President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he is “very disappointed” with Elon Musk after the former senior adviser to the president ratcheted up criticism of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Musk “only developed the problem [with the bill] when he found out we’re going to have to cut the EV [electric vehicle] mandate.”
“I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here,” Trump added. “Better than you people. He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. Then, all of a sudden, he had a problem.”
The president said that Musk hasn’t said anything negative about him “personally,” but added, “I’m sure that will be next.”
“I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Trump remarked.
Trump: I've always liked Elon and I was very surprised. You saw the words he had for me. And he hasn’t said anything about me that’s bad. I would rather have him criticize me than the bill. The bill is incredible. pic.twitter.com/XAbPiPBTFR
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 5, 2025
Musk fired back at Trump on X, writing, “Whatever. Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill. In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.”
Musk said he “was never shown” the bill, calling Trump’s statement “false.”
False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it! https://t.co/V4ztekqd4g
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Trump went on to tell reporters that he “would have won Pennsylvania regardless of Elon.” Later, Musk responded on X, writing, “Such ingratitude.”
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” he added.
Trump was “caught off guard” but “not entirely surprised” by Musk’s fierce opposition to the president’s bill that was passed by the House and is now before the Senate, according to NBC News. A “senior White House official” told NBC News that Trump “wanted to be a nice guy,” sending Musk off on a positive note last week as he takes a step back from advising Trump to focus more on his companies.
The Wall Street Journal also cited a “senior White House official” who reportedly said that Trump was upset and confused by Musk’s increased opposition to the bill.
“The official said that Trump could be forgiving, but that he doesn’t forget slights like this,” the WSJ reported.
The White House did not respond to a Daily Wire request to comment.
In recent days, Musk has ramped up his attacks on the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” saying it would likely add to the federal deficit and arguing that it doesn’t go far enough in implementing some of the cuts recommended by his Department of Government Efficiency project, a pivitol part of Musk’s role within the Trump administration.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk said in a post on X on Tuesday. “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.”
“It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America (sic) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt,” Musk added.
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The Tesla and SpaceX CEO continued his criticism of the legislation on Wednesday, writing, “It more than defeats all the cost savings achieved by the @DOGE team at great personal cost and risk.” He then coined a new name for the legislation: “It is the Debt Slavery Bill,” he said. Musk also suggested that he would oppose lawmakers who voted in favor of the legislation.
“In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,” Musk wrote.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also spent time on Thursday digging up some of Trump’s past tweets showing the president’s previous desire to address the budget deficit.
I couldn’t agree more! ???????????????? https://t.co/sZ6xgisZEA
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025
Trump has publicly lambasted Republicans, such as Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, for opposing the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told NBC News on Wednesday that the administration knows Musk’s criticism “comes from a place of business and is not personal.”
“Everyone here in a senior role understands who Elon Musk is, understands how he acts, understands how he plays,” the official said. “There’s been no surprise when it comes to Elon Musk, because he’s been such a friend to the administration.”
During a press conference in the Oval Office announcing Musk’s departure from the White House last Friday, Trump said he remained “totally committed to making the DOGE cuts permanent,” but added that the “Big, Beautiful Bill” needed to pass Congress first.
“After that, we’re going to be — we put some of this into the bill, but most of it is going to come later. We’re going to have it [codified] by Congress,” Trump said.
Musk told reporters that the “DOGE influence will only grow stronger,” adding, “It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see … a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction.”