power of executive actions to roll back layers of regulations.
He noted that regulations added under the Biden administration could be stripped away by placing pro-business appointees at the helm of key federal agencies. These moves, Scott suggested, can stimulate growth “without having to wait on Congress” to pass reforms.
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Scott’s optimism, however, comes amid growing debate over potential pushback from career bureaucrats and political opponents who stand to lose under a leaner federal apparatus.
He emphasized that while some Democrats have verbally supported pro-growth reforms, the true test will be how they vote on specific measures designed to curtail government spending and reign in administrative overhead.
The senator also criticized policies like extended remote-work arrangements for federal employees, calling them unfair to working Americans who must physically show up for their jobs. “If you go to work at a grocery store, you can’t just choose to stay home,” Scott said, branding the extended work-from-home agreements as out of touch and unsustainable.
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Scott predicted that the first two years of the new administration would be critical. With Trump’s landslide victory and the addition of Musk and Ramaswamy to the leadership team, he believes bold changes are not only possible but imminent.
“We’ve got to bring this Pentagon back to what it should be, streamline agencies, and put an end to wasteful spending,” Scott said. “I came to Washington to do exactly what we’re doing right now.”
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