"Ugly Frankenstein" Musk Slams Trump's "Monstrous" Bill on Taxes and Spending
Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," a target of Musk's scorn
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and former Chief Advisor to President Donald Trump, is back with a vengeance. He's brutally criticizing Trump's latest tax and spending bill, referring to it as a "repugnant abomination."
In a highly critical tweet storm on his X platform, Musk slammed the bill, warning of a massive spike in the already sky-high budget deficit. He even predicted a deficit of $2.5 trillion, up from the 2024 deficit of around $1.8 trillion.
The bill, which Trump lovingly dubs the "big beautiful bill," has been generating buzz in the Congress. It passed the House of Representatives in May but hit a roadblock in the Senate, where some Republican members are against the proposed increase in the debt ceiling and are pushing for deeper spending cuts.
White House Brushes Off Musk's Criticism
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt shrugged off Musk's criticism. In her words, "The president already knows what Elon Musk thinks of this bill." Trump remains steadfast in his support for the bill.
However, Musk found an unexpected ally in Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders, who echoed Musk's sentiments. Sanders accused the richest Americans of receiving $664 billion in tax cuts while food assistance for the needy was slashed by $290 billion.
Musk Faces a Dilemma
Musk has been vocal about his disapproval of the bill for days, albeit in more measured terms. Last week, he expressed disappointment that the Doge committee had undermined the spending cuts he had advocated. In an interview with CBS TV, he admitted to being in a "pickle," as he didn't want to criticize the government but also didn't support all its decisions. Now, he's finally had enough, announcing his criticism with an apology: "I'm sorry, but I can't take it anymore."
The Saga Continues for Musk and Trump
Although Musk and Trump have had a rocky relationship for some time, this public feud is far from over. Musk donated more than $250 million to Trump's campaign and served as a close advisor. However, signs of waning influence have become apparent in recent months.
Source: ntv.de, as/dpa
- Elon Musk
- Donald Trump
- Tax Revenue
- Tax Policy
- Tax Cuts
- Tax Reform
- Tax Waste
- Budget Policy
- Austerity
- Bernie Sanders
- USA
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Elon Musk's criticism of Donald Trump's tax and spending bill has sparked significant attention and tension between the two figures. Here are the details, reactions, and implications of this public feud:
Details of the Criticism
- Elon Musk's Position: Musk has been vocal on social media platforms, labeling Trump's bill as "outrageous" and "a disgusting abomination." He criticized the bill for increasing the deficit and called for Americans to oppose it by contacting their representatives[1][2].
- Reasons for Criticism: Musk is particularly upset about the elimination of electric vehicle tax credits, which would negatively impact Tesla. Additionally, he has expressed frustration over AI deals with competitors and disagreements on trade policy[2][3].
- Financial Impact: The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill could increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over ten years, though Republicans and Trump dispute this projection[1].
Reactions
- Trump's Response: Trump expressed disappointment in Musk's criticism, hinting that their relationship might not recover. He noted that Musk was involved in the bill's creation process but only had issues after his interests were affected[1].
- Republican Response: Senate Majority Leader John Thune seemed unfazed by Musk's criticism, focusing on the bill's potential economic benefits[2].
- Public and Media Reaction: Musk's barrage of social media posts against the bill has garnered significant public attention, with some sources suggesting that his actions blindsided Trump's team[2][3].
Implications
- Economic Impact: The elimination of electric vehicle tax credits could impact Tesla and other companies in the clean energy sector, potentially affecting the overall transition to renewable energy[3].
- Political Tensions: The public feud has highlighted deepening tensions between Musk and Trump, as well as broader disagreements within the Republican Party on economic policies[1][3].
- Future Relations: The rift between Musk and Trump could influence future collaborations and policy discussions, particularly in areas like AI and trade[3].
- The current employment policy discussions in EC countries are likely to be influenced by Elon Musk's ongoing disagreements with President Donald Trump, as the controversy over Trump's tax and spending bill has brought the tech billionaire's views on tax policy, budget policy, and austerity to the forefront of political news.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation, the public feud between Musk and Trump has served as an implicit commentary on politics and general news, highlighting the divergence of their views on economic policies and their impacts on various sectors, including clean energy and trade.
