Elon Musk speaks throughout a information convention with President Trump on Might 30, 2025 contained in the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington.
Photograph: Tom Brenner/The Washington Publish/Getty Photos
Elon Musk could have formally left authorities service, however he can’t appear to give up Washington.
The world’s richest individual, recent off a number of drug-fueled months of sowing chaos all through Washington because the religious chief of DOGE, is now making an attempt to kill Republicans’ large spending package deal, generally known as the “Large, Stunning Invoice.” The Home handed the invoice in Might, and it now faces main adjustments within the senate.
Musk spent a lot of the day Wednesday posting criticisms of the invoice on X, his social media platform. A pattern:
Musk has a number of elected GOP allies who agree along with his stance that the invoice is just too costly together with hard-right senators like Mike Lee and Thomas Massie, the gadfly Kentucky consultant who was one of many social gathering’s two “no” vote within the Home. However a number of Republicans expressed their annoyance that Musk, who that they had largely supported as he took a chainsaw to varied authorities businesses in a supposed effort to chop authorities spending, was now working towards them.
Some Republicans additionally speculated that Musk’s actual motive in opposing the invoice was its abolition of electric-vehicle incentives, although Musk got here out towards these incentives months in the past.
After making his opposition clear in late Might, Musk ratcheted up his criticism of the invoice on Tuesday. “I’m sorry, however I simply can’t stand it anymore. This large, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending invoice is a disgusting abomination,” he wrote on X, which he owns. “Disgrace on those that voted for it: you realize you probably did flawed. You realize it.”
The one that issues most for the invoice’s future is President Trump. To date, Trump has continued to rally help for the laws whereas taking pains to not criticize Musk personally. And regardless of widespread predictions {that a} falling out was inevitable, the 2 have remained pleasant, a minimum of in public. On Musk’s final official day as a authorities worker, Musk was feted with a farewell occasion within the Oval Workplace the place Trump praised him and his DOGE initiative and even introduced him with a commemorative gold key which the president mentioned he has solely given to “very particular individuals.” Although Musk had acknowledged his intention to return to work at his corporations, he and Trump spoke of his exit in much less everlasting phrases with Musk himself vowing to stay a “buddy and adviser” to the president.
The extreme give attention to politics is a return to Musk’s habits throughout his peak DOGE days earlier this 12 months; currently, Musk has tended to focus extra on his corporations, which buyers say are sorely in want of his consideration. (Although Musk is aligned with Democrats in his opposition to the spending invoice, it most likely gained’t do a lot to restore the model injury he has inflicted on Tesla since becoming a member of up with Trump.)
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to downplay Musk’s newest feedback throughout a briefing Tuesday, suggesting that his place on the invoice was outdated information. “Look, the president already is aware of the place Elon Musk stood on this invoice. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion – that is one massive stunning invoice and he’s sticking to it,” she mentioned.
