Just days after exiting his role as a special government employee under President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk is publicly torching the administration’s flagship legislation — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — calling it a “pork-filled Congressional spending abomination” that will drive the nation deeper into debt.

In a fiery string of posts on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday morning, Musk erupted against the legislation, which cleared the House last month, lambasting both the bill and the lawmakers who supported it.

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” Musk wrote.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who had served as an advisor to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), didn’t hold back:

“This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Congress is making America bankrupt.”

Musk warned the bill would balloon the federal budget deficit to $2.5 trillion, calling it “crushingly unsustainable.” He ended his online tirade with a political call to action:

“In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.”

White House: “President Trump Already Knew”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded bluntly to Musk’s criticism:

“The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change his opinion.”

Trump had ceremonially thanked Musk just days earlier in the Oval Office following his departure from DOGE, a special task force created to slash federal waste. Musk had long signaled concern over the bill’s trajectory, but his post-departure denunciation now threatens to fracture GOP unity ahead of a contentious Senate vote.

GOP Leaders Scramble to Reassure

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who narrowly secured the bill’s House passage, admitted Tuesday he had exchanged a long text message with Musk and even spoke to him for over 20 minutes the day before the outburst — apparently to no avail.

“I’m very disappointed,” Johnson said. “Obviously I respect everything Elon did with DOGE, but on this bill, we clearly disagree.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) echoed that sentiment, expressing hope that Musk would “come to a different conclusion” after reviewing the bill more closely.

But many Republicans aren’t so sure.

The 1,038-page legislative behemoth — described as Trump’s marquee economic package — has sparked growing backlash from fiscal hawks. It features over $1.5 trillion in cuts, but analysts estimate the overall deficit impact will range from $3 to $4 trillion over 10 years.

Hidden Provisions Emerge, Anger Lawmakers

Several GOP lawmakers now admit they didn’t fully grasp what they voted on.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she would have voted against the bill had she known it contained a provision that curtails state regulation of artificial intelligence for the next decade.

Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) confessed he had been unaware of a clause that restricts judges’ ability to hold individuals in contempt, raising further questions about how the bill was rushed through.

The bill was passed after marathon committee sessions and may still be revised in the Senate, where at least four Republicans have already voiced opposition.

Musk’s Influence Looms Large

Musk, whose influence among Republicans has only grown, may once again play spoiler to Trump’s agenda — as he did last December when his public opposition helped derail a government funding deal. That led to a slimmed-down emergency measure instead.

Now, he’s again poised to disrupt — this time with a wider reach.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) responded to Musk’s criticism online with:

“Some of us are trying to stop that.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), the only two House Republicans who voted against the bill, both hailed Musk’s comments. “He’s right,” Massie posted.

Musk also called out the failure of the One Big Beautiful Bill to codify DOGE reforms he had worked on, prompting a fresh wave of Republican demands to revisit the matter.

The Bottom Line

As the Senate braces for a heated debate, Musk’s very public and very personal condemnation has thrown the bill into uncertainty — and exposed deep divisions among Republicans over fiscal priorities and transparency.

For now, Trump’s “beautiful” bill may be heading into a brutal political storm — with Elon Musk, once a key insider, leading the charge.