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By Gabe Whisnant
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Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana praised the work of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) one day after the billionaire took aim at President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
Musk, who contributed at least $250 million to Trump's campaign and has served as a senior adviser in his administration, said he was "disappointed" by the legislation, as it included too much federal spending—the very thing Musk and DOGE spent months trying to cut.
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"It increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said in an interview with CBS. "I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion," he added.
Why It Matters
The remarks come amid Musk's now-uncertain future as a Republican political donor. The SpaceX and Tesla founder and CEO outstripped all other political donors in the 2024 election cycle, contributing around $292 million to political causes.
Musk spent almost $100 million more than the second biggest contributor, American businessman Timothy Mellon, and millions more than the other top 10 contributors in 2024, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.
In May, Musk, the richest person in the world, said he plans to cut back on political spending, telling a conference he had "done enough."
What to Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, Johnson posted in part, "@ElonMusk and the entire @DOGE team have done INCREDIBLE work exposing waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government - from the insanity of USAID's spending to finding over 12 million people on Social Security who were over 120 years old. The House is eager and ready to act on DOGE's findings so we can deliver even more cuts to big government that President Trump wants and the American people demand."
The House Speaker's post continued, "We will do that in two ways: 1. When the White House sends its rescissions package to the House, we will act quickly by passing legislation to codify the cuts. 2. The House will use the appropriations process to swiftly implement President Trump's 2026 budget. In the meantime, we have been working around the clock as we prepared for those processes. The House made sure to build on DOGE's success within the One Big Beautiful Bill."
In his defense of the bill and DOGE's efforts, combined, Johnson also re-posted remarks by Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff.
"@StephenM has made an important point about the two efforts: DOGE found savings in discretionary spending (such as funding agencies), while our One Big Beautiful Bill secured over $1.6 trillion in savings in mandatory spending (such as Medicaid). Both are HISTORIC and take HUGE steps toward addressing our debt and deficit."
Musk's critique of the Republican budget bill isn't his only recent break with Trump and GOP leadership.
Other clashes between the two include Musk's opposition to Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. The billionaire's tech companies rely heavily on the international supply chains that the tariffs have disrupted.
Musk also appeared to contradict Trump's long-standing bid to promote fossil fuels over renewable energy, writing on social media on Tuesday, "Compared to solar, oil is small-time."
Only two Republicans — Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted against the bill when the House took up the measure last week.
What People Are Saying
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation: "I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it."
Trump also suggested that more changes could be made as it heads to the Senate.
"We're going to see what happens," he said. "It's got a way to go."
Rep. Davidson took note of Musk's comments on social media, reposting his CBS interview and saying on X: "Hopefully, the Senate will succeed with the Big Beautiful Bill where the House missed the moment. "Don't hope someone else will cut deficits someday, know it has been done this Congress."
What Happens Next
President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" heads to the Senate, where it faces intense scrutiny and potential revisions. While it passed the House with strong Republican support, Senate lawmakers—including some conservatives—have voiced concerns about the bill's cost and impact on the federal deficit. Negotiations are expected to focus on the scope of tax cuts and immigration enforcement provisions, two of the most contentious elements.
If the Senate approves a modified version, the bill will return to the House for reconciliation. The White House has signaled a willingness to accept some changes but insists the core elements must remain intact.
Update: 5/28/25, 12:28 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 5/28/25, 12:52 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 5/28/25, 2 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
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