The billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is blasting a new tax bill proposed by Donald Trump, calling it “despicable”. Musk made the comments on X, criticizing the bill and the lawmakers who voted for it.
“Sorry, I’ve had enough,” Musk wrote. “This bill is a disaster. It’s a huge handout to special interests and it’s going to bankrupt America.”
Musk’s comments come as Trump is trying to pressure Republican lawmakers to support the bill. The president has been promoting the bill as a “big, beautiful” piece of legislation that will help the economy.
But Musk is not buying it. He says the bill will only make the country’s budget deficit worse, and that it undermines the work of the government’s efficiency department, which he used to head.
The White House is brushing off Musk’s criticism. Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said that Trump is undeterred by Musk’s comments, and that the president will continue to push for the bill’s passage.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is firing back at Musk, saying that the billionaire is misinformed about the bill. Johnson claims that he had a friendly conversation with Musk on Monday, and that he explained the benefits of the bill to him.
“A lot of people don’t understand this bill,” Johnson said. “And I think Elon is one of them.”
Johnson also expressed disappointment that Musk would attack the bill, given their recent conversation.
The bill’s fate is still uncertain, as it faces opposition from some lawmakers. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune is vowing to move forward with the legislation, despite Musk’s criticism.
Sources:
cnn