Musk Criticizes Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” in Rare Break with the President, Says It Undermines DOGE’s Work

In a rare and sharp criticism of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk criticized the recently adopted republican spending bill, calling it backs for efforts to reduce unnecessary public spending.

The criticism, which was broadcast in an overview of an upcoming interview on CBS on Sunday morning, marks one of the most direct and public reprimands of the man he has long supported – both ideologically and politically – even when Trump’s policies were contrary to Musk’s commercial interests.

“I have been disappointed to see the bill for massive spending law frankly, which increases the budget deficit, and not only decrease it, and undermines the work that the Doge team does,” said Musk, referring to the Ministry of Government (DOGE), the Federal Cost Reduction Agency he was leading until recently.

The bill in question – the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” – is projected by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to increase the federal budget deficit by 3.8 billions of dollars over the next ten years. It is a lively reversal of the declared objective of the budgetary prudence of Doge.

Since its creation in January 2025, DOGE said that it has saved taxpayers’ dollars in taxpayers by reducing bureaucratic redundancies and eliminating the federal programs overlapping, including a controversial exhaustion of the American agency for international development and the job premises affecting certain federal employees of 275,000, according to data from the Challenger Christmas.

Trump had boast of the bill as a historic legislative victory, appealing him “big and beautiful”. But Musk, in an excavation in this framing, replied: “I think that a bill can be great or that it can be beautiful, but I do not know if it can be both.”

This striking divergence in rhetoric has aroused the speculation of a growing schism between the billionaire industrialist and the republican leader, especially since Musk announces the end of his role in the White House.

For years, Musk has been considered a cheerleader for Trump, praising his deregulation position and appearing frequently during the White House events. He continued to provide public support even when the Trump administration exercised policies that threatened the main Musk companies – in particular the electric vehicle sector, which faced opposites of the fossil fuel fuel fuel order and the retraction of EV federal subsidies.

Trump’s support for oil drilling and traditional car manufacturers has constantly undermined the transition of clean energy defended by Tesla and other musc companies. However, musk, still calculating, has maintained cordial relations with Trump, ensuring the influence in the main political discussions and later accepting a high -level advisory role as a leader of the DOGE – a position which allowed it to shape federal expenses but also to put it directly under political projectors.

Now Musk’s comments suggest a change, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla pointing that he is backing up from his role as Washington.

“It was clear that Doge became the whip for everything,” Musk told Washington Post in a separate interview published on Tuesday. “The federal bureaucracy is much worse than what I thought.”

His withdrawal occurs just when Trump’s bill goes to the Senate, when he faces a strong opposition – not only democrats but also republican tax conservatives. Florida governor Ron Desantis, a former presidential hope and a single Trump rival, exploded the Républicains de la Chambre for having omitted to codify the discounts of spending proposed by Doge, calling “a betrayal of voters”.

The moment of Musk’s criticism is significant. Trump is known for his approach to zero tolerance of dissent, in particular allies. His story to fall with old aids, executives and loyalists of the party is well documented. From the former secretary of state Rex Tillerson to the Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the single strategist Steve Bannon, Trump has often publicly targeted former allies after a perceived betrayal.

This story raises questions about the question of whether Musk’s comments could degenerate into a full -fledged quarrel. The reports already suggest that tensions have simmered behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, the markets seemed to respond positively to Musk’s pivot. Tesla’s actions increased above after the publication of the CBS interview clip, supported by the optimism of the investors that Musk would now refocus the company after months of distraction in political affairs. Its companies – including Tesla, X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX – faced assembly challenges in the midst of regulatory pressure and competition, making its return to the bar a welcome development for shareholders.

However, the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” continues to divide the Congress – and perhaps one of its most publicized business allies. If Musk’s past loyalty can no longer buffer him from Trump’s reprisals, political benefits could reshape the calculation for other business leaders who have traveled the stiffen rope of Maga’s policy.