President Donald Trump on Thursday said that Elon Musk has been criticizing his proposed tax bill because the Tesla CEO is “upset” about the elimination of EV credits in the package, and his pick to run NASA being nixed by the Trump administration.
Trump spoke after days of Musk condemning what Trump calls his “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” over concerns it will blow out federal deficits. Musk on Tuesday called the bill, which is being considered by the Senate, a “disgusting abomination.”
Musk last week left his temporary government post overseeing DOGE, the Trump administration’s effort to slash federal spending and employee headcounts.
Musk also was the biggest financial backer of Trump’s 2024 campaign, spending more than $250 million on that effort.
“You know, I’ve always liked Elon,” said Trump on Thursday. “I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible.
“Elon is upset because we took the EV mandate, and you know, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles,” Trump said. “And you know, they’re having a hard time, the electric vehicles, and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy.”
“Elon knew this from the beginning,” Trump said, referring to the elimination of the tax credits in the bill for electric vehicles. “He knew it … a long time ago.”
Musk quickly fired back on X, his social media site.
“Whatever,” Musk wrote.
“Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” he added.
“In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful.”
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