The reasons behind Musk's attacks on Trump's mega bill

Elon Musk said goodbye to the Trump administration just a few days ago. At an event held in the Oval Office, the president thanked him for his "fantastic job " and presented him with a large golden key. Shortly after, and unexpectedly, the tycoon surprised the public by publicly criticizing the mega-bill pushed by Trump.

However, two Axios sources who spoke with Musk did not seem surprised. They told the media outlet that the X owner was "frustrated" that he did not have more say in the bill's creation and the government.

While Trump and Musk remain "friends and allies," the tycoon's tension with Washington, D.C., accelerated in recent weeks as a product of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill." Axios provided four reasons that triggered the departure.

The reasons behind Musk's anger

As stated by Mike Johnson in dialogue with reporters in Congress, the first has to do with the Republican legislation that aims to eliminate tax credits for electric vehicles that Democrats implemented in 2022. "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," the House speaker said.

The second point relates to Musk's role as a "special government employee." Sources told Axios that the tycoon intended to extend his stay a bit longer, something he was ultimately not allowed to do.

"Musk also wanted the Federal Aviation Administration to use his Starlink satellite system for national air traffic control, the sources said. But the administration balked at it because of the appearance of a conflict of interest and for technological reasons. 'You can't have air traffic control just run off satellites,' the second source said," Axios explained regarding the third point of contention.

Finally, the sources noted that "the straw that broke the camel's back" was the withdrawal of the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "After Isaacman's nomination was dropped, word quickly spread in the White House that Sergio Gor — the director of the Office of Presidential Personnel who had clashed with Musk — was behind the decision," the article adds.

However, other White House sources said that was not the case and that Isaacman's nomination was withdrawn because of express complaints from some Republican senators. Specifically, they questioned the nominee's past as a Democratic donor.