Elon Musk slams Donald Trump’s signature tax bill as “annoying abomination”, and the outbreak has the potential to undermine the relationship between the U.S. president and his billionaire supporters.
Musk left the Trump administration abruptly last week, and he mocked legislation in a post on X on Tuesday as a "massive, cruel, pork-filled congressional spending bill."
He added: "Shame to those who voted for it: You know you did something wrong. You know."
The active intervention of billionaires was a critical moment for Trump’s “big and beautiful bill”, which narrowly passed the House last month and would require Senate approval if it was to become law.
Trump imposed a July 4 deadline to pass the legislation, which could define his second term and set courses for the U.S. economy. He put pressure on Republican senators who were shocked by the plan, which would cut taxes, reduce social spending and increase federal debt.
Hours before Musk's comment on X, Trump attacked Republican Sen. Rand Paul, a staunch fiscal conservative who challenged the bill's provisions to raise restrictions on the federal government's $500 million borrowing.
"Rand Paul knows little about BBB, especially the huge upcoming growth," Trump said on the Truth Social Media Platform Tuesday morning. "BBB is a big winner!!!"
Other conservative senators, including Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida, called for deeper spending in the bill.
Another group of Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Josh Hawley of Missouri - criticized the bill's proposed layoffs as proposed layoffs for government health care plans for low-income and disabled Americans.
Trump's party controlled the Senate with a profit of 53-47, meaning that the Republicans only had the spending bill passed the House of Lords and could only bear the loss of the support of three senators.
When asked about Musk's comments, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "Look, the president already knows where Elon Musk is standing on the bill. That won't change the president's opinion. It's a big and beautiful bill, he sticks to it."
But Musk's intervention is likely to inspire the president's Republican critics. Paul agreed to Musk on X, “We can and have to do better.” Lee replied: “The Senate has to make the bill better.”
Musk's wide edge comes five days after his high-profile sales in the Oval Office and escalates his dispute with the White House, where he criticized tariff policies and blamed him for not fully supporting his efforts to cut 1TN from the U.S. budget.
The administration on Tuesday tried to show Congress a small group of layoffs, including contracts related to the diversity program and more than $1 billion in NPR and PBS funds - more than $1 billion in funds obtained in the law.
While the world’s wealthiest person avoided criticizing the president, who supported the president last year for more than $250 million, he is far from part of Trump’s agenda.
He also said he would stop spending on MAGA candidates and appeared to demand Republicans be elected in next year's midterm elections on Tuesday.
He posted on X: "Next November, we fired all politicians who betray the American people."
Musk said his involvement with the White House has caused a "fight" against his business, especially Tesla, whose sales in Europe plummeted.
Last week, he told CBS News that he was “in a dilemma” because he didn’t want to oppose Trump, but rather “responsible for everything this administration has done.”
On Tuesday, he wrote Trump's bill on X: "I'm sorry, but I can't stand it anymore."