GOP senators express ‘concerns,’ ‘skepticism’ over Trump’s spending bill after Musk rant

A cohort of Senate Republicans already troubled by the House GOP’s version of President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ found a common ally in Elon Musk, who again trashed the legislation on Tuesday.

Musk, who just exited his tenure as Trump’s efficiency bloodhound leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week, doubled down on his position that the House’s reconciliation package was an ‘abomination.’

‘I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,’ Musk said on X. ‘This massive, outrageous, pork-filled congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.’

‘Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,’ he continued. ‘You know it.’

Senate Republicans have already vowed to make changes to the colossal bill, which includes the president’s desires on tax, energy, immigration, defense and national debt policies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., lauded Musk for his work with DOGE, but noted that the Senate GOP and the tech-billionaire had ‘a difference of opinion.’

He didn’t believe that Musk’s comments would derail the bill entirely in the upper chamber, either. Thune has pledged to get the bill to the president’s desk by Independence Day. 

‘The legislation, as passed by the House, can be approved here in the Senate, can be strengthened in the Senate, in a number of ways,’ Thune said. ‘We intend to do that, but when it’s all said and done, we’ll send it back to the House and hope that they can pass it and put it on the president’s desk.’

Still, fractures have emerged among lawmakers, with some viewing the bill through the same lens as Musk.

‘Well, he has some of the same skepticism I have, you know, towards the big, beautiful bill,’ said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Paul has vowed not to support the bill as is without a serious overhaul to the legislation that would nix a $5 trillion increase to the nation’s debt ceiling — a stance that has gotten him into hot water with Trump.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has similarly pledged not to support the bill unless much steeper spending cuts are achieved. The House’s product includes $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, but Johnson would like to see a return to pre-pandemic spending levels, which would effectively amount to a roughly $6 trillion cut in spending.

‘I share his concerns,’ Johnson said of Musk. ‘I also appreciate what he and President Trump did with his DOGE effort.’

And Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, a fiscal hawk whose views are closely aligned with Johnson’s, argued in response to the tech billionaire’s social media post that ‘federal spending has become excessive.’

‘The resulting inflation harms Americans and weaponizes government,’ Lee said on X. ‘The Senate can make this bill better. It must now do so.’

Other Senate Republicans, including those with outstanding concerns with the current legislation, were much less receptive to Musk’s tirade against the bill.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has remained steadfast in his position that he would not support the current Medicaid proposals in the House’s bill, especially if they cut benefits to his constituents and people across the country.

When asked his reaction to Musk’s rant, he shrugged, ‘Well, he’s entitled to his opinion, it’s a free country.’

Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., who has expressed reservations on the contents of the megabill, was more blunt.

‘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.