In a dramatic escalation, former allies President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk are locked in a public feud over a massive tax-and-spending bill, officially named the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which has sparked heated debate over the U.S. budget deficit.
The rift, playing out across social media and public statements, marks a significant break between the two influential figures who were once close partners during Trump’s 2024 campaign and early second term.
Musk, who recently stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on 30 May, 2025, has fiercely criticised the bill, which passed the House last month and is now under Senate scrutiny.
The legislation, a cornerstone of Trump’s domestic agenda, extends his 2017 tax cuts, boosts military and border security spending, and raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates it will add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over a decade, a figure that has fuelled Musk’s outrage.
In a series of fiery posts on X, Musk called the bill a “disgusting abomination,” writing on 3 June, 2025: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong.” He further warned that the bill “will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.” Musk also hinted at political retribution, stating, “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people”.
Trump, who has championed the bill as a “WINNER” and a “BIG GROWTH BILL” on social media, expressed disappointment in Musk during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Merz on 5June, 2025. “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump remarked, suggesting Musk’s criticism stems from the bill’s elimination of electric vehicle tax credits, impacting his company, Tesla.
Trump also pushed back on Musk’s claim of being pivotal to his 2024 election victory, stating on Truth Social that Musk had gone “CRAZY”.
Musk responded sharply on X, accusing Trump of “Such ingratitude” and asserting, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election.” He doubled down, reposting Trump’s 2012 and 2013 tweets criticizing Republicans for raising the debt ceiling, highlighting what he sees as Trump’s hypocrisy.
The feud has emboldened Senate Republican deficit hawks like Rand Paul and Mike Lee, who echoed Musk’s concerns. Paul wrote on X, “I agree with Elon. We have both seen the massive waste in government spending and we know another $5 trillion in debt is a huge mistake”.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the bill, calling Musk “terribly wrong” and emphasising its economic benefits, though he acknowledged a 20-minute call with Musk failed to sway him.
The White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, dismissed Musk’s critiques, insisting the bill would spur growth and disputing CBO projections as biased.
Democrats, seizing on the GOP infighting, have rallied behind Musk’s fiscal concerns, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer jokingly noting, “I agree with Elon Musk”.
This public spat, spilling over from policy disagreements to personal jabs, underscores deep tensions within the Republican Party and threatens the bill’s Senate passage. As Musk and Trump trade barbs, the future of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” hangs in the balance, with the deficit debate at its core.
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