Elon Musk, GOP Hardliners Clash Over Trump Tax-Spending Bill

Elon Musk, after leaving his White House position, has publicly and vocally opposed President Donald Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill," a major Republican tax and spending package intended to extend tax cuts and reduce social program spending. Musk criticized the bill as a "massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill" that could add over $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade, urging Americans to contact their lawmakers to oppose it. His stance has found support among some conservative Republicans, including members of the House Freedom Caucus and Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee, who share concerns about increasing the national debt. Despite Musk’s opposition, President Trump remains committed to passing the bill through the Senate and has called for party unity behind it, though the bill’s support within the Republican Party appears divided. Republican leaders have publicly disagreed with Musk’s harsh assessment, but some lawmakers welcome his criticism, seeing it as energy for further spending cuts. Musk’s opposition highlights growing tensions within the GOP over fiscal policies and the challenge Trump faces in maintaining party cohesion on this legislation.