Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has reignited his public feud with Washington over a revised spending bill championed by President Donald Trump, calling the latest version a betrayal of future-focused industries and a gift to entrenched interests. The new draft of the bill is being pushed by Senate Republicans ahead of a self-imposed July 4 deadline for passage.
Musk, who had already blasted the original June 3 version as a “disgusting abomination,” didn’t hold back in his latest criticism. Reacting to cuts in clean energy incentives and fresh taxes on green energy projects, Musk warned that the bill gave “handouts to industries of the past,” while “crippling the industries of the future.”
The disagreement over the “Big Beautiful Bill” also fueled the most dramatic public clash yet between Elon Musk and President Trump, marking a sharp departure from their previously close relationship. Earlier this month, Musk stunned observers by calling for Trump’s impeachment in a social media post, accusing the president of “selling out the future for short-term political wins.” The feud escalated further when Musk stated that the Epstein files hadn’t been made public because Trump was on them.
Musk has since walked back some of those remarks, admitting later that he “went too far” and allowed frustration over the bill to get the better of him.
One of the most controversial provisions restricts clean energy tax credits to projects that begin before 2028, while imposing new taxes on later-phase developments. Critics say the sudden move would stall investments and decimate forward-looking infrastructure projects.
Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, said in a statement that the last-minute language “would increase taxes on domestic energy production,” and freeze investments that are vital to American energy security.
“In what can only be described as ‘midnight dumping,’ the Senate has proposed a punitive tax hike targeting the fastest-growing sectors of our energy industry,” Grumet warned. He emphasized that rural communities, often promised the economic benefits of wind and solar development, would be hit the hardest.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) took to social media Saturday, vowing to force a full reading of the nearly 1,000-page legislation in an attempt to delay its passage.
The bill also exposes an emerging rift within the Republican Party between MAGA loyalists and more libertarian-aligned figures like Musk. Musk has become increasingly vocal in opposing GOP-backed energy rollbacks, especially as his Tesla and SpaceX ventures remain closely tied to green tech and innovation.
Some high ranking Republicans have dismissed Musk’s criticisms, saying the legislation is necessary to meet urgent budget goals and invest in broader infrastructure.
President Donald Trump is taking the passage of the bill extremely seriously and has made it clear that dissent within the party will not be taken lightly. Trump has directly warned several Senate and House Republicans that opposing the bill would come with political consequences, and he’s already making good on the warnings. A new political action committee was recently launched, targeting Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie.
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