Tensions are mounting in the Senate over President Donald Trump’s sprawling reconciliation bill, as a faction of fiscally conservative Republicans finds unexpected reinforcement from former DOGE head Elon Musk, who has denounced the legislation as an “abomination.”
Musk, who only last week stepped down from leading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), took to social media on Tuesday to reiterate his sharp disapproval of the House GOP’s version of the package, derisively dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.” His criticism, according to a report, struck a chord with several Senate Republicans already wary of the bill’s scope and cost.
“Well, he has some of the same skepticism I have, you know, towards the big, beautiful bill,” said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has pledged to oppose the legislation unless it undergoes a substantial rewrite that eliminates what he calls an unacceptable $5 trillion hike in the debt ceiling.
READ ALSO: ‘Disappointed’ Elon Musk criticizes Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for ballooning deficit
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also aligned himself with Musk’s concerns. Though the bill proposes $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over ten years, Johnson has demanded a return to pre-COVID spending levels, effectively calling for a $6 trillion rollback.
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“I share his concerns,” Johnson said of Musk. “I also appreciate what he and President Trump did with his DOGE effort.”
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, another fiscal hardliner, responded to Musk’s online remarks with a call for deeper spending reform.
“The resulting inflation harms Americans and weaponizes government,” Lee wrote on X. “The Senate can make this bill better. It must now do so.”
Yet not all Senate Republicans were swayed by Musk’s outspoken opposition. Some, while critical of the bill, questioned the relevance or weight of the billionaire’s input.
READ ALSO: Trump bids farewell to Elon Musk with tribute video as his DOGE era ends
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., remains opposed to proposed Medicaid changes in the House version, particularly those he believes will hurt working-class Americans. When asked about Musk’s tirade, he offered a terse reply:
“Well, he’s entitled to his opinion, it’s a free country.”
Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., struck an even firmer tone. While he’s raised concerns about the megabill himself, he dismissed Musk’s influence altogether.
“My reaction to that is just simply this — and y’all may like this or not like this — but you know, Donald Trump is our president, not Elon Musk,” he said.
READ ALSO: “I’ve done enough” – Elon Musk signals exit from big-time political spending
