Elon Musk Critiques Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” Over Deficit Concerns and EV Setbacks

Elon Musk has broken ranks with Donald Trump, criticizing the president’s sweeping new legislation that expands tax breaks while slashing social programs and clean energy incentives. In a CBS interview preview, Musk voiced disappointment, saying the bill “increases the budget deficit and undermines the work that the Doge team is doing.”
Musk had been leading Doge—the Department of Government Efficiency—before stepping back in April following poor earnings at Tesla and a failed political investment. The bill in question not only cuts $1 trillion in welfare programs but also increases military and border spending, including funding a border wall and deportation facilities.
Despite previously calling for an end to EV subsidies, Musk now faces a changed landscape. Tesla’s earnings are faltering, and the removal of EV tax credits could accelerate its decline. As Musk distances himself from Trump, his remarks may fuel intra-party tensions, particularly among Republicans already wary of the bill’s deficit impact.