Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s ongoing public feud took a new turn on Thursday as Musk responded to Trump’s criticism of him regarding the controversial “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
This bill, which includes provisions for electric vehicle (EV) incentives, has been a focal point of disagreement between the two men. Musk, who has been vocal about his opposition to the bill, fired back at Trump’s claims in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Musk’s Response to Trump’s Criticism
In response to Trump’s criticism, Musk wrote on X: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House, and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. Such ingratitude.”
Musk was reacting to Trump’s comments made in the Oval Office where the president expressed disappointment with Musk’s vocal criticisms of the bill. Trump suggested that Musk knew the details of the bill and had no issues with it until the EV incentives were cut.
Trump’s Defense of the Bill
Trump responded during a press briefing, claiming that Musk was fully aware of the bill’s contents and had no objections to it until the EV mandate was dropped. “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here,” Trump stated. “All of a sudden, he had a problem. And he only developed the problem when he found out that we’re going to have to cut the EV mandate.”
Musk Pushes Back
Musk quickly shot back on X, denying Trump’s claims. “This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!” Musk argued, suggesting that the bill was rushed through without proper consultation or transparency.
The “Big Ugly Bill” vs. the “Slim, Beautiful Bill”
Musk has been an outspoken critic of the spending bill, which he has repeatedly referred to as the “Big Ugly Bill.” He has proposed a “Slim, Beautiful Bill” instead, calling for reduced government spending and a more efficient approach to legislation.
His objections to the bill are tied to his concerns over the EV mandate, which he believes forces consumers to buy electric cars that aren’t widely wanted.
Trump’s Public Criticism of Musk
Trump did not hold back in his criticism of Musk, focusing on Musk’s departure from his role as Special Advisor on government efficiency.
Trump claimed that Musk’s efforts were “wearing thin” and said he had removed the EV mandate from the bill, which Musk had known about for months. “I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted,” Trump wrote.
Trump also suggested that the government should terminate Musk’s subsidies and contracts. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!” Trump added.
Musk Threatens to Decommission SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft
In a dramatic response to Trump’s suggestion about canceling his government contracts, Musk posted that SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
This marked a rare confrontation between Musk and the U.S. government over his role in space exploration. He also suggested that Trump’s tariffs would likely trigger a recession in the second half of the year.
In response to Musk’s post about decommissioning the spacecraft, NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens clarified that NASA would continue to pursue the president’s space vision. “We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met,” she said.
The GOP Weighs In: Mixed Reactions to Musk’s Criticism
Musk’s objections have received mixed reactions from Republican lawmakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed surprise at Musk’s position, calling him “flat wrong” about the bill.
However, several Republicans have voiced support for Musk’s concerns. Rep. Thomas Massie, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Mike Lee, and Sen. John Kennedy have sided with Musk, particularly over concerns about the growing national debt and the potential for Americans to become “debt slaves.”
Next Steps for the Bill
With the bill now passed by the House, it is up to the Senate to meet Trump’s July 4th deadline for the bill’s passage. As tensions continue to mount between Musk and Trump, both the Republican Party and Congress face a growing debate over the future of the bill and the economic direction of the country.