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The Big, Beautiful Bill became the big, throbbing migraine for Congressional Republicans this week.
That’s thanks to the big, ugly brawl between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
It started Tuesday with a hangup between Congressional Republicans and Musk over the Big, Beautiful Bill. Musk characterized it as a “disgusting abomination.” He then turned on all 215 House Republicans who voted yes on the bill last month.
“You know you did wrong,” declared Musk.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., tried to call Musk to foam the political flames.
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L-R: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Elon Musk. (AP)
“I called Elon last night. He didn’t answer. “But I hope to talk to him today,” said Johnson.
Surely the world’s richest man would have the bandwidth for the Speaker of the House.
But the hangup was only starting.
Rather than returning the Speaker’s call, Musk returned political fire. Not by phone. But on his own communication platform.
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On X, Musk posted an iconic picture of Uma Thurman in a yellow jumpsuit, wielding a sword from a Quentin Tarantino movie poster.
“KILL the Bill,” read Musk’s caption.
Reach out and touch someone? How about reach out and call your senator or representative?
Elon Musk looks on as President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Musk’s influence – and rapid pivot – frightened Congressional Republicans.
“To say that it’s a problem or that it has created a bigger challenge for us, is true,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington,” R-Tex. “He’s got a big voice. He’s got a big audience. And more importantly, it’s a credible voice. But he’s wrong on this issue.”
Still, Republicans weren’t budging as Musk demanded lawmakers craft a new piece of legislation.
“Elon, look,” said an exasperated Johnson. “We don’t have time for a brand new bill.”
ELON MUSK POSTS ‘KILL BILL’ MEME IN LATEST PUSH TO NIX TRUMP’S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL
The Speaker added that Congressional Republicans “can’t go back to the drawing board and we shouldn’t.”
The political contretemps started simmering as Republicans quickly became incensed with Musk.
“Give us some productive feedback that we can operate on. I can’t operate on platitudes,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., of Musk’s vague criticism about the size of the legislation and deficit spending.
Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, is one of the two House Republicans who voted no on the Big, Beautiful Bill last month.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at a press conference with other members of House Republican leadership in Washington, DC, United States, on May 20, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Part of the goal with Musk and conservatives like me that have had reservations about the bill is make it better,” said Davidson. “The disappointing thing is this bill does grow deficits in this Congress.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the other House GOPer who voted nay. He says Musk learned how Congress operates the hard way.
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“Trust was misplaced. And so I think he has a right to be upset with our leadership,” said Massie.
But Democrats suddenly made strange bedfellows with Musk. They viewed Musk’s opposition as an opportunity to help them sidetrack the legislation.
“He’s not my cup of tea, to put it mildly. But Republicans are already listening to him,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of Musk.
But at least one Democrat called out his colleagues for their inconsistency with Musk.
“We’ve been dumping all over Musk and vandalizing Teslas,” said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn. “And now suddenly, now we might be more back into him.”
This all came as the Trump Administration asked Congress to chip away at spending. Budget Director Russ Vought sent lawmakers a $9.4 billion “rescissions” request. This measure asks that lawmakers claw back money it already allocated.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is sworn in during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on January 22, 2025 in Washington, DC (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
“$9.4 billion is a teardrop in the ocean,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “If we can’t get this now, then God help us on getting the true deficit numbers down.”
The rescissions plan targeted foreign aid and public broadcasting.
“You’ve sent us a rescission package worth $9 billion that goes after Big Bird and Cookie Monster,” lamented Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., at a hearing with Vought.
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The Congressional Budget Office analysis of the Big, Beautiful Bill found that it adds $2.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade. But Republicans say those figures are wrong. The CBO also issued an analysis – specific to President Trump’s tariffs. The CBO projects a $3 trillion decrease in deficits over the next decade because of the tariffs. The CBO cannot evaluate the tariffs under the One Big, Beautiful Bill – because, well, they’re not part of the legislation. But, proponents of the One Big Beautiful Bill say that measure, coupled with the tariffs, decreases deficits by $500 billion over the next decade.
Some Republicans believe that the CBO estimate about the deficit is what set off Musk.
“I think their assumptions are wrong. We have long complained about it,” said Johnson.
But remember, this is the CONGRESSIONAL Budget Office. And REPUBLICANS run Congress.
“Why are you not getting the numbers that you want?” asked yours truly of the Speaker.
“They use a different scoring,” replied Johnson.
“Would you consider a rescission for the CBO in the legislative branch appropriations bill?” I followed up.
“I would,” answered Johnson.
But the CBO is the least of Johnson’s worries as the battle between the president and Musk went supernova on Thursday.
“What is the message you need to hear from him to make sure you are on the same page?” I asked Johnson of Musk – who still hadn’t connected.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans celebrated passing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” on Thursday. (Getty Images)
“I just want to answer any questions Elon has and make sure he fully understands this is not a spending program,” said Johnson.
“Do you think he just misperceives this?” I inquired.
“I do,” said Johnson.
Senate Republicans who are noes on the bill applauded Musk’s staunch opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill.
“We both seem to be on the same wavelength and that we’re very, very skeptical,” said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
On Thursday afternoon, Musk argued that President Trump would have lost the White House and Democrats would control the House and Senate were it not for the $280 million he poured into the 2024 campaign.
“He obviously played a positive role,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., another no on the bill. “He helped spend that much money. He attracted a lot of people.”
But Democrats weren’t so sure of Musk’s political rainmaking.
“It’s just crocodile tears that are being shed by Elon Musk,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.
Democrats saw the breakup coming between the president and Musk.
“It’s a divorce that was predictable, if not inevitable,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
Some Senate Republicans claimed they weren’t worried about Musk torching the bill – and even President Trump – on X. They believed the president wielded an inherent advantage over Musk in the ultimate “Twitter” cage match.
“President Trump has the biggest platform on Earth,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio.
It’s too early to tell if Musk’s incineration of the One Big, Beautiful Bill will hamper efforts to pass the legislation – especially with tight vote margins in the House and Senate.
“It’s not helpful,” conceded Mike Johnson. “But I don’t think it’s changed the trajectory in any way.”
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But Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said Republicans stand at an unenviable crossroads.
“They have a choice of going against Trump or Musk,” said Burchett.
