Even as United States President Donald Trump celebrates the victory of ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ at a rally in Iowa, the bill has been accused of raising the national debt ceiling: Here we analyse how it will and if Elon Musk's accusations are true
United States President Donald Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has been passed by the US House. Even as Trump celebrates the victory at a rally called ‘America250’ at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, the bill has been accused of raising the national debt ceiling in United States. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill could add $2.4 to $3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. Trump's former ‘buddy’ Elon Musk has also warned about it and said, “This spending bill contains the largest increase in the debt ceiling in US history! It is the Debt Slavery Bill.” He also said, "America is going bankrupt extremely quickly, but everyone seems to be whistling past the graveyard."
2. Raising the SALT Deduction Cap: Another provision raises the cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions from $10,000 to $40,000 temporarily for some households. Though this benefits taxpayers in high-tax states like New York and California, it would cost about $142 billion over a decade. Like the broader tax cuts, this reduces federal tax revenue without offsetting reforms, further expanding deficits.
3. Eliminating or Reducing Green Tech Incentives: The bill also scales back tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), solar power, and other renewable energy technologies—areas where Elon Musk has deep personal and business stakes. Cutting incentives now could reduce productivity and long-term revenue from emerging industries, undermining future tax receipts while increasing short-term unemployment costs in clean-tech sectors.
4. Bypassing Traditional Budget Constraints: Bypassing Traditional Budget Constraints: The bill uses a procedural workaround to pass massive changes without triggering traditional fiscal guardrails. This avoids hard budget caps and enforcement mechanisms that typically require offsetting spending cuts. By avoiding fiscal discipline, the bill allows trillions in tax breaks without any serious effort to reduce costs or restructure entitlements. By avoiding fiscal discipline, the bill allows trillions in tax breaks without any serious effort to reduce costs or restructure entitlements.
5. The national debt already exceeds $34 trillion. Adding another $2.5 to $3 trillion would raise the government’s interest payments significantly. By some estimates, interest on the debt could become the largest line item in the federal budget by the early 2030s. Higher interest payments create a feedback loop, forcing the government to borrow even more just to pay off interest—an unsustainable trajectory unless revenues rise or spending is cut.