Vice President Mike Pence said fiscal conservatism must take a back seat to serious spending measures required to see Americans through the worst of the pandemic, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Caller on Thursday.

Pence’s comments came hours after Senate Democrats struck down Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s attempt to carry another costly coronavirus relief bill through Congress. Pence says he and President Trump plan to return to fiscal conservatism once the current crisis has been addressed.”President Trump has made it clear we believe providing additional direct support to families, providing additional support and extension of the kind of programs that have literally saved more than 50 million jobs around the country, and other assistance, is is absolutely essential to bring our economy all the way back,” Pence said. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Mike Pence Won’t Rule Out Running For President In 2024)

“That being said, once we find our way through this global pandemic in the second term of this President’s administration, we’re gonna roll our sleeves up. And, and look to, you know, restore fiscal responsibility to the federal budget.”

The Caller then pressed on what exactly the Trump administration planned to cut in a second term, given Trump has already announced plans for a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure bill.

“I think the first order of business is making sure that we have willing partners on Capitol Hill,” Pence replied. “I mean, you think about the contrast of our first two years in office with Republican majorities in the House and Senate. We accomplished virtually everything we set out to do with the exception of a full repeal and replacement of Obamacare.”