Elon Musk, a former head of the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly disassociated himself with President Donald Trump after the release of the administration's latest fiscal package, unofficially referred to as the "Big Beautiful Bill" by the President.
Taking to X, Musk strongly criticized the bill, terming it "a massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill" and condemning it as "a disgusting abomination." He wasn't sparing in his criticism of lawmakers who had passed the bill, announcing, "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong."
"I'm sorry, but I just can't take it anymore," Musk posted. "This huge, ridiculous, pork-laden Congressional budget bill is a foul abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you got it wrong. You know it."
The White House, though, did not seem to be moved by Musk's tantrum. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke on the matter in a press briefing, saying, "The President already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn't change the President's opinion. This is one big beautiful bill, and he is sticking to it."
Musk's protests were not only on social media. In a CBS News interview, he explained his protests, warning that the step would "massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion." He also blamed Congress for taking the nation on the path of financial collapse, terming them "making America bankrupt."
His complaints are not new. While in charge of DOGE, Musk had already expressed concern over wasteful government spending, and in the interview with CBS, he looked back at the current bill's effect on those initiatives. "I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both," he commented dryly.
The bill has faced growing backlash. Conservative budget hawks within the GOP argue that its passage could push the nation closer to economic disaster, while nonpartisan analysts predict it could balloon the deficit by as much as $4 trillion over the coming decade.
Nevertheless, Trump is steadfastly backing the bill. During a press conference staged Friday, he praised it as "an unbelievable bill" which "cuts your deficits," and tacked on his wish for "a bigger cut in taxes." Although Musk attended the gathering, he did not voice opposition then.
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