by Temitope Oladeji
05/06/2025
Elon Musk escalated his criticism of President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending proposal on Wednesday, urging Americans to pressure lawmakers in Washington to “kill the bill.”
The controversial budget legislation which includes sweeping tax breaks and increased military spending passed the House of Representatives last month and is now under consideration in the Senate.
Musk, who left the Trump administration just last week, has taken to his social media platform X to denounce the bill, warning it will deepen the national debt and impose a “crushing” financial burden on Americans.
On Tuesday, he didn’t hold back, branding the legislation a “disgusting abomination” in what has become a public rift between the billionaire tech mogul and the former president.
The bill has strong backing from Trump and is expected to be a cornerstone of his second-term legislative agenda if it secures passage in Congress.
But Musk had harsh words for those who supported it:
“Shame on those who voted for it,” he said Tuesday, hinting at a possible effort to unseat lawmakers responsible during next year’s midterm elections.
Elon Musk’s recent break with Trump follows his 129-day stint in the administration, during which he led a team dubbed “Doge” tasked with identifying cost-cutting measures.
While he had previously labeled the bill “disappointing,” his latest comments mark a decisive public split from the former president.
The White House responded shortly after Musk’s Wednesday post with a “myth buster” statement, dismissing concerns over the bill’s fiscal impact.
The statement described claims of deficit increases as a “hoax,” asserting that Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” would “dramatically improve the fiscal trajectory of the United States and unleash an era of unprecedented economic growth.”
The statement did not address Musk directly, and the White House has yet to comment on his remarks.
Musk, who was born in South Africa, officially departed the administration on May 31.
President Trump, however, described him as a continuing ally, saying Musk “will, always, be with us, helping all the way.”
Current estimates suggest the bill could increase the federal budget deficit by approximately $600 billion in the next fiscal year.
Musk, however, warned the final figure could be much higher.
In a series of posts Tuesday, he lambasted the proposal as an “outrageous, pork-filled” measure that could balloon the deficit to $2.5 trillion, placing an “unsustainable debt” burden on American citizens.
Musk has initially supported Trump’s broader agenda and pledged to back Republican candidates who align with it; he issued a sharp warning to lawmakers who supported the spending bill.
“In November next year, we will fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,” he wrote.