Elon Musk Against Trump's ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, Asks What’s the Point of DOGE?

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a special government employee in the US, has publicly expressed his disappointment over President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’. Musk’s comments are significant, as this is the first time he has publicly criticized Donald Trump.

The bill, which was passed by House Republicans last week and awaits Senate approval, aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, ramp up border spending, slash clean energy credits, and enforce Medicaid work requirements.

Sharing his views during an interview, Musk said the bill would not only increase the budget deficit but also undermine the work being done by the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). He added, “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion.”

Donald Trump introduced DOGE and tasked Elon Musk—who is also the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X—with the responsibility of implementing large-scale budget cuts.

In the months following Trump’s victory in the 2024 elections, Musk and the US President appeared to share a strong camaraderie. When multiple attacks on Tesla cars were reported, Trump expressed his solidarity with Musk and purchased a Tesla during a public event at the White House.

According to the latest reports, Elon Musk is likely to step down from his role in the US DOGE by the end of May. The ‘Special Government Employee’ (SGE) designation allows an individual to work in a paid or unpaid government role for up to 13 days a year.

In the initial days, Musk was frequently seen alongside Trump at multiple events. However, with rising opposition from the Democrats and increasing challenges faced by Tesla, he has scaled back his involvement in government affairs.