Elon Musk’s Fierce Campaign Against Trump’s Massive Spending Bill Ignites GOP Divide
Elon Musk has launched a vehement public attack on President Donald Trump’s signature legislative proposal, a $4 trillion tax and spending package known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R.1), passed by the House on May 22, 2025. In a series of fiery posts on X, Musk labeled the bill a “disgusting abomination” that threatens to plunge the U.S. into fiscal ruin by ballooning the federal deficit. His outspoken criticism, coming days after stepping down from his role as a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has sparked tensions within the Republican Party and drawn a defiant response from the White House.
Musk’s campaign intensified on June 4, 2025, when he urged his 180 million X followers to contact their senators and congressmen to oppose the bill, warning, “Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL.” He criticized the legislation for its potential to increase the national debt by $5 trillion, citing provisions that extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, boost defense spending, and raise the debt ceiling to unprecedented levels. Musk also shared a video clip of House Speaker Mike Johnson defending the bill, countering with a call for a new proposal that avoids expanding the deficit.
The White House, undeterred, stood firm. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Musk’s objections, stating, “The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s sticking to it.” Trump himself posted a screenshot on Truth Social of Musk previously thanking him for the DOGE appointment, a subtle jab at his former ally. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, who attempted to contact Musk without success, defended the bill’s fiscal projections, arguing that Musk’s figures were inaccurate.
Within the GOP, Musk’s stance has found some support. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) expressed sympathy, noting sufficient Republican opposition to potentially delay the bill’s progress in the Senate. However, Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) downplayed Musk’s influence, telling reporters, “I don’t think very many senators are that interested in what Elon has to say.” Only three House Republicans opposed the bill during its narrow 215–214 passage.
Musk’s criticism follows his abrupt exit from the Trump administration on May 29, 2025, after leading DOGE’s efforts to streamline federal bureaucracy. His departure, coupled with his escalating rhetoric, highlights a growing rift with Trump, whom he supported as the largest Republican donor in the 2024 election cycle. As the bill faces Senate scrutiny, Musk’s influence and warnings of economic peril continue to fuel debate within the party and beyond.