GOP leaders are standing up in defense of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” On Tuesday, Elon Musk shared his opposition to the legislation in a post on X, calling the spending bill “outrageous” and criticizing those who voted for it. Musk’s comments come in the wake of his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., responded by defending the bill and expressing his disagreement with Musk’s statements.
“We call it the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ for a reason,” Johnson said in a statement to Newsmax. “It’s everything from ensuring border security to restoring American energy dominance. We’re going to prevent the largest tax increase in U.S. history, so the equivalent here is really, probably the largest tax cut in the history of the country.”
Johnson also noted the bill’s effect on future growth. “We’re going to get the economy going again by cutting regulations and cutting down on the permitting time for things,” Johnson said.
When questioned on the cooperation between the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in the passage of the bill, Johnson said the GOP is working to enact a version of the bill that will ensure support in both houses of Congress.
“We’ve been working on this hand in hand for many months,” Johnson said. “The Republicans are united on Capitol Hill and I think united around the country.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., echoed Johnson’s comments while acknowledging Elon’s contributions during his time at DOGE. “We obviously respect everything that Elon did with DOGE. On this particular issue, we have a difference of opinion,” Thune said.
Thune went on to praise the content of the bill, highlighting how it advances key points in Trump’s policy agenda.
“It does everything that we set out to do,” Thune said. “It modernizes our military, secures our border, extends tax relief and makes permanent tax relief that will lead to economic growth and better jobs in this country, and makes America energy dominant, coupled with the biggest spending reduction in American history.”