Tesla's Musk Urges Lawmakers to Kill Trump's Tax Bill, Citing 500 Billion Dollar Debt Increase

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has intensified his criticism of the large-scale tax cut bill championed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Musk, who recently stepped down from his role as the head of the government efficiency department, has asserted that the bill will impose a heavy debt burden on the United States and has urged lawmakers to "kill" the legislation.

In a series of posts on X, Musk urged his followers to contact their senators and representatives, stating, "We can't let America go bankrupt!" He also proposed drafting a new spending bill that would not significantly increase the deficit or raise the debt ceiling by 500 billion dollars.

Musk's criticism of the bill, which he described as "disgusting," began on Tuesday. Since then, he has posted or shared over twenty messages, either directly criticizing the bill or commenting on related issues, such as the scale of U.S. debt. Prior to his departure from the government, Musk had expressed disappointment with the bill, citing its increase in the budget deficit and the weakening of the department's achievements.

Musk's public opposition to the bill has been met with displeasure from the White House. A White House official stated that while Musk's stance against the tax bill was clear, his public criticism was an unexpected and unwelcome development. The official also noted that Trump was more disappointed than frustrated with Musk and that the president would continue to push for the bill's passage.

Musk's opposition to the bill is partly due to its reduction of tax credits for electric vehicles, which benefit Tesla. Additionally, Musk had attempted to continue working for Trump as a "special government employee" after his 130-day term ended, but this request was denied by the White House. Other points of contention between Musk and Trump include the rejection of Musk's proposal for the Federal Aviation Administration to use his Starlink satellite system and the withdrawal of a NASA administrator nominee who was favorable to Musk.

Musk's criticism comes as the Congressional Budget Office released an analysis showing that Trump's tax reform bill would reduce taxes by 375 billion dollars over the next decade but would also increase the deficit by 240 billion dollars. Musk's vocal opposition to the bill highlights the growing divide between the tech industry and the Trump administration, as well as the potential economic implications of the legislation.