UPD: The US Senate voted for Trump's "Big Beautiful" budget and sent it to the House of Representatives. The Senate session lasted more than a day. Despite Republicans having 53 votes out of 100 in the Senate, the budget passed with a minimal margin: 50 Republican senators and Vice President JD Vance, who has the deciding vote in cases of a tie, voted for it. Three Republicans and all Democrats in the Senate ultimately voted "against."
The feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has flared up again — the latter continues to openly oppose the president's tax bill. The billionaire is unhappy that the "Big Beautiful Bill" will lead to a record increase in national debt. He threatened Republicans with election defeat and the creation of a new political party called "America."
"Every member of Congress who advocated for spending cuts and then immediately voted for the largest debt increase in history should be ashamed! They will lose their primaries next year — even if it's the last thing I do on this earth. [...] If this insane spending bill is passed, the 'America Party' will be founded the next day."
Big Beautiful Bill is currently being discussed in the Senate. If senators approve it, it will go to the House of Representatives for consideration. Meanwhile, many Republicans hold conservative views on government spending and, like Musk, want to reduce it. Polls show the bill is extremely unpopular among voters.
As The New York Times writes, fiscal hawks, outraged that this measure will increase the already growing national debt by at least $3.3 trillion, insisted on more significant cuts to the Medicaid program to offset most of the costs. Moderate Republicans campaigned to limit the cuts proposed by the bill, fearing it would affect their constituents' access to health insurance and other government services.
Musk believes in reasonable budgeting and limiting government spending. However, his own companies SpaceX and Tesla receive direct subsidies or other forms of government support. According to Washington Post, in 2024, Musk received a total of $6.3 billion in government funds. Donald Trump announced that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk himself founded, will review the subsidies for SpaceX and Tesla. "Elon probably receives more subsidies than anyone else in history, and without these subsidies, he would likely have to close up shop and return to South Africa. No rocket launches, satellites, or electric vehicle production — and our country would save a fortune. Maybe we should ask DOGE to take a close look at all this?" Trump wrote on his social media.
Elon Musk has previously criticized the tax credit bill, calling it a "disgusting abomination." The new statements about creating his own political party are becoming the most serious political threat to Trump, according to CNN.
Not stopping at the issue of reviewing government funding for Musk's companies, Trump hinted at the deportation of the billionaire from the US.
"I don't know. We will look into this matter. Maybe we'll have to sic DOGE on Elon. Do you know what DOGE is? DOGE is a monster that might have to be brought back to 'eat' Elon. Wouldn't that be terrible?" Trump replied to a journalist's question about the possible deportation of Musk.
Photo: AP