Billionaire Elon Musk has lashed out at United States President Donald Trump’s finances invoice, describing it as a “disgusting abomination“, lower than per week after he left the administration and at a time when the laws is predicted to come back up for voting earlier than the Senate.
The so-called “One Large Stunning Invoice” handed within the Home of Representatives in late Might has come beneath growing scrutiny not simply from opposition Democrats however from sections of conservatives, together with a handful of Republican senators, and Musk.
Musk, who headed the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), arrange by Trump to chop waste in public spending, left the administration on Might 29. He had criticised the invoice a day earlier than his stint in authorities ended, however in far more muted language than the phrases he used on Tuesday.
However why is Musk so against the invoice, why is the laws so essential to Trump, and the way does it sq. with the president’s different said fiscal priorities?
What did Musk say?
“I’m sorry, however I simply can’t stand it anymore. This large, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending invoice is a disgusting abomination,” Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns. “Disgrace on those that voted for it: you recognize you probably did mistaken. You recognize it.”
I’m sorry, however I simply can’t stand it anymore.
This large, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending invoice is a disgusting abomination.
Disgrace on those that voted for it: you recognize you probably did mistaken. You recognize it.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2025
In one other submit, Musk wrote, “Mammoth spending payments are bankrupting America! ENOUGH.”
The world’s richest man continued his tirade in opposition to the invoice on Wednesday. “This immense stage of overspending will drive America into debt slavery!” he wrote on X.
Musk claimed the invoice would “massively enhance the already gigantic finances deficit to $2.5 trillion”.
The US authorities’s finances deficit has been rising. It stood at $1.83 trillion within the 2024 fiscal yr, in accordance with the Division of the Treasury.
This isn’t the primary time that Musk has criticised the “One Large Stunning Invoice”, even mocking its identify in a tv interview in late Might.
“I feel a invoice might be large or it may be lovely. However I don’t know if it may be each. My private opinion,” Musk informed CBS journalist David Pogue on Might 27. He added that he was “upset to see the huge spending invoice”.
At DOGE, Musk was tasked with slashing US authorities infrastructure – a mandate that noticed his group push by way of a big culling of the federal workforce, with 1000’s laid off. The USA Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID), the federal government’s overseas assist diplomacy arm, was additionally gutted, leaving crucial public well being initiatives, amongst others, struggling for survival in a number of rising economies.
Within the interview with Pogue, Musk urged that profligate authorities spending by way of the invoice would undercut the positive aspects made by DOGE in saving tax {dollars}.
Why is the invoice essential for Trump?
The “One Large Stunning Invoice” is the centrepiece of Trump’s legislative agenda and goals to ship on a collection of his marketing campaign guarantees.
It extends the tax cuts Trump launched throughout his first time period in workplace in 2017. On the identical time, nonetheless, it earmarks funding for different priorities of the present administration. It units apart, as an example, $46.5bn to proceed work on establishing limitations alongside the US-Mexico border to cease migrants and refugees from coming into the nation.
On social media, Trump has described the invoice – characteristically, in all caps – as a “WINNER” and as a “BIG GROWTH BILL”.
What are the price implications of the invoice?
The invoice carries monetary – and plenty of imagine political – prices.
To finance Trump’s priorities, the invoice in its present kind would dramatically reduce social safety programmes that thousands and thousands of Individuals rely on.
Funding for Medicaid subsidies will drop by $698bn, in accordance with estimates by the non-partisan Congressional Finances Workplace (CBO). Greater than 71 million Individuals had been enrolled beneath Medicaid as of January 2025, in accordance with authorities information. The programme gives medical insurance to low-income Individuals.
The invoice may also snip $267bn in funding for the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP), higher often known as meals stamps, in accordance with the CBO. An estimated 41 million Individuals used meals stamps in 2024.
Many critics of the invoice have stated these cuts go away essentially the most weak Individuals much more uncovered to healthcare crises and meals shortages.
However others, particularly on the conservative finish of the political spectrum, have pointed to how the invoice will additional bloat the nation’s debt.
The present US federal debt restrict stands at $36.1 trillion, set on January 2, 2025. However that provides the federal government no leeway to borrow any extra, because the federal authorities is at the moment $36.2 trillion in debt.
The brand new invoice proposes elevating the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. That has angered some Republicans.
Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky, on Tuesday backed Musk’s criticism of the invoice.
“I agree with Elon. We’ve each seen the huge waste in authorities spending,” Paul wrote on X. “We will and should do higher.”
Paul has stated he’ll attempt to block the invoice in its present kind within the Senate, the place Republicans have a razor-thin majority. Within the Home, the invoice handed with 215 votes in favour, and 214 in opposition to: all Democrats voted in opposition to it, joined by two Republicans, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio.
Isn’t Trump against increasing the US debt?
Sure, in some ways, the invoice’s proposal to lift the debt ceiling contradicts one other Trump marketing campaign promise – to chop debt.
DOGE was arrange with that in thoughts, and the Trump administration has justified slashing overseas assist by arguing that it could curb US debt.
Trump has additionally argued that the tariffs he has imposed – and needs to impose – on a spread of nations and items will assist the US trim its debt, although many economists have challenged the logic behind that declare.