Johnson responds to Musk for his criticism of Trump's mega bill: 'My friend Elon is terribly wrong'
The speaker of the House suggested that one reason for the mogul's anger could be the elimination of electric vehicle tax credits that Democrats implemented in 2022.
Johnson and Musk at CPAC/Gage Skidmore.
Mike Johnson hit back at Elon Musk for criticizing Donald Trump's mega-bill. Just hours after the mogul called the legislation a "disgusting abomination," the House speaker regretted his comments and claimed he was deeply mistaken.
Just days after bidding farewell to the Trump administration from the Oval Office, Musk said he could no longer guard his opinion. "This massive, outrageous, populist spending bill from Congress is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: they know they did wrong. They know it," he wrote on his X account. The post quickly went viral.
A few hours later, Johnson spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill and criticized the statements by the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): "Let me say this: It’s very disappointing. With all due respect, my friend Elon is terribly wrong about the One Big, Beautiful Bill."
">I count Elon Musk as a good friend, and Congressional Republicans appreciate everything he has done to put a spotlight on waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) June 3, 2025
Now that DOGE has identified wasteful spending, it is being quantified by the Administration, and codified by… pic.twitter.com/eQa5G2GqOX
He also suggested that Musk's opposition may have to do with, among other things, the elimination of electric vehicle tax credits that Democrats implemented in 2022. "I know that the EV mandate is very important to him; that is going away because the government should not be subsidizing these things as part of the Green New Deal,” Johnson said. “I know that has an effect on his business and I lament that. We talked about the ramp down period on that and how that should be duly considered by Congress," Johnson said.
The speaker of the House revealed that he spoke with Musk on Monday and tried to explain the benefits of the legislation Trump hopes to sign before July 4. "I extolled all the virtues of the bill, and he seemed to understand that. We had a very friendly conversation about it," he added.
Johnson repeatedly reiterated that the House version is the best he could get "with the number of votes we have," reinforced his statements on social media.
"With all due respect, Elon is simply wrong about the One Big Beautiful Bill. Our legislation comprehensively delivers on every major campaign promise and the America First agenda, while ALSO securing historic savings of more than $1.6 TRILLION. (...) It’s going to keep our borders secure, provide historic tax relief for hardworking Americans, unleash American energy dominance, reduce spending, and restore peace through strength," the Louisiana Republican continued.
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