Trump Slams Elon Musk Over Subsidies as GOP Support for “Big Beautiful Bill” Crumbles
The simmering feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk erupted again on Tuesday as Trump lashed out at the Tesla CEO over federal subsidies—just as key Republican senators began turning their backs on the President’s flagship legislation, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Trump Accuses Musk of Hypocrisy Over Subsidies
In a fiery Truth Social post at 12:44 a.m. ET, Trump accused Musk of hypocrisy, claiming that without government help, Musk’s companies wouldn’t survive.
“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump wrote.
He then mockingly invoked DOGE—the Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump administration initiative Musk previously led—saying:
“Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard look at this?”
DOGE was created in Trump’s second term to streamline federal IT systems, slash regulations, and cut government waste. Musk’s former role there now serves as political ammunition amid growing tensions between the two.
Musk’s criticism comes in response to significant changes in Trump’s legislative package, which now includes:
These revisions have sparked widespread concern across Silicon Valley, which had initially hoped for AI-friendly reforms and regulatory relief.
Key AI Protection Removed From Bill
In a major blow to the tech sector, a key provision that would have shielded AI from state and local regulation was stripped from the bill late Monday. The reversal came after Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) pulled her support, leading to a 99-1 Senate vote in favor of removing the exemption.
GOP Senators Begin to Withdraw Support
By early Tuesday, two more Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME)—signaled that they might vote against the bill. If they follow through, the legislation could collapse.
With two GOP senators already opposed, Trump is now at risk of seeing his major legislative effort fail due to fractures within his own party.
Musk didn’t stop at policy critique. On Monday, he threatened electoral retaliation, saying:
“Lawmakers who vote for this bill will lose their primary next year—if it’s the last thing I do on this Earth.”
He’s even floated the idea of starting a new political party, aligning himself more with Democrats on green energy and AI policy than with Trump-era Republicans.
