‘KILL the BILL’: Elon Musk attacks Trump’s tax plan again, warns of ‘debt slavery’

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has intensified his public opposition to Donald Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, calling on Americans to demand that lawmakers reject the legislation.

In a forceful social media post on Wednesday, Musk urged voters to “KILL the BILL,” accusing the president of pushing through a fiscally irresponsible agenda.

“Call your Senator, Call your Congressman. Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL,” Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter, to his 220 million followers.

Musk’s June 4 rebuttal

This latest post is part of Musk’s escalating campaign against what Trump calls his “One, Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Musk’s opposition began earlier this week, with a flurry of posts on June 4 describing the legislation as a “disgusting abomination” that could plunge the United States into what he calls “debt slavery.”

He had warned that the bill would “massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion” and accused lawmakers of betraying fiscal conservatism.

“I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk wrote on June 4. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong.” In another widely shared post, he mocked the bill by sharing a parody movie poster of “Kill Bill” and said, “A bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both.”

Musk's shifting stance

Musk’s criticism is not merely rhetorical. The timing of his public outburst is significant. Just days earlier, he officially stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE — a short-term post he held in the Trump administration. His appointment was meant to symbolize a drive to rein in federal spending. But his sudden exit and immediate condemnation of Trump’s economic agenda suggest deep internal disagreements.

The bill, which has already passed the House and is now under Senate review, combines major tax cuts, a sharp increase in the federal debt ceiling, and sweeping cuts to federal programs — including clean energy subsidies that benefit Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla.

Musk has called for a complete overhaul of the legislation. “A new spending bill should be drafted that doesn’t massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling by five trillion dollars,” he wrote on X.

On the same day Musk renewed his attack, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a troubling analysis of the bill’s financial impact. According to the CBO, the legislation would add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.

The office projected a $3.67 trillion drop in government revenue and only a $1.25 trillion decrease in federal spending through 2034. The report does not factor in any potential economic growth that could offset the losses — a key justification cited by the bill’s supporters.

Despite Musk’s repeated attacks, the Trump camp appears undeterred. The former president has continued to tout the bill as a landmark achievement. “Passing THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL is a Historic Opportunity to turn our Country around,” Trump posted recently.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s criticism, saying, “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.”

Musk’s public break with Trump marks a dramatic shift in their relationship. During his four-month stint in government, Musk had maintained a close and visible association with the administration. But behind the scenes, sources say tensions had been mounting.

According to NBC News and Axios, the Trump White House rejected multiple proposals from Musk — including his suggestion to let the Federal Aviation Administration manage Starlink and his preferred candidate to head NASA.

The administration also reportedly denied his request to extend his tenure beyond the 130-day legal limit for special government employees.

Musk officially confirmed his departure on May 29, writing, “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.”

Trump hosted a farewell event at the White House the next day, publicly praising Musk’s efforts. However, just days later, Musk’s tone turned sharply critical, suggesting that the parting was not entirely amicable.

Tesla’s business interests may also be a factor in Musk’s political stance. The bill proposes major rollbacks to Biden-era clean energy and electric vehicle incentives, which have directly benefited Tesla.

Musk’s tenure in government had already coincided with a dip in Tesla EV sales — a trend that analysts partly attribute to his alignment with a deeply polarizing administration. Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum on May 20, Musk signalled his intent to reduce his political visibility, saying, “I’m going to do a lot less in the future,” as quoted by Reuters.

For now, however, he appears to be fully engaged in the political fight — positioning himself not just as a business leader, but as a fiscal hawk willing to take on the very administration he once served.

Whether his campaign will succeed in derailing the legislation remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Elon Musk is no longer pulling his punches.