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Elon Musk and President Trump speak with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption
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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Elon Musk delivered a blistering critique of President Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill on Tuesday, calling the GOP megabill currently winding its way through Congress a "disgusting abomination."
"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 in a post on his X social media platform. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You Know it."
The broadside by Musk, who only last week left his role as the guiding force behind the administration's Department of Government Efficiency, comes at a critical moment for the GOP legislation. Republicans in the Senate are beginning work this week on the multi-trillion package of tax and spending cuts after it narrowly cleared the House in May. The party can only afford to lose three votes in order to pass the package. Even before Musk's comments several lawmakers were raising concerns similar to his about the bill's cost.
Tuesday's remarks were not Musk's first time speaking out against what Republicans have dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." In an interview with CBS last week, he said he was "disappointed" by the price tag associated with the package.
"I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said.
His continued criticism could complicate the work of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who has committed to having the bill to President Trump's desk by July 4. The billionaire CEO of Tesla has become an influential figure in Republican politics. He spent nearly $300 million to support Trump's campaign and has funneled money to GOP candidates in political races across the country.
Speaking with reporters after Musk's post, Thune said he believes Musk's assessment of the bill is tied to an estimate from Congressional Budget Office that the bill could add $2.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade. Thune said that initial estimate fails to account for potential economic growth as a result of the policy changes in the bill. The CBO is expected to release those details in the coming days.
Thune said he hopes Musk will reconsider his position after he sees those numbers. He also emphasized that elected Republicans ran on promises to enact policies to extend the 2017 tax cuts, expand border security, invest in the military and expand U.S. energy production.
Still, Musk is not alone in his criticism inside the GOP. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, responded to Musk's post by writing, "The Senate must make this bill better." Wisconsin's Ron Johnson has threatened to withhold his vote unless Republicans agree to return spending to pre-pandemic levels, while Kentucky's Rand Paul has signaled he will vote no if the final bill includes a provision to lift the nation's borrowing limit.
Paul's criticism prompted President Trump to lash out against him on social media Tuesday. The president said Paul's ideas "are actually crazy (losers!)"
But the White House was more muted when it came to Musk.
"Look, the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during her daily briefing. "It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he's sticking to it."
