Tim Scott smacks down CBS anchor over Trump question

A top Republican in the U.S. Senate stepped up to defend his Christian faith and relationship with President Trump during an interview on CBS Tuesday. Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott appeared on ‘CBS Mornings Plus’ to promote his new book on Christian faith in America.

CBS anchor Adriana Diaz bluntly asked Scott about how he reconciles his ‘support for President Trump when many people see his actions as lacking Christian values.’ Diaz mentioned Trump’s hardline immigration policies as well as cuts to foreign aid. Scott, a practicing Christian, fired back: ‘Being able to put ourselves back on solid ground is really important.’

He then listed off a slew of actions taken under Trump, which he sees as policy wins for all Americans, including Christians, including his big tax bill and lowering inflation. ‘When we passed the Trump tax cuts in 2017, we lowered the taxes for a single mother by 70%. If you look at the expansion of the child tax credit, $2,200 today, it was $2,000 when we first passed it, it was only $1,000 before we passed it,’ Scott said, harkening back to Trump’s first term.

On foreign aid, Scott pointed to Trump’s action on PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which Trump has ‘reinforced’ to provide ‘billions of dollars to Africa for AIDS.’ ‘I would say, without any question, the most compassionate approach to providing the best future for the American people is by giving them as many of their resources to make their own decisions,’ Scott argued.

The South Carolina Republican was additionally asked if he agreed with Trump’s recent firing of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Statistics (BLS). Although Scott did not give a direct answer on whether or not he believed the former BLS Commissioner had been a ‘political hack,’ he did share the belief that the agency had been ‘mismanaged.’

Trump and Scott have had a long history together, as far back as their time as rivals during the 2016 presidential primary election. Scott is the longest-serving African American in U.S. Senate history, and the only one to have served in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

The senator is doing media rounds to promote his new book on Christian faith in America, ‘One Nation Always Under God: Profiles in Christian Courage.’ In the book, Scott’s overall argument is that America has shifted from its Judeo-Christian values. Scott has long been outspoken about his Christian faith.

Last year, he got married to Mindy Noce, an interior designer and mother of three. During a Fox News interview in June of 2024, Noce revealed how mutual friends tried to set them up on a pickleball date, before they went on a Bible study together. She thought their bond was ‘heaven-sent.’

Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt then asked Noce how she knew Scott was ‘the one.’ ‘God shows you the path,’ Noce responded. She added that she ignores critics who say they got married because he was a presidential nominee and are ‘upset he is a black man.’ Tim Scott became a stepfather after marrying Mindy Noce last year.

Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt questioned the couple about the criticism they’ve received – particularly from ABC’s The View, who suggested the senator only got engaged to be in the running for vice president. ‘They are ridiculous, period. It is not just comments about me, they get paid to tear people down,’ Scott replied. He added he ‘goes into prayer’ when the negativity about their relationship surfaces.

Scott said that he had been ‘praying for years’ to find a wife. And he knew she was the one from their first conversation. ‘She laughs and understands love of country and love [of] the Lord,’ he explained. She’s ‘attractive, family, devoted to the country. It’s a pretty good deal’ the Senator said of his bride last year.