Elon Musk has intensified his war of words with Donald Trump, unleashing a blistering attack on the former president’s massive spending proposal and vowing political consequences for those who support it.
On Sunday, June 30, Musk—now serving as a “special government employee” tasked with cutting federal costs—took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn GOP lawmakers backing the nearly 1,000-page bill currently moving through the Senate.
The legislation, a pillar of Trump’s latest agenda, calls for sweeping defense increases—including a proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield—alongside major tax breaks and billions in earmarked spending. Fiscal hawks are sounding alarms, with the bill projected to add a staggering $3.3 trillion to the national debt, which already tops $36.2 trillion, according to Reuters.
“Anyone who campaigned on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING but votes for the BIGGEST DEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will have their face on this poster during next year’s primaries,” Musk warned in a viral post.
Trump, who just last week praised Musk as a “wonderful” and “smart” guy during a Fox News interview, didn’t hold back. He fired off a sharp rebuke on Truth Social, signaling that the alliance between the two billionaire powerhouses may be crumbling.
“Elon Musk knew well before he strongly endorsed me for President that I was firmly against the EV mandate,” Trump declared. “It’s ridiculous and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but no one should be forced to own one.”
Not stopping there, Trump fired a salvo at Musk’s companies, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of leaning heavily on government subsidies. Citing Al Jazeera, he claimed, “Elon may receive more subsidies than any human being in history—by far. Without them, he’d probably have to shut down and head back home to South Africa. No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production—and our country would save a FORTUNE.”
He added with a jab, “Maybe DOGE should take a hard look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
Musk shot back swiftly: “I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now.”
Once close allies—Musk even called Trump his “first buddy” in government—these two titans are now on a collision course over fiscal priorities and energy policy, driving a wedge in the GOP’s internal power struggle.
Meanwhile, the Senate grinds through debate on the sprawling bill, which includes a 20-hour amendment window and a narrow path to passage. Even if it clears the Senate, it faces a tough return to the House, where it barely passed before by a single vote.
Trump is pulling out all the stops to rally his base behind the legislation. On Truth Social, he hailed the package as “the One Big Beautiful Bill, perhaps the greatest and most important of its kind in history,” touting “the largest tax cuts and border security ever, millions of jobs, military and veterans increases, and so much more.” He warned that failure to pass it would trigger “a whopping 68% tax increase—the largest in history!!!”
Musk, however, remains unconvinced. Suggesting a deeper political upheaval, he told The Guardian, “With the insane spending in this bill that increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS, it’s obvious we live in a one-party country—the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people.”
Whether Musk’s call for a new party is a genuine threat or just another Twitter tempest is unclear. But one thing is certain: their bromance is over, and the battle over America’s budget has only just begun.