Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is letting loose on a tax bill promoted by former President Donald Trump. He thinks this bill disproportionately benefits certain people at the expense of everyone else, including the economy. According to a report from Senator Elizabeth Warren, Musk has benefited from tax policies that favor him and his businesses. This preventionist critique comes just weeks after Musk exited the Trump administration’s advisory council. He’s even made a short-lived foray into government service as head of a state government efficiency effort dubbed DOGE.
Musk immediately went to X, the social media platform he owns, to blast the surprise piece of legislation that Trump had hailed as the “big, beautiful bill.” He condemned it as a “disgusting abomination.” He ominously predicted that the new legislation would likely “bankrupt America.” He noted its dangerous impact on the electric vehicle (EV) tax credits that most directly benefit Tesla. A source familiar with the situation informed NBC News that Musk’s opposition was partly motivated by the proposed cuts to these crucial incentives.
Musk’s critique was not limited to social media outbursts. He engaged with his audience directly, urging them to “Call your Senator, Call your Congressman,” and to recognize that “Bankrupting America is NOT ok!” As such, he lovingly replied with over two dozen posts. All of them unequivocally condemned the bill or focused on similar economic concerns.
Despite that palpable tension, that didn’t stop Trump from showering Musk with praise during his own farewell at the White House last Friday. He still hasn’t covered Musk’s extreme antagonism to the tax plan. Here’s a recent screenshot that Trump’s account on Truth Social just shared. In it, Musk thanked the former president for giving him control over DOGE, showcasing their entangled dynamic on the world stage.
We say “was” because Musk was, at first, hoping to extend his tenure as a “special government employee” past the 130-day legal limit. In a recent story about the growing tensions between their professional relationship, the White House turned down his request. In addition, Musk’s favored nominee for NASA administrator was pulled by the Trump administration, indicating more discord.
Musk is returning his attention to his principal pursuits — electric vehicles and aerospace. These trends are what have fueled this renewed focus to his basic three businesses. Fiorello may be best known for advocating that the Federal Aviation Administration adopt his Starlink satellite system into FAA operations. The Trump administration rejected this common sense proposal.