Elon Musk has publicly opposed the Trump administration’s latest economic bill. Musk, who supported Trump’s 2024 campaign and helped design government cost-cutting plans, said the new budget moves away from reducing waste and will increase the national deficit. The House of Representatives passed the bill narrowly last week, and it now awaits Senate review.
Musk explained that the new spending plan includes large tax cuts and increased defense funding. He said this will raise the deficit instead of lowering it. Experts estimate the legislation could add $600 billion to the U.S. deficit in the next fiscal year.
As the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as Doge, Musk worked to cancel wasteful programs, reduce government jobs, and cut international aid. He said the new bill reverses these efforts.
The bill has caused tension within the Republican Party. Several factions resisted parts of the proposal during the House vote. Trump praised the tax relief in the bill but said he did not fully agree with all parts. He did not respond directly to Musk’s criticism.
The legislation extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, increases military spending, allows for mass deportations, and raises the national borrowing limit to $4 trillion. Musk’s criticism shows his political support for Trump is cooling, despite previously donating over $250 million to his campaign.
Musk had led efforts to cut $1 trillion in government costs through Doge. The department claims to have saved $175 billion, but independent analysts say this number lacks solid evidence.
Recently, Musk announced he would reduce political donations and focus on leading Tesla for five more years. His political role at Doge sparked public protests and caused Tesla’s sales to fall. Musk defended his actions as necessary steps to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending.