"Ugly Monstrosity": Musk Slams Trump's "Massive" Tax and Spending Bill
Musk vehemently criticizes Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" proposition
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, has taken a jab at President Trump's tax and spending bill, referring to it as a "repugnant abomination." On his online platform, X, Musk expressed his disdain for the proposed legislation, criticizing that it would exacerbate the already substantial budget deficit and national debt. He estimated a deficit of around $2.5 trillion. In 2024, the deficit was approximately $1.8 trillion.
Just days after departing Washington, Musk tested the waters of his relationship with Trump by publicly criticizing this flagship project of the US president. The bill, which Trump nicknames the "big beautiful law," narrowly passed the House of Representatives last May. However, several members of Trump's Republican Party in the Senate have expressed opposition to it due to the planned increase in the debt ceiling and their preference for deeper spending cuts.
White House Unmoved
In response, the White House shrugged off Musk's criticism: "The president already knows what Elon Musk thinks of this law," said presidential spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Trump remains steadfast in his support of the bill.
Politically, the package is intended to extend the tax cuts from Trump's first term permanently. It is funded through cuts to social benefits, which attracts strong resistance from Democrats.
Surprising Support
Unexpectedly, Musk received backing for his criticism from an unexpected source—Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders: "Musk is right," he wrote on X. Sanders highlighted that the richest Americans would receive $664 million in tax cuts while $290 million would be slashed from food assistance for the needy.
Musk Points Out Contradiction
Musk had previously criticized the law in more measured terms. Last week, he expressed "disappointment" at the committee’s Doge undermining the cuts to government spending he had advocated for. In an interview with CBS, he admitted that he was "in a bind" because he didn't want to criticize the government but also didn't want to support all its decisions. Now, he prefaced his aggressive criticism with, "Sorry, but I can't take it anymore."
Future Opportunities for Musk
Musk had donated over $250 million to Trump’s campaign and briefly served as a close advisor to the president. His departure from Washington was initiated due to the rule that contracts for external government officials are limited to 130 days per year. However, there had been signs in recent months of Musk's influence waning in Trump's circle.
Source: ntv.de, as/dpa
- Elon Musk
- Donald Trump
- Tax Revenues
- Tax Policy
- Tax Cuts
- Tax Reform
- Tax Waste
- Budget Policy
- Austerity
- Bernie Sanders
- USA
Insights:
- Elon Musk's Criticism of Donald Trump's Tax and Spending Bill: Details, Impact, and Supporters While Elon Musk has not directly criticized Donald Trump's tax and spending bill, some potential criticisms he might have revolve around its lack of environmental focus and economic inequality. The impact of the bill has been significant, with many businesses benefiting from reduced corporate tax rates, but critics argue that these benefits have not been equally distributed to the middle class. Some supporters of the bill argue that the lower taxes will stimulate economic growth and increase competitiveness globally.
- Despite Elon Musk's financial contributions to Donald Trump's campaign and initial advisory role, he has recently criticized Trump's tax and spending bill, describing it as a repugnant abomination, due to concerns about its impact on the already substantial budget deficit and national debt.
- In an unexpected show of agreement, Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders backed Musk's criticism, emphasizing the disproportionate tax cuts for the wealthy versus funding cuts to social benefits for the needy, totaling $664 million and $290 million respectively.
