Trump Accuses Musk of Hypocrisy Over Subsidies, Threatens DOGE Investigation

In a recent post on Truth Social, Donald Trump criticized Tesla CEO Elon Musk, accusing him of benefiting from government subsidies while publicly opposing public spending. Trump highlighted that Musk was aware of his stance against electric vehicle mandates and suggested that without government support, Musk would have to shut down his operations, including rockets, satellites, and electric vehicles, and return to South Africa. Trump also proposed that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative launched by Musk, should investigate Musk's activities to save money.

Trump's comments came after Musk threatened Republicans in Congress who support Trump's latest tax and spending bill. Musk posted on X, stating that any Republican who voted for the bill, which includes a $5 trillion increase to the debt ceiling and cuts to federal aid programs, should be ashamed and would face consequences in the next primary election. This threat was made just as the Senate was preparing to vote on the legislation, which is part of a procedural process known as vote-a-rama.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the cost of the Senate version of Trump's bill at $3.3 trillion, $800 billion more than the House version. This has deepened the split within the Republican Party, with some members arguing that the numbers are inflated. Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the bill for stealing healthcare and increasing electricity bills to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, while John Thune defended the tax cuts as beneficial for families and small businesses.

Musk continued his criticism, stating that the U.S. is going bankrupt quickly and that the Defense Department's budget and interest payments on the national debt are both over $1 trillion. He emphasized the need to reduce spending and highlighted that the debt ceiling legislation is the only tool left to force the government to cut fraud and waste. The Senate has already voted to open debate on the bill, which covers tax cuts, border security, immigration, and increased military funding. Trump aims to have the bill signed before the July 4 holiday, and the White House may push back against Musk's continued criticism.