Elon Musk has launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” in a rare and very public rift between the two former allies.
The tech billionaire, who abruptly left the Trump administration on 31 May after 129 days as head of the cost-cutting team known as Doge, broke his silence in a series of scathing posts on X. He condemned the legislation as “outrageous” and “pork-filled,” warning it would “massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.”
“Shame on those who voted for it,” Musk wrote, signaling his first major break with Trump since joining the administration. Just months ago, he had called the plan “disappointing.” Now, he’s framing it as a betrayal.
The House of Representatives passed the bill last month. Branded by Trump as the “big, beautiful bill,” it includes sweeping tax breaks, a significant expansion of defense spending, and provisions to extend expiring tax cuts from Trump’s first term. Most controversially, it raises the federal debt ceiling to $4 trillion.
Musk’s departure from the administration and his harsh rebuke have amplified simmering tensions within the Republican Party. Fiscal conservatives like Senator Rand Paul have voiced strong objections, warning the GOP will “own the debt” if the measure is passed. Trump fired back, accusing Paul of “crazy” ideas and claiming “the people of Kentucky can’t stand him.”
Despite the backlash, top Republicans remain defiant. “We’re proceeding full speed ahead,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the bill and said Musk was “terribly wrong.” Johnson added that the legislation’s elimination of electric vehicle tax credits could hurt Tesla, hinting at personal motivations behind Musk’s criticism.
Musk’s frustration reportedly also stems from the FAA rejecting his push to run air traffic control through his Starlink satellite system — a move denied due to technical concerns and potential conflicts of interest.
The controversy is exposing deeper ideological rifts in the GOP. While Trump and his allies aim to push the bill through the Senate by 4 July, resistance is growing, even from those typically aligned with him. Some Democrats, meanwhile, are seizing the moment.
“Even Elon Musk, one of Trump’s own, says the bill is bad,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “That should tell you everything.”
The bill remains a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda. Musk’s rebuke — especially after donating over $250 million to Trump’s re-election — underscores the fragile alliances now fraying under the weight of explosive spending and political ambition.
