Tesla CEO and former White House special government employee Elon Musk has once again criticized the Republican Party, targeting a Trump-backed Senate spending bill that is currently under consideration. This comes just weeks after Musk engaged in a public exchange with President Donald Trump.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk wrote Saturday on X, the social media platform he owns. He described the bill as “utterly insane and destructive,” arguing that it “gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”
Musk’s criticism came in response to a Senate bill draft that imposes new taxes on wind and solar projects that haven’t recently begun construction, and mandates that no Chinese-made materials be used. It also introduces a separate tax on these green energy projects.
In another post, Musk claimed that “polls show that this bill is political suicide for the Republican Party.”
Despite the criticism, Trump spoke positively of Musk in a Fox News interview that aired Sunday, calling him a “wonderful guy” and adding, “he’s going to do well always.” Trump also emphasized that not all Americans want electric vehicles and said there shouldn’t be mandates forcing consumers to buy them.
Tesla, the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world, has long been aligned with alternative energy, including solar and wind. Trump has previously suggested Musk’s frustrations stem from the government ending subsidies for his companies and not selecting Jared Isaacman to lead NASA.
Earlier this month, Musk described the bill as a “disgusting abomination” and urged lawmakers to “KILL the BILL.” He wrote, “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
Musk later expressed some remorse over his remarks about Trump, writing on X, “They went too far.” Trump responded in an interview with the New York Post, saying, “I thought it was very nice that he did that.”
Musk also responded “cool” to a video of Vice President JD Vance suggesting “if Elon chills out a little bit everything will be fine.” Musk has endorsed Vance’s calls for “decisive leadership” in response to recent immigration-related riots in Los Angeles.
Since then, Musk had largely refrained from commenting on the bill or Trump—until this weekend—shifting his focus to his companies Tesla, SpaceX, and X.
It remains unclear how much influence Musk has over senators or whether his statements will sway the legislative process. Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have indicated the bill is likely to pass.
Ahead of the vote, the White House issued a statement supporting the bill’s passage. On Saturday, Trump criticized Republicans opposing the bill and warned he might campaign against Senator Thom Tillis, who opposes the bill due to Medicaid cuts.
Before their public rift, Musk and Trump appeared together in the Oval Office in late May, where Trump praised Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk was exiting his role as a special government employee.
Republican leaders aim to pass the bill by July 4.
