Elon Musk Vows to Help Defeat Republicans Who Vote for Trump’s Megabill
A dramatic political showdown is unfolding in Washington as President Trump’s massive new spending and tax bill—referred to by him as his “big, beautiful bill”—heads toward a final Senate vote. While the White House remains confident of its passage, resistance is growing not only among Democrats but from within the Republican Party itself—and now from Elon Musk, who has vowed to help primary any Republican who votes in favor of the bill.
The sweeping legislation, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts largely benefiting the wealthy and corporations, would add an estimated $3.3 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It would also strip Medicaid coverage from nearly 12 million Americans over the next decade, a provision that’s ignited outrage across party lines.
Among the most notable developments is North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis’s announcement that he will not seek re-election, citing the bill’s deep Medicaid cuts as a betrayal of promises made by President Trump himself. “What do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years,” Tillis said on the Senate floor, “when President Trump breaks his word by pushing them off Medicaid?”
In response, the White House dismissed Tillis’s concerns. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the senator was “just wrong,” asserting that the bill keeps Trump’s campaign promises. However, footage of the president from previous years—repeatedly pledging not to touch Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security—has resurfaced, casting doubt on the administration’s narrative.
While internal Republican divisions deepen, Elon Musk has added fuel to the fire. The tech mogul, in a scathing social media post, wrote:
“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 didn’t stop there. He also renewed his call for a new political party to challenge what he called the “corrupt consensus” in Washington, vowing to personally support primary challenges against any Republican who votes for the bill.
“They will lose their primary next year,” he wrote. “If it’s the last thing I do on this earth.”
That’s no idle threat. Musk, the world’s richest man, has the means and the following to back such a campaign. Though he’s previously signaled regrets over past criticisms of Trump, his post marks a sharp and public break with the administration over fiscal policy.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut welcomed Musk’s opposition, saying that while they are not coordinating, the Tesla CEO is “absolutely right” about the bill’s dangers. “The numbers speak for themselves,” Blumenthal said. “Ballooning debt, slashing Medicaid, harming seniors, students, and veterans—it’s abhorrent.”
The bill’s deep unpopularity could pose real political risks. Polling shows 2-to-1 public disapproval, even as Trump pressures Senate Republicans to fall in line. The president has reportedly made personal calls to wavering senators, invited some for private golf outings, and attacked dissenters online.
“This is a slog,” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported from the White House, “but they still believe they have the votes.” She noted that the administration sees this bill as essential to Trump’s reelection platform, with its centerpiece being tax cuts—a policy message they want to dominate the headlines.
Still, Republican lawmakers remain uneasy. Sources inside the Senate say leadership is now offering state-specific carve-outs and benefits—effectively earmarks—to win holdout votes. But with Musk now aligned against them and conservative voters paying close attention, the bill’s path to passage is less certain than ever.
Musk’s involvement underscores the shifting dynamics within the GOP. His direct challenge to Republican orthodoxy and threat of financial and political retaliation signals the rise of a new power center on the right—one that may not be loyal to Trump or his policy priorities.
As of Tuesday night, Senate negotiations were still ongoing. Whether the bill ultimately passes or not, Musk’s intervention has changed the conversation, reframing the battle not just as a partisan fight—but as a test of the Republican Party’s ideological core.