Elon Musk has weighed in on the congressional debate surrounding former US President Donald Trump’s extensive tax and spending bill, denouncing it as a “disgusting abomination” that will inflate the federal deficit.
Musk’s social media commentary has resonated with several fiscally conservative Republicans in the US Senate, potentially complicating the bill’s chances of passing in that chamber.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO posted on his platform X. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.”
He added: “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
Musk’s comments have sparked significant reaction.
Republican deficit hawks have voiced concerns about the bill’s financial implications, which include extending the 2017 tax cuts championed by Trump while simultaneously increasing spending on military and border security initiatives.
The US House of Representatives recently passed the bill by a narrow margin, following a Congressional Budget Office report estimating that the measure would add $3.8 trillion (€3.3trn) to the federal government’s existing $36.2 trillion (€31.7trn) debt.
The US Senate, where Republicans also hold a majority, intends to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” within the next month, although revisions to the House version are anticipated.
Musk’s strong opposition to the bill, which Trump has encouraged Republicans to support, presents a test of his political influence, just a week after his formal role in the administration as a special government employee with the Department of Government Efficiency ended.
During his tenure as DOGE chief, he initiated changes across several federal agencies but ultimately fell short of achieving the substantial savings he had aimed for.
Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, reportedly spent nearly $300m (€290m) supporting Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republican candidates in the previous year’s elections.
