Elon Musk criticized President Trump's tax and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination," marking a stark break from his previous support.
In a dramatic escalation of tensions between two high-profile allies, Elon Musk has publicly denounced US President Donald Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination”.
The tech mogul’s blunt criticism comes just days after his abrupt departure from the Trump administration, ending his short-lived role as head of a federal cost-cutting task force.
Musk’s comments mark the clearest break yet between the Tesla CEO and the Republican president he once endorsed and worked alongside.
The billionaire, who donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign and was handpicked to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), now finds himself among the bill’s most vocal critics.
Taking to X on Tuesday, Musk lashed out at the legislation, saying: “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it”, as quoted by Reuters on 3 June.
He further claimed that the legislation “will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt”, Musk wrote on X.
In another pointed remark on X, Musk warned: “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people."
Musk’s frustrations reportedly extended beyond the broader economic implications. According to reports, one of the specific sticking points was the denial of a proposal to have air traffic control run via his Starlink satellite system, rejected over conflict of interest and technology concerns.
Passed by the House of Representatives last month by a single vote, Trump’s controversial bill is a centerpiece of his second-term agenda.
It seeks to extend the 2017 tax cuts introduced during his first term, increase defence spending, and allocate billions towards mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
The legislation also raises the US debt ceiling to $4 trillion, a move that has drawn sharp rebukes from fiscal conservatives.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill will add $3.8 trillion to the US federal debt, which currently stands at more than $36.2 trillion, according to Reuters.
While Trump has defended the proposal as “one big, beautiful bill”, according to Reuters, critics within and outside his party are growing louder. Republican Senator Rand Paul told CBS News that the GOP “will own the debt once they vote for this” and reaffirmed his opposition to any increase in the debt ceiling.
Despite the backlash, Senate Republicans are pressing ahead. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: “We have an agenda that everybody campaigned on, most notably the president,” as reported by the BBC. He also told reporters, as quoted by Reuters: “My hope is that as [Musk] has an opportunity to further assess what this bill actually does, that he comes to a different conclusion.”
Musk’s fiery condemnation is particularly striking given his recent proximity to Trump’s political and administrative machinery. A vocal supporter of Trump during the 2024 campaign, Musk contributed over $250 million to the re-election effort.
He was later appointed to lead DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency where he oversaw attempts to reform federal spending. His tenure lasted 129 days and formally ended on 31 May. Upon his departure, Trump said, “He will, always, be with us, helping all the way,” according to Reuters.
Signs of strain had already begun to emerge before Musk’s exit. In an interview a week prior, he called the bill “disappointing”, according to Bloomberg, and warned that it would undermine DOGE’s objectives. He amplified that criticism after leaving the administration, with the latest comments representing his most severe rebuke yet.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, a key architect of the bill, claimed he had a 20-minute call with Musk on Monday. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Johnson said: “My friend Elon is terribly wrong… it’s a very important first start. Elon is missing it,” as quoted by the BBC. Johnson also expressed surprise at Musk’s public opposition, saying: “I just deeply regret he’s made this mistake,” according to BBC.
Other Republican lawmakers also pushed back. Thune and Johnson reiterated their commitment to the bill’s passage despite Musk’s criticism. Johnson acknowledged that the removal of electric vehicle tax credits could “have an effect” on Tesla, but insisted the bill remains “very important”, according to BBC.
Meanwhile, Democrats seized on Musk’s remarks to reinforce their own objections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “Even Elon Musk, who’s been part of the whole process and is one of Trump’s buddies, said the bill is bad. We can imagine how bad this bill is,” as reported by the BBC.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s attack, stating: “The President 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,” Reuters reported.
The fracture between Trump and Musk highlights deeper ideological divides within the Republican party, particularly around fiscal conservatism, government debt, and economic priorities.
With Trump aiming for Senate passage by 4 July, the next few weeks will determine whether his legislative ambitions survive intra-party rebellion.
Though Musk’s time in the Trump administration is over, his scathing assessment of the bill and his call to oust those who supported it, signal a new phase in his political engagement.
For a figure once central to Trump’s cost-cutting crusade, Musk now appears to be positioning himself as its loudest dissenting voice.