Elon Musk ‘disappointed’ in Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill’

House passes President Trump's 'Big Beautiful, Bill'

House representatives passed President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill on Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed for Republicans to get the bill passed.

WASHINGTON - Elon Musk is criticizing President Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill, describing it as a "massive spending bill" that increases the federal deficit and "undermines the work" of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.

The billionaire entrepreneur, who supported Trump’s candidacy with at least $250 million and has worked for his administration as a senior adviser, said he was "disappointed" by the bill.

Elon Musk disappointed by "big, beautiful bill"

What they're saying:

"I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful," Musk said while speaking to CBS. "But I don’t know if it could be both." His CBS interview came out Tuesday night. 

Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation.

Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. (Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

"I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it," he said.

Trump also suggested that more changes could be made.

"We’re going to see what happens," he said. "It’s got a way to go."

What is in the ‘big, beautiful bill’?

Dig deeper:

House lawmakers passed President Donald Trump’s "big beautiful" tax bill Thursday after an all-night session despite a divide among Republicans over some of the bill’s provisions and Democrats’ opposition.

The House launched debate before midnight and by dawn the vote was called, 215-214, with Democrats staunchly opposed. It next goes to the Senate.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.8 trillion to the debt over the next decade, while the changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other services would tally $1 trillion in reduced spending. 

The sprawling 1,000-plus-page package carries Trump’s title, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," as well as his campaign promises to extend the tax breaks approved during his first term while adding new ones, including no taxes on tips, automobile loan interest and Social Security. 

There’s also a higher standard deduction, of $32,000 for joint filers, and a bigger child tax credit.

Elon Musk, Donald Trump history

The backstory:

Trump and Musk’s partnership was forged during last year's campaign and was poised to reshape American politics and the federal government.

But Musk’s comments come as he steps back from his government work, rededicating himself to companies like the electric automaker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX. 

"The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized," he told The Washington Post. "I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least."

Musk had previously been energized by the opportunity to reshape Washington. He wore campaign hats in the White House, held his own campaign rallies and talked about excessive spending as an existential crisis.

"The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy," Musk said in February. "Frankly, I love him."

Trump repaid the favor, describing Musk as "a truly great American." When Tesla faced declining sales, he turned the White House driveway into a makeshift showroom to illustrate his support.