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So Elon Musk has called President Trump's signature
domestic policy legislation. A disgusting abomination and.
Accused Congress of making America bankrupt.
That attack came just days after a farewell ceremony.
In the Oval Office when he had a black eye.
Also, Musk and Trump praised each other and celebrated Musk's
exit from his advisory role as head of the Doge Department of
Government Efficiency. Now, why would the billionaire
who helped shape Trump's cost cutting agenda now turn so
publicly and forcefully against it?
The answer sits at the intersection of political
fallout, budget math, and personal interest.
Now, Musk fired off a series of posts on X condemning the One
Big Beautiful Bill Act, the President sweeping legislation
that passed the House on May 22nd.
The bill aims to slash taxes, increase defense and immigration
enforcement spending, and reduce funding for healthcare,
education, and clean energy. Analysts from the Congressional
Budget Office estimate that it will increase the deficit by
over $1 trillion. Now Musk echoed those concerns,
stating that the bill would massively increase the already
gigantic budget deficit. Now the.
White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the bill
as a necessary overhaul, with Johnson saying Musk seemed to
understand the legislation after they spoke privately.
But Musk's public comments told a different story.
He accused lawmakers of betraying voters and vowed to
support efforts to unseat them in the 2026 midterm elections.
He told his 180 million ex followers in November of next
year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American
people. Now.
Musk has previously used his platform and financial resources
to influence policy debates and election outcomes.
Last year, his super PAC spent nearly $30 million supporting
Republican candidates. Now, his threats to back
challengers in Republican primaries have raised concerns
among GOP leaders, especially since Musk made clear he plans
to spend a lot less next cycle but hasn't ruled out targeting
investments. Now, one key source of Musk's
anger appears to be the bill's removal of EV subsidies and tax
credits. These incentives have been
essential to Tesla's market position and their elimination
would directly affect the company's bottom line.
Now, people close to the congressional negotiations said
that Musk expressed frustration that Republicans, particularly
fiscal conservatives, insisted on eliminating subsidies as part
of cost saving measures. Now, Trump's bill not only
dismantles programs have benefited Tesla, but also shift
the government's financial priorities in ways that
contradict Musk's long standing public stance on innovation and
environmental technology. Although he has generally
supported deregulation and tax cuts, Musk has also relied on
government funding and incentives to scale his
companies. Now, Musk's criticisms this week
build on earlier clashes with Trump's administration.
In April, Musk publicly insulted Peter Navarro, Trump's top trade
advisor, calling him a moron and Dumber than a sack of bricks.
That insult followed concerns over new tariffs that would
affect Tesla's supply chain and component costs.
Now, according to Tesla executives, Musk initially
underestimated how severely the tariffs would impact the
company. Tensions between Musk and Trump
have escalated as Musk moves away from his role in Washington
and returns to political messaging through X.
Last December, Musk derailed a bipartisan spending bill by
threatening Republicans who supported it.
In March, he attempted to influence a judicial race in
Wisconsin with numerous posts supporting the conservative
candidate, And Republicans have struggled to maintain unity
around this bill. Trump exerted pressure by
summoning skeptical lawmakers to the White House and framing
opposition as betrayal. Even so, several Senate
Republicans have expressed dissatisfaction and are seeking
changes before the bill moves forward.
Some want deeper cuts to Medicaid and other entitlements
to reduce the deficit, while Trump has urged them to protect
programs that are popular with his base now.
Musk's remark have also drawn responses for Democrats.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer used Musk's ex post to
reinforce Democratic criticisms of the bill at a news
conference. He held up a printed copy and
said Musk is right and that Republicans should listen.
The White House tried to defuse the situation.
Press secretary Carolyn Levitt downplayed Musk's criticism,
reiterating that Trump still views the bill as a success and
won't change course. This is 1 big beautiful bill.
In a sticking to it. She said Musk added fuel to the
fire by posting a meme that mocked the Republican bill.
Promised spending cuts. The image featured a tiny pair
of scissors and the caption Republicans getting ready to
reduce the size of government now.
Sarcasm mirrored his C PAC appearance in February, though,
where he took the stage wielding a chainsaw and declared it would
be easy to save billions of dollars now.
Iran's nuclear program also surfaced in this week's
developments. The administration reportedly
floated a proposal to let Iran continue low level uranium
enrichment while a broader deal is negotiated.
This marks the first sign of a possible compromise between the
US and Iran under Trump after years of hostility and
sanctions. Officials say the goal is to
prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon without sparking
a collapse in diplomacy. Now, Trump's legislation remains
stalled in the Senate right now, with Republicans divided and
Democrats unified in opposition. Musk's intervention has
complicated the GOP's internal negotiations.
Whether or not he spends big in the next cycle, his public
influence remains substantial. He's broken ranks with Trump,
and he's using his platform to challenge the president's
legislative agenda at a critical time.
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