In a recent interview previewed ahead of its June 1 air date on CBS Sunday Morning, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk voiced strong criticism of a major new Republican-backed spending bill, expressing concern that it could erase the progress made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal advisory body he once led.
The legislation, informally dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” has been hailed by President Donald Trump as a landmark policy initiative, combining sweeping tax cuts with increased defense and immigration-related spending. However, according to a nonpartisan estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill could add $3.8 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade—fueling criticism from fiscal conservatives and deficit hawks alike.
Musk, who previously played a key role in Trump’s administration as head of DOGE, has been outspoken about the need for leaner government.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit and undermines the work the DOGE team is doing,” Musk told CBS. “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful—but I don’t know if it can be both.”
Since its launch in January, DOGE claims to have saved $170 billion in taxpayer funds through cost-cutting measures and departmental overhauls. These efforts have included deep cuts to the US Agency for International Development and staffing reductions across multiple federal agencies. According to workforce consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, DOGE’s reforms have led to approximately 275,000 government layoffs.
Critics of the bill argue it risks reversing this progress. While the Trump administration contends that the tax reforms and fiscal stimulus measures will spur long-term economic growth—projecting a GDP boost of up to 3.2% and a $5,000 annual increase in take-home pay for median households—the CBO and other watchdogs remain skeptical of its impact on national debt, which currently stands at $36.2 trillion.
The divergence between Musk and Trump—once seen as close allies—highlights growing internal rifts within the Republican Party over fiscal strategy. Musk, who had donated significantly to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign and was frequently seen at the White House during the early months of Trump’s second term, has since scaled back his political involvement, citing frustrations with bureaucratic resistance and DOGE being used as a “whipping boy” for broader administrative dissatisfaction.
“Something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it—even if we had nothing to do with it,” Musk said in a separate interview with The Washington Post.
There he also reiterated that he would be stepping away from his government advisory role to focus on his businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX.
Meanwhile, the spending bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where bipartisan concerns over its deficit impact could stall its progress. Trump and his allies argue the legislation is necessary to fulfill campaign promises on taxes, immigration, and defense, while opponents warn that it undermines years of work to rein in public expenditures.
Musk’s disapproval adds another high-profile voice to those questioning the wisdom of such expansive fiscal measures at a time of mounting national debt.
With input from the Guardian, BBC, CNBC, and Fortune.
