Elon Musk has again denounced President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill, urging Americans to pressure their representatives in Washington to reject it.
The bill, featuring substantial tax cuts and increased defense spending, passed the House last month and awaits Senate consideration.
The tech entrepreneur previously stated on X that the bill would exacerbate the US budget deficit, burdening Americans with unsustainable debt.
He recently termed it a “disgusting abomination,” signaling a growing rift between himself and the President.
The bill, endorsed by President Trump, is central to his second-term agenda if enacted.
Musk condemned those who voted for it, hinting at potential challenges to these politicians in the upcoming midterm elections.
Following a 129-day stint advising the administration on cost-cutting with his team, “Doge,” Musk’s public criticism marks his first significant disagreement with Trump since leaving government, having previously called the plan “disappointing”.
Following Musk’s tweet, the White House issued a rebuttal, dismissing claims of increased deficits as a “hoax”.
“By every honest metric, President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill dramatically improves the fiscal trajectory of the United States and unleashes an era of unprecedented economic growth,” the statement declared.
The statement omitted any mention of Musk or his tweets. The BBC has reached out to the White House for comment.
The South African-born billionaire’s time in the Trump administration concluded on May 31st, although Trump asserted that “he will, always, be with us, helping all the way”.
Current estimates suggest the bill, referred to by Trump as the “big beautiful bill,” could increase the budget deficit by approximately $600 billion in the next fiscal year.
Musk criticized the bill’s spending as “outrageous” and “pork-filled,” claiming it would massively increase the deficit and saddle American citizens with unsustainable debt.
In US politics, “pork” denotes spending on projects within lawmakers’ constituencies.
Musk previously pledged to fund campaigns against Republicans opposing Trump’s agenda. He warned supporters of the bill that they would face electoral consequences.
“In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,” he wrote.
Responding to Musk’s comments, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “the President already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill”.
“This is one, big, beautiful bill,” she added. “And he’s sticking to it.”
The legislation extends expiring tax cuts from 2017, increases defense spending, and funds the administration’s immigration enforcement plans.
It also raises the debt ceiling to $4 trillion, a move opposed by fiscal conservatives.
Musk’s criticism reflects broader Republican divisions over the bill, which faced opposition within the party during its House passage.
Senate consideration has begun, with divisions already emerging within the narrowly Republican-controlled chamber.
Senator Rand Paul stated he will oppose the bill if it raises the debt ceiling.
“The GOP [the Republican Party] will own the debt once they vote for this,” he told CBS News.
Trump responded with social media posts, criticizing Paul’s understanding of the bill and his standing with Kentucky constituents.
“His ideas are actually crazy,” Trump wrote.
Republican lawmakers downplayed Musk’s comments, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune stating the party intends to proceed with the bill despite differing opinions.
Thune and other senators met with Trump for a reportedly positive discussion, and Thune minimized Musk’s influence on the legislative process.
“We are moving forward,” he said, adding that “failure is not an option”.
House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed Musk’s criticisms, stating that Musk’s concerns were misplaced.
“It’s a very important first start. Elon is missing it,” Johnson said.
Johnson mentioned a recent phone call with Musk, noting the bill’s impact on electric vehicle tax credits which could affect Tesla.
“I lament that,” Johnson said, expressing surprise at Musk’s criticism following their conversation. “I just deeply regret he’s made this mistake.”
According to Axios, Musk’s concerns also involved FAA air traffic control, with his hopes to utilize Starlink being denied due to technological and conflict-of-interest issues.
Some Democrats welcomed Musk’s comments, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating, “Even Elon Musk…said the bill is bad. We can imagine how bad this bill is.”
Trump and Congressional Republicans aim to pass the bill by July 4th.
Musk supported Trump’s election campaign with donations exceeding $250 million.
To appease fiscal conservatives, Trump seeks further spending reductions of $9.4 billion, based on Doge’s work. This would primarily affect foreign aid, USAID, and public broadcasters NPR and PBS.
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