Elon Musk has publicly condemned President Donald Trump’s proposed spending bill, calling it an “outrageous, pork-filled, disgusting abomination” just days after his departure from a White House advisory role, The Independent UK reported.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who recently completed a 130-day stint as a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency, voiced his disapproval in a post on X on Tuesday.
Musk sharply criticised the bill’s projected impact on the federal deficit, warning it would push the budget shortfall to $2.5trn and leave American citizens with an “unsustainable” debt burden.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.
“It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America (sic) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt,” Musk posted on X Tuesday.
The spending bill, championed by Trump and currently under Senate debate, aims to slash taxes while increasing expenditures on oil drilling, the military, and border security. It also includes significant cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programmes.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation could add $3.8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.
In response to Musk’s remarks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the criticism, reiterating the administration’s support for the bill.
“The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion.
“This is one big beautiful bill and he’s sticking to it,” Leavitt said.
During his time at DOGE, Musk had expressed concern that the bill undermined the department’s mission to trim federal spending.
At a weekend event, he reiterated his disapproval, stating, “I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, doesn’t decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion,” Musk said.
The legislation proposes $1.5trn in spending cuts as a condition to unlock $4.5bn in tax reductions. Should the necessary savings not be identified, the bill’s tax benefits would be scaled back proportionally.
According to the CBO, the bill would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans while reducing resources for those in the lowest income brackets.