[ad_1]
Last week, the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a major tax and spending package championed by President Donald Trump. Dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” by Trump himself, the legislation combines multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks with a significant boost to defence spending and funding for mass deportations.But one of Trump’s most prominent backers, Elon Musk, is now publicly opposing it — raising questions about a growing rift within the Republican leadership.Here’s what you need to know.
What is the ‘big, beautiful bill’?
The bill is one of Trump’s top legislative priorities. Key provisions include:
- Extension of 2017 tax cuts: These were originally passed during Trump’s first term and are set to expire unless renewed.
- Increased defence spending: Billions have been allocated to expand the US military budget.
- Funding for immigration enforcement: A major chunk is earmarked for Trump’s proposed
mass deportation efforts.
The bill passed the House in a tight vote and is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.
Why is Elon Musk unhappy?
In an interview with CBS’s Sunday Morning, Musk expressed “disappointment” with the bill, saying it “undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” DOGE refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, an informal cost-cutting advisory group Musk had been leading.His primary concern is fiscal responsibility. “It increases the budget deficit, not decreases it,” Musk said — pointing to projections that the bill could widen the federal deficit by roughly $600 billion in the next fiscal year.Musk added: “I think a bill can be big or beautiful. I don’t know if it can be both.”
What is Musk’s role in government policy?
Although not a formal government official, Musk was recruited by Trump to lead cost-cutting efforts across the federal bureaucracy. Under the DOGE initiative, Musk:
- Advocated ending foreign aid programmes
- Oversaw significant layoffs in federal departments
- Pushed for slashing discretionary spending
These actions were highly controversial. While Trump allies praised Musk for trimming “waste and fraud,” critics said the measures harmed diplomatic programmes and public sector jobs.Is this a sign of a break between Musk and Trump?Possibly. Musk played a key role in Trump’s 2024 comeback, donating over $250 million to Republican-aligned groups. But recent weeks have seen a shift.
- Musk has announced he’ll be stepping back from political spending.
- He’s reaffirmed his commitment to Tesla, where he plans to remain CEO for at least five more years.
- He has also begun distancing himself from DOGE, signalling a retreat from direct political involvement.
- His criticism of the spending bill is the clearest indication yet of a potential falling out between Musk and Trump.
How has the public reacted?
The backlash against Musk has already been evident. Tesla faced boycotts, protests, and a drop in sales over Musk’s association with the Trump administration and the cost-cutting programme.While Musk defended his actions — “I did what needed to be done” — public opinion remains divided, especially among younger and progressive Tesla customers.
What happens next?
The bill now moves to the US Senate, where it is likely to face further scrutiny — not just from Democrats, but also from fiscally conservative Republicans who share Musk’s concerns.If Musk’s criticism galvanises more GOP opposition, the bill’s future may become uncertain.Either way, his remarks mark a significant moment in the evolving relationship between tech billionaires and American political power — and could redefine Musk’s influence in Washington going forward.
[ad_2]
Source link
About the author
Musk-Miller patch up? Elon Musk follows Stephen Miller on X, Katie Miller stands by her husband
[ad_1] Elon Musk silently followed back Stephen Miller on X signaling rebuilding the bridges that he burned. After Elon Musk deleted the slanderous post against President Donald Trump, alleging that Trump is named in the Epstein files, Musk made some other silent peace offerings. Musk promoted Donald Trump's Truth Social post on the Los Angeles riots, and then he silently followed Stephen Miller back. Stephen Miller is the deputy chief of staff in the White House. His wife Katie Miller was the DOGE spokesperson when DOGE was working out of the White House. Now Katie Miller works full time for Elon Musk, which puts the husband-wife duo in a sticky position as they work for rivaling bosses. There were rumors that Katie Miller left her husband for Elon Musk and that before the breakup up the three were very close […]
‘Just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn’: ABC News reporter slammed for his description of LA riots
[ad_1] ABC7 journalist Marc Brown described LA rioters as just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn. Los Angeles ABC7 News anchor Marc Brown, during his live commentary on the Los Angeles riots, said police should not escalate their action as that would lead to a major confrontation and the situation could turn very volatile. "If you move law enforcement in there in the wrong way and turn what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation of altercation between officers and demonstrators," Brown said. MAGA commentators could not believe that a journalist could describe the riots like this. "ABC News wants you to know what is happening in California isn’t a violent riot. It’s 'just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn.' — ABC 7’s Marc Brown," one […]
‘It was wrapped in plastic’: Greta Thunberg trolled for sandwich photo amid kidnap claims. What is the truth?
[ad_1] Greta Thunberg was trolled for this photo as she was seen smiling seeing a sandwich while her pre-recorded video that she had been kidnapped was released. The photo of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, smiling at the sight of a sandwich, became the flashpoint on social media as people asked whether she was kidnapped at all, as she claimed. The Israeli foreign ministry called it a drama and posted the photo of the crew members of Madleen, the Gaza-bound aid ship -- sitting side by side while an Israeli soldier offered them bottled water and sandwiches. Greta Thunberg was also among them. But the Freedom Flotilla Coalition claimed earlier that the Israeli military attacked and unlawfully boarded the Madleen which was taking aid to Gaza. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters […]
Farmed production of some fish – and seaweed – is soaring
[ad_1] Asia leads global farmed fish production (Image credit: AFP) The amount of farmed seafood we consume -- as opposed to that taken wild from our waters -- is soaring every year, making aquaculture an ever-more important source for many diets, and a response to overfishing.According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly 99 million tonnes of aquatic animals (fish, molluscs like oysters and mussels and crustaceans like prawns) were farmed around the world in 2023, five times more than three decades ago.Since 2022, the farming of aquatic animals has been steadily overtaking fishing around the world -- but with large disparities from species to species.Fast-growing species: The two biggest sellers on the market in 2023, carp and tilapia, mainly came from freshwater farming, while other widely-consumed fish, like herring, came just from deep sea fishing Thierry Laugier, a […]
‘Stop fanning the flames’: Gavin Newsom blames Trump admin for inciting violence in Los Angeles; says National Guard deployed without consulting governor
[ad_1] California’s Gavin Newsom tears into Trump admin for deploying National Guard to LA without his nod, says move is meant to ‘fan the flames’ of immigration unrest.Taking to X, Newsom wrote, “Donald Trump has manufactured a crisis and is inflaming conditions. If he can’t solve it, we will. To the bad actors fueling Trump’s flames, California will hold you accountable.”The clash erupted after Trump authorised the federal deployment under Title 10 of the US Code, overriding Newsom’s objections. This move means the National Guard now reports directly to the president instead of the governor. It marks the first time such federalisation has occurred since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.Newsom responded sharply to Trump ally JD Vance’s praise of the president’s “decisive leadership”, retorting, “Decisive leadership? You didn’t even know when your own National Guard was deployed on the ground. […]
Los Angeles riots: Australian reporter hit by rubber bullet while covering anti-immigration protests – Watch
[ad_1] Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi shot on camera The US correspondent of Australia's 9News was shot with a rubber bullet while reporting on the anti-immigration protests in the United States' Los Angeles. The incident was caught live on camera.Lauren Tomasi was shot in the leg while reporting in America's second-largest city, on Sunday."After hours of standing off, the situation has now rapidly deteriorated. The LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA," Tomasi said, as a loud bang was heard in the background.Also Read | ‘Calculated agenda to spread panic’: Kamala Harris slams Trump administration’s National Guard deployment in Los AngelesThe very next second, she is shot by an LAPD officer. 9News reported that the shot appeared to have been fired by the officer into the […]
Related
Musk-Miller patch up? Elon Musk follows Stephen Miller on X, Katie Miller stands by her husband
[ad_1] Elon Musk silently followed back Stephen Miller on X signaling rebuilding the bridges that he burned. After Elon Musk deleted the slanderous post against President Donald Trump, alleging that Trump is named in the Epstein files, Musk made some other silent peace offerings. Musk promoted Donald Trump's Truth Social post on the Los Angeles riots, and then he silently followed Stephen Miller back. Stephen Miller is the deputy chief of staff in the White House. His wife Katie Miller was the DOGE spokesperson when DOGE was working out of the White House. Now Katie Miller works full time for Elon Musk, which puts the husband-wife duo in a sticky position as they work for rivaling bosses. There were rumors that Katie Miller left her husband for Elon Musk and that before the breakup up the three were very close […]
‘Just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn’: ABC News reporter slammed for his description of LA riots
[ad_1] ABC7 journalist Marc Brown described LA rioters as just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn. Los Angeles ABC7 News anchor Marc Brown, during his live commentary on the Los Angeles riots, said police should not escalate their action as that would lead to a major confrontation and the situation could turn very volatile. "If you move law enforcement in there in the wrong way and turn what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation of altercation between officers and demonstrators," Brown said. MAGA commentators could not believe that a journalist could describe the riots like this. "ABC News wants you to know what is happening in California isn’t a violent riot. It’s 'just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn.' — ABC 7’s Marc Brown," one […]
‘It was wrapped in plastic’: Greta Thunberg trolled for sandwich photo amid kidnap claims. What is the truth?
[ad_1] Greta Thunberg was trolled for this photo as she was seen smiling seeing a sandwich while her pre-recorded video that she had been kidnapped was released. The photo of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, smiling at the sight of a sandwich, became the flashpoint on social media as people asked whether she was kidnapped at all, as she claimed. The Israeli foreign ministry called it a drama and posted the photo of the crew members of Madleen, the Gaza-bound aid ship -- sitting side by side while an Israeli soldier offered them bottled water and sandwiches. Greta Thunberg was also among them. But the Freedom Flotilla Coalition claimed earlier that the Israeli military attacked and unlawfully boarded the Madleen which was taking aid to Gaza. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters […]
Farmed production of some fish – and seaweed – is soaring
[ad_1] Asia leads global farmed fish production (Image credit: AFP) The amount of farmed seafood we consume -- as opposed to that taken wild from our waters -- is soaring every year, making aquaculture an ever-more important source for many diets, and a response to overfishing.According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly 99 million tonnes of aquatic animals (fish, molluscs like oysters and mussels and crustaceans like prawns) were farmed around the world in 2023, five times more than three decades ago.Since 2022, the farming of aquatic animals has been steadily overtaking fishing around the world -- but with large disparities from species to species.Fast-growing species: The two biggest sellers on the market in 2023, carp and tilapia, mainly came from freshwater farming, while other widely-consumed fish, like herring, came just from deep sea fishing Thierry Laugier, a […]
‘Stop fanning the flames’: Gavin Newsom blames Trump admin for inciting violence in Los Angeles; says National Guard deployed without consulting governor
[ad_1] California’s Gavin Newsom tears into Trump admin for deploying National Guard to LA without his nod, says move is meant to ‘fan the flames’ of immigration unrest.Taking to X, Newsom wrote, “Donald Trump has manufactured a crisis and is inflaming conditions. If he can’t solve it, we will. To the bad actors fueling Trump’s flames, California will hold you accountable.”The clash erupted after Trump authorised the federal deployment under Title 10 of the US Code, overriding Newsom’s objections. This move means the National Guard now reports directly to the president instead of the governor. It marks the first time such federalisation has occurred since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.Newsom responded sharply to Trump ally JD Vance’s praise of the president’s “decisive leadership”, retorting, “Decisive leadership? You didn’t even know when your own National Guard was deployed on the ground. […]
Los Angeles riots: Australian reporter hit by rubber bullet while covering anti-immigration protests – Watch
[ad_1] Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi shot on camera The US correspondent of Australia's 9News was shot with a rubber bullet while reporting on the anti-immigration protests in the United States' Los Angeles. The incident was caught live on camera.Lauren Tomasi was shot in the leg while reporting in America's second-largest city, on Sunday."After hours of standing off, the situation has now rapidly deteriorated. The LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA," Tomasi said, as a loud bang was heard in the background.Also Read | ‘Calculated agenda to spread panic’: Kamala Harris slams Trump administration’s National Guard deployment in Los AngelesThe very next second, she is shot by an LAPD officer. 9News reported that the shot appeared to have been fired by the officer into the […]
Be the first to leave a comment