Elon Musk has publicly criticized former ally Donald Trump’s new tax and spending bill, calling it a major setback to fiscal responsibility and “disappointing.”
In an interview with CBS, Musk said the bill—hailed by Trump as “big and beautiful”—actually balloons the federal deficit and undermines Musk’s own cost-cutting efforts as former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“I don’t know if a bill can be big and beautiful,” Musk quipped, “but this one definitely isn’t both.”
The bill, which narrowly passed the House and now heads to the Senate, includes massive tax breaks, increased military spending, and a higher $4 trillion debt ceiling. It’s projected to add $600 billion to the deficit next year alone.
Musk’s rift with Trump comes despite his $250 million contribution to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign. He had previously pledged to help the government slash $1 trillion in spending.
DOGE claims $175 billion in savings to date, though independent analysis questions the accuracy of those numbers.
Musk says he’s now stepping back from political donations and plans to refocus on leading Tesla for the next five years, even as the company faces backlash over his political affiliations and mass government layoffs.
Despite the fallout, Musk stands by his controversial tenure: “I did what needed to be done.”
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