Musk Says Trump's Massive Spending Bill Undermines DOGE Mission

What Happened?

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has criticized President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' that recently passed through the House last week.

In an interview preview, Musk said he is 'disappointed' to see the bill package undermine the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce federal spending.

'I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit,' said Musk in a clip set to air on CBS Sunday Morning.

It marks a pivotal moment between the two as Musk showed Trump much support to help him win re-election in 2024.

'I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. I don’t know if it could be both,' Musk said. 'My personal opinion.'

The bill, which now is in the hands of Senate leaders for review, would increase the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.

Why it Matters

Over the weekend, House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News during an interview that he made one plea to Senate Republicans who are preparing to work on the massive bill.

Johnson said he encouraged congressional leaders to not make large changes to the measure.

He asked that they modify the package as little as possible because 'we have to maintain that balance.'

It highlights the narrow margin of support in the House that passed the bill by one vote.

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky called the spending cuts in the bill's current version 'wimpy.'

He and others have expressed concerns over the debt ceiling extension, as Johnson worries that delaying the measure could risk the U.S. defaulting on debts for the first time in history.

'It has to be part of the reconciliation package,' Johnson said.

No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, strong border security measures, and tax deductions when an American-made vehicle is purchased are some of the examples Trump has pointed out in support of this bill.

Although Trump praised Johnson and House GOP members for passing the bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed that senators will 'have its imprint on it.'

It's almost a sure sign of changes to the more than 1,000 pages of legislation and 42 pages of amendments, which will seek final passage.

How it Affects You

Many are worried about cuts to vital programs such as Medicaid and food stamps as part of efforts to cut nearly $1 trillion.

Massive cuts to these two programs put millions of Americans at risk.

That includes senior citizens and people with disabilities that the GOP has promised to protect.

GOP lawmakers in support of the current bill insist their proposed cuts would largely affect 'able-bodied' adults.

Senate Republicans had assured a dozen House conservatives they would pursue $1.5 trillion in savings before approving the plan.

It's unclear whether the Senate will pursue these cuts while preserving the current funding of essential programs like Medicaid.

Some believe this could be one of the last few chances to reset the market to a reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending.