Elon Musk criticises Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’, says Doge’s work has been undermined
The US president responded that more changes could be made to the legislation, saying he’s ‘not happy about certain aspects of it’
Elon Musk is criticising the centrepiece of US President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, a significant fracture in a partnership that was forged during last year’s campaign and was poised to reshape American politics and the federal government.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who supported Trump’s candidacy with at least US$250 million and has worked for his administration as a senior adviser, said he was “disappointed” by what the president calls his “big beautiful bill”.
The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. While speaking to CBS, Musk described it as a “massive spending bill” that increases the federal deficit and “undermines the work” of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as Doge.
“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk said. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”
His CBS interview came out on Tuesday night. Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation.
“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” he said.