Treasury Secretary Comments On No Tax On Tips
With the holiday season in full swing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has offered a not-so-cheerful message for several Democrat-led states — and he’s not wrapping it in a bow. In a biting social media post on Wednesday, Bessent took direct aim at the governors of New York, Colorado, and Illinois, branding them “The Grinches Who Stole Christmas” for refusing to implement provisions of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill — the sweeping tax reform package signed into law on July 4.
Bessent’s comments, accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek illustration of Governors Kathy Hochul, Jared Polis, and JB Pritzker reimagined as green, scowling versions of Dr. Seuss’s holiday villain, were part of a broader campaign by the Treasury to pressure holdout states into conforming to federal tax reforms. But the tone was anything but playful.
Thanks to @POTUS, ‘tis the season to be jolly – unless you’re a taxpayer in New York, Colorado, Illinois, or the District of Columbia.
For millions of hardworking Americans, @GovKathyHochul, @GovofCO @jaredpolis, and @GovPritzker are The Grinches Who Stole Christmas.
Courtesy… pic.twitter.com/eVtKYcHc4w
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) December 10, 2025
“Thanks to @POTUS, ‘tis the season to be jolly – unless you’re a taxpayer in New York, Colorado, Illinois, or the District of Columbia,” Bessent wrote. “Courtesy of their Scrooge-like tendencies, America’s seniors, along with all workers who would benefit from No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime, will be robbed of the tax relief they deserve.”
At the heart of the dispute is the refusal by several blue states to adopt key elements of the OBBB — notably, the elimination of federal taxes on tips, overtime pay, and a new deduction for seniors on Social Security. While the federal cuts are already in place, state-level taxation remains unaffected in these jurisdictions, meaning workers in the service industry and other hourly sectors are still paying more to their state governments than their peers in conforming states.
A Treasury Department press release released the same day echoed Bessent’s message with firm language, accusing states like New York, Colorado, and Illinois of “deliberately blocking” tax relief for partisan reasons.
“This partisan stonewalling is a direct assault on the very families and workers liberal politicians claim to champion,” the release stated. “By denying their residents access to these important tax cuts, these governors and legislators are forcing hardworking Americans to shoulder higher state tax burdens.”
Bessent didn’t stop at criticism. He called on the Democrat governors to “immediately conform and stop punishing their citizens for partisan games,” invoking the Treasury’s readiness to work with any state that wants to “put America first.”
Though the statement is steeped in holiday metaphor, the implications are serious: the Treasury is positioning tax conformity not just as fiscal policy, but as a moral obligation to working-class Americans.
And while critics will argue that state governments have a right — even a responsibility — to maintain fiscal independence from federal policy, Bessent’s messaging taps into a powerful narrative: that Democrat-led states are standing between their own residents and long-overdue relief, all in the name of resisting Trump.