Elon Musk Breaks Ranks with Trump Over ‘Big, Beautiful’ Tax Bill

Elon Musk, once a powerful ally to President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign, has publicly criticized one of Trump’s most touted legislative victories—his latest multi-trillion dollar tax and spending package, dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.”

In a CBS Sunday Morning interview aired this week, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO expressed strong disappointment with the legislation, claiming it “undermines” the work he had undertaken with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a Trump-appointed initiative led by Musk to slash federal spending and eliminate waste. “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly,” Musk said, “which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it.”

The House narrowly passed the bill last week amid infighting within the Republican Party, and it now moves to the Senate. The legislation proposes an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, a substantial increase in military spending, and funds for mass deportation programs. It also raises the national debt ceiling to $4 trillion, sparking widespread concern even among fiscal conservatives.

While Trump hailed the bill as a “big, beautiful” success, Musk appeared unconvinced. “A bill can be big or beautiful,” he said during the interview. “I don’t know if it can be both.”

The rift highlights growing tensions within the GOP between Trump loyalists and those alarmed by the spiraling federal deficit. Analysts estimate the new bill could increase the deficit by over $600 billion in the next fiscal year—despite Musk’s goal of cutting $1 trillion through DOGE. As of April, the DOGE initiative claimed $175 billion in savings, though some experts argue the figure lacks independent verification.

Once a high-profile advocate for the Trump administration’s efficiency drive, Musk has announced he will step back from political involvement, citing backlash against Tesla and his other companies. His tenure at DOGE drew both praise and protest, particularly over efforts to lay off thousands of federal workers and terminate foreign aid programs.

Though President Trump has not directly responded to Musk’s critique, he acknowledged last week that he was “not happy about certain aspects” of the bill but remained “thrilled” about the extended tax cuts and boosted defense spending.

Musk’s comments may mark a turning point in his political engagement. Having donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, the billionaire now says he plans to do “a lot less” political spending going forward and will focus instead on leading Tesla for the next five years.

His withdrawal from politics may signal a broader disillusionment among tech elites once drawn to Trump’s outsider appeal. Whether this will impact the trajectory of the tax bill in the Senate remains to be seen, but Musk’s break from Trump is symbolic of a deepening divide over the future of fiscal policy in America.