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Elon Musk and Donald Trump in the White House (Image: Getty)
Elon Musk tore into President Donald Trump’s flagship tax-and-spending package on Tuesday, calling it a “disgusting abomination” in a furious post on X — directly attacking the centrepiece of the Republican legislative agenda. The broadside marked a dramatic turn from Mr Musk, who only days earlier had received a warm send-off at the White House following his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
The post underscored rising tensions between the tech billionaire and a party he financially backed as recently as last year. He said: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending Bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
Elon Musk reveals why he has a black eye
His comments triggered a wave of reactions in Washington, with some lawmakers accusing Mr Musk of political opportunism.
Others, including members of the House Freedom Caucus, rushed to echo his sentiments, calling the legislation a “sellout to special interests.” The £1.7 trillion ($2.3 trillion) Bill includes sweeping tax incentives for defence contractors, tech manufacturers, and energy firms, many of which have financial links to Republican donors.
The White House downplayed the row, describing Mr Musk’s remarks as “emotional venting” and reaffirming President Trump’s commitment to economic growth.
However, sources familiar with internal deliberations said the President was “blindsided” by the timing of the attack, given Mr Musk’s involvement in drafting regulatory streamlining proposals that were folded into the final package.
Elon Musk sporting a black eye he said was caused by his five-year-old son (Image: Getty)
One longtime associate said: “He went to Washington to cut red tape, not bankroll an explosion in defence and infrastructure spending padded with pet projects.”
Privately, Mr Musk is said to be disillusioned with what he views as a “complete abandonment of fiscal restraint.” A senior GOP aide claimed there had been growing friction behind the scenes over how aggressively the administration was courting industrial lobbyists.
The aide said: “Musk didn’t like what he saw. He thought this was going to be about efficiency and innovation, not handouts and bloated budgets.”
The backlash comes amid renewed scrutiny of Mr Musk’s political allegiances. While he has publicly backed Mr Trump in recent years and maintained strong ties with Republican operatives, he has also expressed discomfort with some conservative social policies — and at times suggested he might withhold future campaign donations.
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Donald Trump is understood to have been blindsided by Elon Musk's attack. (Image: Getty)
He said in a separate post: “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.”
That line — widely interpreted as a threat to bankroll primary challengers — triggered alarm among Republican strategists already struggling to balance donor demands with the President’s base.
A Republican fundraiser familiar with Mr Musk’s giving patterns said: “He’s clearly trying to reassert influence. The problem is, he’s gone from insider to outsider in about five minutes flat.”
Others were more blunt. One GOP Senate staffer said: “It’s hard to take lectures on restraint from a guy who builds spaceships with government contracts.”
Mr Musk’s commercial empire — spanning Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and Starlink — has at various times benefited from federal subsidies, tax breaks, and defence deals. Critics pointed to that record as evidence that his outrage was selective.
Even so, the ferocity of his attack took many by surprise. Mr Musk had previously offered only muted criticism of the package, saying he was “disappointed” by the final bill but stopping short of any direct rebuke of Mr Trump.
Tuesday’s outburst suggests a significant shift — one that some observers say could herald a broader split between Silicon Valley and the Republican Party.
Whether the fallout will permanently fracture Mr Musk’s relationship with Mr Trump remains unclear. For now, his public rebuke has thrown a spotlight on internal divisions within the Republican movement — and raised fresh questions about how long their alliance can last.
English (US) · 