Elon Musk has publicly expressed disappointment with President Donald Trump’s recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping domestic policy package. In an interview with CBS News, Musk criticized the bill for increasing the federal deficit and undermining the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which he helped establish to reduce government spending.
Musk stated, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” He further remarked, “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both.”
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, increase border security funding, impose work requirements on Medicaid, and roll back clean energy tax credits. However, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill would add $3.8 trillion to the national deficit by 2034.
Musk’s critique signifies a growing rift between him and President Trump, despite Musk’s significant support for Trump’s re-election campaign. He has announced plans to scale back his involvement in government and focus more on his ventures like Tesla and SpaceX.
In a separate interview, Musk reflected on his challenging tenure in Washington as head of the U.S. DOGE Service. He revealed that reforming federal bureaucracy was more difficult than anticipated, lamenting that DOGE became a scapegoat for broader political and public dissatisfaction. He criticized President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” for expanding the budget deficit, undermining DOGE’s goals.
Musk’s involvement with DOGE and the Trump administration has also impacted his business ventures. Tesla has reported sharp sales declines, particularly in Europe, where registrations have halved due to political backlash and rising competition. Musk’s involvement with Donald Trump’s administration, particularly his controversial leadership in DOGE, has further fueled public and political criticism.
Despite these challenges, Musk remains committed to his core ventures. He reaffirmed his commitment to making humanity a multi-planetary species, prioritizing Mars colonization and continuing lunar collaboration with NASA’s Artemis program. The latest Starship test flight did not explode but failed to land successfully, which Musk still considered progress. He aims for frequent future tests, demonstrating renewed dedication to his core ventures.
Be First to Comment