Elon Musk threatens Republican lawmakers backing Trump’s spending bill

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has issued a sharp warning to Republican lawmakers who support former US President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending and tax reform legislation, called the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Musk declared that any lawmaker who votes in favor of the bill will “lose their primary next year,” signaling his intent to campaign against them.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO voiced his opposition on X (formerly Twitter), where he wrote, “Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

The bill, backed by Trump, proposes extending tax cuts, funding a $350 billion border security package, slashing domestic programs, and raising the federal debt ceiling by nearly $5 trillion.

In a follow-up post, Musk threatened to form a new political outfit if the bill is passed:

“If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day. Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.”

This development comes amid Senate deliberations, where lawmakers are holding extended debates in a marathon “vote-a-rama” session. The legislation is expected to reach Trump’s desk by July 4, if cleared.

This isn’t Musk’s first public opposition to the bill. He has previously described it as an “utterly insane and destructive” move and a betrayal of fiscal responsibility, especially for Republican leaders who had campaigned on promises of limiting government spending.

Despite Musk’s influence, it remains uncertain whether his threats will sway GOP lawmakers. Trump continues to hold significant sway within the party, and many Republicans have dismissed Musk’s statements as politically motivated.

The confrontation marks a significant low point in the relationship between Musk and Trump, who were once seen as loosely aligned.

Musk supported some Trump-era economic policies and had previously donated to Republican causes. However, their relationship soured over disagreements on fiscal policy, climate issues, and social media censorship.

In recent months, Musk has grown increasingly critical of Trump’s economic agenda. He has called the president’s new spending proposals fiscally reckless and has positioned himself as a critic of what he calls a “uniparty”—a system where both Republicans and Democrats are equally responsible for rising national debt.

The bill is currently being debated in the Senate, with a goal to reach Trump’s desk by July 4. The measure is expected to pass with support from Trump-aligned lawmakers, though it has drawn criticism from fiscal conservatives and libertarian Republicans.

Trump’s second administration. Appointed in January 2025 as a “special government employee” with a 130-day term, Musk led an aggressive campaign to slash federal spending, streamline IT infrastructure, and eliminate what he described as “wasteful bureaucracy.”

His team claimed over $175 billion in savings and oversaw the cancellation of thousands of contracts.

However, Musk resigned from the post in late May 2025 following deep disagreements with the Trump administration’s multitrillion-dollar “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he criticized as fiscally irresponsible.