“Elon Musk’s Criticism of Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Sparks GOP Tensions”

Elon Musk’s sharp denunciation of President Donald Trump’s flagship spending legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), has intensified divisions within the Republican Party at a critical juncture. The House passed the bill by a razor-thin margin last month, and it now faces a narrow path in the Senate, where even a handful of dissenting Republicans could derail it.

Despite Musk’s previous alignment with Trump on several political and economic fronts—including his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which he stepped down from in May—his recent attacks on the bill have raised eyebrows and opened new rifts within the GOP.

Musk’s Criticism: A Financial Red Flag

On May 30, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration over the bill’s size and contents, calling it a “disgusting abomination” and accusing Congress of endangering the nation’s fiscal stability.

“It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt,” Musk posted.

He later emphasized the growing cost of national debt interest payments—currently at over $100 billion per month—as a warning signal that the U.S. is edging toward insolvency. “Interest payments already consume 25 percent of all government revenue,” Musk noted, echoing concerns from fiscal conservatives.

Growing Discord in the GOP

While Musk’s criticisms have earned support from fiscal hawks like Representatives Thomas Massie (KY) and Warren Davidson (OH), others in the GOP have pushed back. Representative Darin LaHood (IL) dismissed Musk’s understanding of the bill’s tax framework, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune downplayed the dispute as a “difference of opinion.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), who chairs the House subcommittee on government efficiency, acknowledged discomfort with the bill’s price tag but defended it as a necessary transition from the previous Biden-era continuing resolution (CR), which she claimed funded “woke garbage.”

“Passing the OBBB is a critical step toward delivering the America First MAGA mandate voters gave us in November,” Greene wrote, crediting Musk for his earlier work crafting efficiency cuts via DOGE, even as he distances himself from the current legislation.

Senator Rand Paul (KY), a long-time opponent of debt increases, warned that the OBBB represents the largest debt ceiling increase in U.S. history. “If Congress can’t even cut $9 billion of DOGE cuts, we’ve got a serious problem,” Paul said.

What’s in the Bill?

The OBBB package includes approximately $4.9 trillion in tax breaks, expanded military and border security funding, and a $4 trillion increase in the federal debt ceiling. The bill narrowly passed the House 215–214 and now faces uncertainty in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 53–47 majority.

Political Fallout

Mark Shanahan, a political scientist at the University of Surrey, told Newsweek that Musk’s opposition could strain Trump’s legislative agenda:

“Musk’s bromance with Trump was never going to end well. There’s simply not room at the center of politics for two such massive egos, and Trump has the significant advantage of being president.”

The White House has responded with measured resolve. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the impact of Musk’s criticism, stating:

“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’s sticking to it.”

Looking Ahead

With the Senate vote looming, the Republican Party faces a crucial test of internal unity. Musk’s influence—both political and financial—cannot be easily dismissed, especially given his $292 million investment in GOP-aligned causes during the 2024 cycle.

Whether Musk’s criticism sways undecided senators remains to be seen, but the episode underscores a growing rift between the fiscal priorities of Trump’s administration and the economic warnings of one of its highest-profile supporters.