Elon Musk issues his most direct political warning Since his electoral defeat
In a dramatic turn of events, tech mogul Elon Musk has taken a strongly critical political stance against the debt increase bill proposed by former President Donald Trump, officially known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Musk has publicly denounced the bill for significantly increasing the national debt—by a record $5 trillion—and described it as "insane," "utterly insane and destructive," and "political suicide" for the Republican Party.
Musk's criticism has reignited a feud with Trump, who retaliated by attacking Musk on social media and threatening to cut subsidies Musk receives for his companies. The Senate package, containing deeper tax cuts, fewer spending cuts, and provisions that would raise revenue, has been the subject of Musk's criticism for weeks.
Trump accused Musk of political betrayal, warning of "serious consequences" if Musk supports Democrats opposing Republicans who back the spending bill. In response, Musk threatened to form a new political party, the America Party, if the "insane spending bill" passes. Musk's political action committee, America PAC, recently donated money in March to support two Republican candidates running in special elections in Florida - Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis.
The feud between the two influential figures encapsulates not just a policy disagreement but a highly personal and public conflict. Musk has accused the current political system of being a "Democrat-Republican uniparty" and stated that the people need a voice. In a post on Truth Social, Trump defended his position against EV mandates, stating that Musk knew he was against them before endorsing him for President.
Elon Musk announced he is stepping away from the political spotlight, but his resolution to support candidates who plan to launch primary campaigns against members of Congress remains one of his most concrete political threats since leaving his post as a White House adviser. The White House argues that the bill "slashes deficits" and the debt, while "unleashing economic growth." However, Musk has expressed concern that the bill gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.
This ongoing conflict between Musk and Trump, two of the most influential figures in U.S. politics and business, continues to dominate headlines and spark debate among Americans. The future of the debt increase bill and the relationship between these two influential figures remains uncertain.
Tami Luhby contributed reporting for this article.
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/15/elon-musk-threatens-to-form-new-political-party-if-trump-spending-bill-passes.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/16/elon-musk-donald-trump-debt-increase-bill/ [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/us/politics/elon-musk-donald-trump-debt-increase-bill.html [4] https://www.axios.com/2023/04/18/elon-musk-donald-trump-debt-increase-bill-feud.html
- The debate surrounding the proposed debt increase bill has expanded beyond financial and legislative discussions, as tech mogul Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump engage in a public feud, with discussions about the bill appearing in general news, politics, crime and justice, and war and conflicts sections.
- Elon Musk and Donald Trump's contentious relationship, fueled by their disagreements over the spending bill, is not only shaping policy and legislation but also influencing the political landscape, prompting discussions on policy-and-legislation, politics, and potentially the formation of a new political party (America Party) by Musk.
