Elon Musk has strongly criticized President Donald Trump's major tax and spending bill, calling it a "disgusting abomination" in what BBC reports represents a growing split between the two powerful figures. The tech billionaire used his X platform to criticize the legislation, saying in his X post that it would increase America's budget deficit and create crushing debt for citizens. Musk described the bill as outrageous and filled with wasteful spending, warning that it could push the deficit to a massive $2.5 trillion. His harsh words came just days after he left his government role leading a cost-cutting team called Doge on May 31st.
According to BBC coverage, this marks Musk's first major public disagreement with Trump since departing the administration after 129 days of trying to reduce government waste. The billionaire, who donated over 250 million dollars to support Trump's election campaign, threatened to work against politicians who voted for the bill in next year's midterm elections.
The Guardian indicates that Musk's opposition could strengthen fiscally conservative Republican senators who are already questioning the legislation during ongoing Capitol Hill negotiations. The former Doge leader expressed frustration on social media, stating he could no longer stay silent about what he called a massive and outrageous spending bill that would make America bankrupt. His criticism drew immediate support from Representative Thomas Massie through his X post, one of only two Republicans who voted against the House version last month.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back against Musk's comments, revealing he had spent over 20 minutes on a phone call with the tech entrepreneur on Monday trying to explain the bill's benefits. Johnson told reporters that Musk was terribly wrong about the legislation and deeply regretted his public criticism. The Guardian notes that Senate Majority Leader John Thune took a more diplomatic approach, acknowledging the difference of opinion while promising to move forward at full speed with the bill.
NPR highlights that the legislation includes a controversial provision that would prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence for ten years, adding another layer of Republican division over the budget measure. The bill aims to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and includes new spending for border security and military programs while raising the debt ceiling to $4 trillion. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to Musk's criticism on his X post by confirming that Trump already knew about the entrepreneur's position but remained committed to what the president calls his big, beautiful bill.
The legislation faces a July 4th deadline for passage, with Senate Republicans holding only a narrow majority and some members like Rand Paul threatening to block it over debt ceiling concerns. According to NPR reporting, the bill would also cut funding for foreign aid, public broadcasting, and other programs as part of a separate $9.4 billion spending reduction plan. Democrats have welcomed Musk's opposition despite previous criticisms of him, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying even Trump's ally recognizes how bad the legislation truly is.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0j76djzgpvo
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1929954109689606359
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/03/elon-musk-trump-tax-bill-disgusting-abomination
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