Elon Musk’s departure from the Trump administration this week wasn’t exactly a surprise – his contract as a special government employee, heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was always due to expire.
However, the timing of his exit gave hostile journalists an opportunity to link his departure to his recent criticism of Trump’s flagship spending bill, with many reporters now arguing that his relationship with the president has soured completely.
While Musk surprised Trump World with his comments in recent days, however, there’s no evidence that he left on bad terms. Trump has, however, seemingly taken his comments on board.
Elon Musk Hates the Big Beautiful Bill
On Tuesday, a clip of Musk speaking to CBS, in which he described his “disappointment” with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” surfaced online. Musk could be seen describing the legislation as a “massive spending bill” that increases the deficit and “undermines” the work of DOGE.
President Trump, for his part, has taken notice, telling reporters on Wednesday that he is also “not happy about certain aspects” of the bill and that it will go through a new round of negotiations before it is once again put to a vote in Congress.
“We have to get a lot of votes,” Trump said, acknowledging its shaky support in both the Senate and the House.
Why Elon Is Unhappy
For Musk, the disappointment runs much deeper than just policy.
His foray into government came at great personal and professional cost. Since taking up his post at DOGE, Musk has been the target of protests, boycotts, and even violence.
In March 2025, Tesla dealerships came under siege from major protests and firebomb attacks, with police reports later revealing that the incidents were politically motivated.
The attacks prompted the Trump administration to announce that attacks against Tesla facilities would be treated as domestic terrorism incidents.
Musk has been dubbed a “Nazi” by progressive activists and reporters. While he defended himself against the attacks, Tesla’s Q1 2025 profits dropped 71%, prompting investor concerns about Musk’s divided attention between government and business.
How Does the Bill Undermine DOGE?
Now, after trying to trim the fat from the “bureaucratic beast,” Musk fears his work may be undone by this bill and others that may follow.
“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” Musk told the Washington Post on Tuesday. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”
Speaking to CBS, Musk also said that the bill threatens the efficiency gains that DOGE has so far managed to secure.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” Musk said.
Musk and others argue that the bill could lead to a projected $3.8 trillion increase in the deficit over the next decade – a figure that came from the Congressional Budget Office but has since been contested by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Musk argues that the bill negates the cost-saving measures implemented by DOGE, which include asset sales, contract cancellations, workforce reductions, and more – amounting to a claimed $175 billion in savings.
Trump’s openness to change might ease tensions for now, but the bill’s future remains uncertain, with major GOP figures praising Musk on his exit and promising to continue the work DOGE started.
Senate Republicans are already modifying the package, but any substantial change to the text of the bill risks collapsing its fragile support in the House, where it passed in a 215 to 214 vote.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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