Elon Musk is calling on Americans to pressure lawmakers to reject a sweeping tax and spending bill backed by former President Donald Trump, urging them to “kill the bill” in a series of sharp social media posts this week.

The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives last month and is now being reviewed by the Senate, includes major tax breaks, increased defense funding, and an extension of Trump-era tax cuts. It also raises the debt ceiling to $4 trillion—drawing fierce criticism from fiscal conservatives and now from Musk, one of Trump’s highest-profile former allies.

Musk’s Break with Trump

Musk, who recently exited his advisory role in the Trump administration after 129 days, has become an outspoken critic of the bill. On Tuesday, he called it a “disgusting abomination” and warned it would push the federal deficit to $2.5 trillion, saddling Americans with “crushingly unsustainable debt.”

“Shame on those who voted for it,” Musk posted on X, suggesting he might back efforts to unseat supporting lawmakers in the 2026 midterm elections. He also warned, “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.”

This marks Musk’s most direct public confrontation with Trump since their political partnership began. Previously, he had described the bill as merely “disappointing.”

White House and GOP Push Back

The White House issued a statement following Musk’s comments, dismissing deficit concerns as “a hoax” and claiming the bill would improve the nation’s fiscal outlook. “By every honest metric, President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill dramatically improves the fiscal trajectory of the United States,” the statement read, without directly referencing Musk.

Republican leaders have largely shrugged off Musk’s criticism. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the party was “moving full speed ahead,” despite differences of opinion. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who shepherded the bill through the House, described Musk as “terribly wrong” and revealed that he had a 20-minute phone call with Musk earlier this week.

Johnson suggested Musk’s opposition may be linked to the bill’s plan to phase out electric vehicle tax credits—something that could negatively impact Tesla. He also noted Musk’s disappointment over the FAA’s refusal to adopt Starlink for air traffic control services due to concerns about conflicts of interest.

Internal Republican Divide

The bill has exposed deeper divisions within the GOP. Senator Rand Paul has vowed to oppose it, citing concerns over the rising national debt. “The GOP will own the debt once they vote for this,” he said. Trump fired back, accusing Paul of misunderstanding the bill and claiming the people of Kentucky “can’t stand him.”

Despite the intraparty tension, Republican leaders remain intent on passing the bill by their self-imposed July 4 deadline. They argue the legislation is critical for securing Trump’s policy goals in a potential second term.

Democrats Seize on GOP Infighting

Democrats have used Musk’s comments to highlight growing discontent within Republican ranks. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer noted, “Even Elon Musk, who’s been part of the whole process and is one of Trump’s allies, says the bill is bad. That tells you how bad it really is.”

Musk’s Political Future

Musk’s departure from the administration came at the end of May, with Trump saying Musk “will always be with us, helping all the way.” Musk reportedly donated more than $250 million to support Trump in the last election.

The billionaire entrepreneur had previously pledged to support campaign challengers against Republicans who failed to uphold Trump’s broader policy agenda. Now, his sights appear set on those pushing the controversial bill forward.

Meanwhile, Trump has proposed an additional $9.4 billion in spending cuts—primarily targeting foreign aid, NPR, PBS, and USAID—in an effort to win over fiscal hawks still uneasy about the bill’s price tag.