Elon Musk Declares Political War on Trump’s Megabill and GOP Supporters
Billionaire Pledges to Fund Primary Challenges Against Republicans Who Back Massive Spending Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Billionaire Elon Musk escalated his feud with President Donald Trump on Monday, vowing to fund primary challengers against any Republican lawmaker who supports Trump’s controversial “megabill” — a sweeping piece of legislation poised to reshape the federal budget and add trillions to the national debt.
“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame!” Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
The remark marks a dramatic shift from just a year ago, when Musk donated tens of millions of dollars to Trump’s presidential campaign and briefly served as director of the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a now-controversial agency created to root out waste and streamline spending.
Targeting GOP Leadership
Musk didn’t stop with general warnings. He specifically named House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), accusing them of betraying conservative fiscal principles.
“How can you call yourself the Freedom Caucus if you vote for a DEBT SLAVERY bill with the biggest debt ceiling increase in history?” Musk asked in a follow-up post, tagging both lawmakers.
Trump’s megabill, officially called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is a central pillar of his second-term agenda. The legislation seeks to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, ramp up defense and infrastructure spending, and reorganize multiple federal agencies. Critics, however, point to projections showing the bill will balloon the national debt by over $3 trillion in the next decade.
A Deepening Rift
Musk’s pledge comes just weeks after a very public fallout with Trump, following months of tension over the administration’s economic agenda. Since departing his post at DOGE, Musk has taken to X to repeatedly blast the bill’s size and scope. Over the weekend, he described the Senate version of the legislation as “utterly insane and destructive,” warning that it would “destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country.”
Though Musk recently expressed regret for the tone of some of his earlier comments, Monday’s vow to target sitting GOP lawmakers in their own primaries appears to solidify the split between the two men — and threatens to inject chaos into an already fractured Republican Party.
Pressure Ahead of the Vote
Senate Republicans are racing to pass the bill this week during a grueling vote-a-rama session. Under the current timeline, the legislation could head to the House as early as Wednesday morning, with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) signaling a quick floor vote before the July 4 recess.
But with Musk’s statement drawing national attention, some GOP members may now face a difficult choice: back the bill and risk facing a Musk-backed primary challenger, or defy Trump and potentially alienate the base.
Multiple reports have already indicated discomfort among House Republicans, particularly those in the Freedom Caucus who have built careers around opposing deficit spending. Musk’s threats could intensify that pressure in the final hours before the vote.
A Party Divided
What makes Musk’s challenge so potent is his proven willingness to spend. His personal contributions and network of political action committees played a pivotal role in shaping the 2024 cycle. With Musk now signaling plans to form his own political movement, possibly under the name “America Party,” Republican leadership is bracing for further division.
Trump’s allies have downplayed Musk’s influence, with several surrogates accusing the Tesla CEO of hypocrisy given the billions in federal subsidies his companies have received. Still, insiders acknowledge privately that the party cannot afford to wage a civil war heading into 2026.
For now, the clock is ticking on one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in recent history — and the Republican Party may be forced to choose between Trump’s legacy and Musk’s political threats.
