A serious rift has erupted between Elon Musk and President Trump over the massive government spending bill the president has urged Congress to pass.
Musk, who donated nearly $275 million toward Trump’s 2024 election campaign, on Tuesday posted on X an unambiguous denunciation of the bill, which is called the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk wrote. “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” The tech mogul wrote that the bill “will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit” and that “Congress is making America bankrupt.”
Musk, the world’s richest person, also posted a warning that voters would “fire all politicians who betrayed the American people” in the 2026 midterm elections.
On May 28, Musk announced the he would end his tenure as a “special government employee” — leading the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE — after 128 days. Per the U.S. Department of the Interior, a person cannot serve in such a role for more than 130 days in a consecutive year.
Sen. Ran Paul (R-Kentucky) was among those chiming in to agree with Musk. “We have both seen the massive waste in government spending and we know another $5 trillion in debt is a huge mistake. We can and must do better,” he wrote, quoting Musk’s post.
Trump, on Truth Social, earlier in the day slammed Paul, writing “Rand Paul has very little understanding of the BBB, especially the tremendous GROWTH that is coming. He loves voting “NO” on everything, he thinks it’s good politics, but it’s not. The BBB is a big WINNER!!!”
Love Film & TV?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in music, film and TV in Australia and abroad.
At a White House press briefing, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked press secretary Karoline Leavitt “how mad do you think President Trump is going to be” about Musk’s comments? Leavitt responded that Trump “already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s sticking to it.”
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act passed the Republican-controlled House but has yet to clear the Senate. The legislation would make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent (with wealthy Americans benefiting the most) and increase funding for the U.S. military and immigration enforcement. In addition, the version that passed the House cuts funding for health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs.
Musk has criticized the “Big Beautiful Bill” before, but using tamer terminology. Last week, for example, Musk criticized Trump’s “massive spending bill” in an interview with CBS’s “Sunday Morning,” saying the legislation “undermines the work” of DOGE.
From Variety US