WASHINGTON, USA — Tech mogul Elon Musk has reignited his public feud with President Donald Trump, sharply criticising a major legislative package backed by the White House that passed a key vote in the U.S. Senate over the weekend.
In a scathing post on his social media platform X, Musk called the sprawling 940-page bill, dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” “utterly insane and destructive,” warning that it would “destroy millions of jobs” and cripple America’s competitive edge in innovation and technology.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country,” Musk wrote to his 220 million followers.
The Senate voted 51–49 on Saturday, June 28, 2025, to advance the bill after protracted internal negotiations within the Republican caucus.
Although Vice President J.D. Vance was on standby to cast a tie-breaking vote, his intervention was ultimately not needed.
The bill, which combines a series of tax, infrastructure, and industrial policy measures, has faced growing opposition from influential figures within the private sector, with Musk emerging as one of its most outspoken critics.
Once an insider in the Trump administration—having served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency—Musk has since become a prominent detractor, frequently criticising the former president’s economic and regulatory policies.
His resignation from the role in 2023 followed a series of disagreements over climate policy and AI regulation.
Describing the bill as a form of “political suicide” for Republicans, Musk claimed the legislation would contribute to a $5 trillion increase in the national debt ceiling, which he argued represents the “largest such increase in US history.”
“America is in the fast lane to debt slavery,” Musk added.
In an interview aired Sunday, June 29, 2025, on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, President Trump sought to downplay the tension.
“I haven’t spoken to him much, but I think Elon is a wonderful guy,” Trump said, suggesting the tech billionaire’s frustrations were tied to recent changes in electric vehicle mandates, part of the bill’s broader transportation and climate provisions.
Trump did not address Musk’s claims about job losses or debt, but aides have defended the bill as essential for “restoring American greatness” in manufacturing and energy independence.
While the bill has cleared its initial hurdle, it continues to face resistance within the chamber. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, are using procedural tools to delay its passage, including a demand that the entire text be read aloud on the Senate floor.
“If Senate Republicans won’t tell the American people what’s in this bill, then Democrats are going to force this chamber to read it from start to finish,” Schumer said.
Musk, for his part, has called on Americans to lobby their representatives directly.
“This is a massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill,” he posted earlier in June, urging citizens to block what he sees as fiscally irresponsible legislation.
Despite the backlash, Republican leaders remain determined to move the bill forward.
A final Senate vote is expected later this month.
