President Donald Trump gave a lengthy and evasive response when asked about Elon Musk’s pointed criticism of his new “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Notably, Trump steered clear of attacking Musk — a rare choice for a president known for lambasting dissenters.
Musk Turns on Trump Over Ballooning Deficit
In an interview with CBS News, Musk said he was “disappointed to see the massive spending bill,” adding that it “undermines the work of DOGE”—the Department of Government Efficiency, which he previously led.
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both,” Musk said.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation could add as much as $3.8 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. Musk has repeatedly claimed DOGE saved the government $160 billion by eliminating 11 agencies and laying off about 250,000 employees. But critics argue the results fell far short of his $2 trillion goal and triggered global protests and lawsuits.
“It’s disappointing,” Musk reiterated. “The deficit’s going the wrong way.”
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Now, Trump has doubled down on the bill’s virtues, vaguely acknowledging “certain aspects” he’s not happy with while praising the legislation for its tax-cutting measures.
“We will be negotiating that bill, and I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it,” Trump told reporters. “That's the way it goes. It's very big. The big, beautiful bill, but the beautiful is because of all the things we have.”
“The biggest thing being I would say the level of tax cutting that we'll be doing,” he added, without once addressing Musk's concerns directly.
Musk Exits the Trump Administration — Abruptly
Musk’s departure from Washington was sudden and without a formal meeting with Trump, despite their once-close relationship. The world’s richest man announced the end of his term as a Special Government Employee via his own platform, X (formerly Twitter).
As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," Musk wrote. "The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government."
The White House confirmed his off-boarding had begun. A source familiar with the situation said the decision was made “at a senior staff level," The Guardian reports.
While Musk’s tenure only lasted 130 days, his presence certainly didn't go amiss - as he was frequently present in the Oval Office, Cabinet meetings, and even Air Force One.
But cracks had begun to form.
Musk butted heads with cabinet officials and attacked White House trade adviser Peter Navarro as a “moron.” He also expressed frustration over a deal between Abu Dhabi and OpenAI, which he attempted to derail unless his company was included.
Fallout Hits Musk's Business — and Reputation
Musk’s time in the Trump administration cost him dearly. Tesla stocks dipped. Protesters boycotted his companies. Lawsuits stacked up. One judicial candidate he backed in Wisconsin lost, despite $25 million in campaign support.
Even Musk seemed to recognize the toll. “I think I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics,” he told Ars Technica. “It was just relative time allocation that probably was a little too high on the government side.”
He also told The Washington Post the federal bureaucracy was “much worse than I realised,” calling DOGE a “whipping boy” blamed for everything.
While Musk previously pledged $100 million more in support of Trump-aligned PACs before the 2026 midterms, the New York Times reported the money hasn’t materialized.
“I think I’ve done enough,” Musk said at an economic forum in Qatar.
From Ally to Critic — What Went Wrong?
Musk had once been Trump’s closest outside adviser, even bringing his son X to the Oval Office. The two were photographed aboard Marine One, lounging at Mar-a-Lago, and riding together in Air Force One.
Trump even purchased a brand-new Tesla in front of the White House.
But Musk’s focus shifted as Tesla suffered and the political spotlight burned too hot. He abandoned MAGA gear for an “Occupy Mars” T-shirt and resumed pushing his space ventures.
Even so, he recently returned to the White House, attending a meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Musk stood by as Trump confronted Ramaphosa over alleged discrimination against white farmers — an issue Musk has advocated on.
The “Big, Beautiful Bill” and Its Explosive Scope
Trump’s flagship bill is sweeping in scale. It includes roughly $5 trillion in tax cuts, eliminates Biden-era clean energy credits, and imposes new work requirements for Medicaid recipients, the Daily Mail reports.
The bill also raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and grants broad powers for mass deportations. Many of its key provisions, like tax breaks for tips and overtime, are temporary — set to expire by the end of Trump’s second term.
Medicaid eligibility changes won’t take effect until January 2029. Among them: biannual eligibility verification and mandatory 80-hour monthly work or education engagement for able-bodied adults without dependents.
Republicans narrowly passed the bill in the House. “Remember, we have zero Democrat votes because they are bad people,” Trump said. “If I were a Democrat, I would be voting for this bill and I would get elected to any position I want as a Democrat. They are crazy.”
Despite his attacks on the opposition, Trump acknowledged political reality: “We need a certain amount of support in the Senate.”
He closed by predicting the bill’s impact: “It will be very successful.”