Elon Musk Criticizes Trump’s Budget Bill as GOP Divides Over Debt, Tax Credits

Elon Musk has publicly criticized President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill,' a major tax and spending reconciliation package, calling it a 'disgusting abomination' and urging his followers to oppose it due to concerns over rising national debt and the elimination of electric vehicle tax credits. Despite Musk's vocal opposition and calls to 'kill the bill,' GOP lawmakers and leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, remain largely supportive, emphasizing the bill's importance and the need to pass it by early July to avoid a government default. Musk's departure from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency has not lessened his public campaign against the bill, which has created tension within the Republican Party, with some members wary of crossing him due to his political influence and financial backing through his super PAC. The bill has faced criticism not only from Musk but also from Republicans like Senator Rand Paul and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, particularly over provisions related to federal oversight of artificial intelligence and significant increases in the debt ceiling. Johnson and other GOP leaders have attempted to engage Musk to address his concerns, asserting that the bill represents a substantial achievement and cautioning against scrapping it for a new proposal. The debate highlights a rift within the Republican Party between loyalty to President Trump’s agenda and addressing fiscal hawks' concerns, with the bill's fate still uncertain as it moves through the Senate and back to the House.