Elon Musk Breaks with Trump Over Massive Spending Bill
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s flagship legislation, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” despite previously leading aggressive cuts to federal government spending.
Musk, who recently stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), told CBS News that the bill undermines the very work he was tasked with carrying out.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it,” Musk said. “It undermines the work the DOGE team is doing.”
The Bill at the Center of Trump’s Second-Term Agenda
The bill, which recently passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate, is seen as a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term domestic policy. Dubbed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” it aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts by a decade, largely funded by significant reductions to social safety net programs.
However, analysts and critics have warned the legislation could:
Slash healthcare access for the poorest Americans
Inflate the national debt by up to $4 trillion over ten years
Widen the wealth gap through regressive tax benefits
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful,” Musk added, “but I don’t know if it can be both.”
The full CBS News interview is scheduled to air on Sunday.
Musk Reflects on Government Cuts and DOGE’s Legacy
In a separate interview with The Washington Post, Musk offered a candid reflection on his time leading DOGE, during which tens of thousands of federal workers were fired, and multiple departments were downsized or dissolved.
“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” Musk said. “It’s an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”
Although Musk stepped back from government duties in late April to refocus on Tesla and SpaceX, he confirmed in May that he will continue advising DOGE, now with a more technical focus.
Shifting Focus to Federal Technology Reform
Rather than pursuing further job cuts, Musk stated he will prioritize upgrading outdated federal computer systems — a move he believes is crucial for modernizing U.S. government operations.
“We’ll focus on digital transformation instead of more terminations,” Musk told the Post.
Despite his own track record of aggressive reforms, Musk’s criticism of Trump’s spending strategy marks a notable break from the administration’s narrative.
