Republican lawmakers stand firm against Musk's 'Kill the Bill' assault on Trump's agenda

The Big Beautiful Bill became the big throbbing migraine for Congressional Republicans this week That s thanks to the big ugly brawl between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk It started Tuesday with a hangup between Congressional Republicans and Musk over the Big Beautiful Bill Musk characterized it as a disgusting abomination He then turned on all House Republicans who voted yes on the bill last month You know you did wrong declared Musk House Speaker Mike Johnson R-La tried to call Musk to foam the political flames MUSK SAYS TRUMP WOULD HAVE LOST POLL WITHOUT HIM AS 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL' FEUD CONTINUES I called Elon last night He didn't answer But I hope to talk to him in the modern day reported Johnson Surely the world s richest man would have the bandwidth for the Speaker of the House But the hangup was only starting Rather than returning the Speaker s call Musk returned political fire Not by phone But on his own communication platform ELON MUSK WARPATH AGAINST TRUMP'S 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL' RATTLES HOUSE GOPOn X Musk posted an iconic picture of Uma Thurman in a yellow jumpsuit wielding a sword from a Quentin Tarantino movie poster KILL the Bill read Musk s caption Reach out and touch someone How about reach out and call your senator or representative Musk s influence and rapid pivot frightened Congressional Republicans To say that it's a obstacle or that it has created a bigger challenge for us is true disclosed House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington R-Tex He's got a big voice He's got a big audience And more importantly it's a credible voice But he's wrong on this issue Still Republicans weren t budging as Musk demanded lawmakers craft a new piece of regulation Elon look noted an exasperated Johnson We don't have time for a brand new bill ELON MUSK POSTS KILL BILL MEME IN LATEST PUSH TO NIX TRUMP S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILLThe Speaker added that Congressional Republicans can't go back to the drawing board and we shouldn't The political contretemps started simmering as Republicans swiftly became incensed with Musk Give us specific productive feedback that we can operate on I can't operate on platitudes mentioned Sen Thom Tillis R-N C of Musk s vague criticism about the size of the regulation and deficit spending Rep Warren Davidson R-Ohio is one of the two House Republicans who voted no on the Big Beautiful Bill last month Part of the goal with Musk and conservatives like me that have had reservations about the bill is make it better explained Davidson The disappointing thing is this bill does grow deficits in this Congress Rep Thomas Massie R-Ky was the other House GOPer who voted nay He says Musk learned how Congress operates the hard way DAVID MARCUS MUSK VS MAGA ON BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL BUT GOP NECESSITIES BOTH Trust was misplaced And so I think he has a right to be upset with our leadership noted Massie But Democrats suddenly made strange bedfellows with Musk They viewed Musk s opposition as an opportunity to help them sidetrack the measure He's not my cup of tea to put it mildly But Republicans are already listening to him explained Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer D-N Y of Musk But at least one Democrat called out his colleagues for their inconsistency with Musk We've been dumping all over Musk and vandalizing Teslas reported Sen John Fetterman D-Penn And now suddenly now we might be more back into him This all came as the Trump Administration urged Congress to chip away at spending Budget Director Russ Vought sent lawmakers a billion rescissions request This measure asks that lawmakers claw back money it already allocated billion is a teardrop in the ocean revealed Rep Ralph Norman R-S C If we can't get this now then God help us on getting the true deficit numbers down The rescissions plan targeted foreign aid and citizens broadcasting You've sent us a rescission package worth billion that goes after Big Bird and Cookie Monster lamented Rep Mark Pocan D-Wisc at a hearing with Vought WHITE HOUSE STANDS BY TAX BILL AFTER MUSK CALLS IT A 'DISGUSTING ABOMINATION'The Congressional Budget Office analysis of the Big Beautiful Bill unveiled that it adds trillion to the deficit over a decade But Republicans say those figures are wrong The CBO also issued an analysis specific to President Trump s tariffs The CBO projects a trillion decrease in deficits over the next decade because of the tariffs The CBO cannot evaluate the tariffs under the One Big Beautiful Bill because well they re not part of the statute But proponents of the One Big Beautiful Bill say that measure coupled with the tariffs decreases deficits by billion over the next decade A few Republicans believe that the CBO estimate about the deficit is what set off Musk I think their assumptions are wrong We have long complained about it declared Johnson But remember this is the CONGRESSIONAL Budget Office And REPUBLICANS run Congress Why are you not getting the numbers that you want urged yours truly of the Speaker They use a different scoring replied Johnson Would you consider a rescission for the CBO in the legislative branch appropriations bill I followed up I would answered Johnson But the CBO is the least of Johnson s worries as the battle between the president and Musk went supernova on Thursday What is the message you need to hear from him to make sure you are on the same page I questioned Johnson of Musk who still hadn t connected I just want to answer any questions Elon has and make sure he fully understands this is not a spending scheme noted Johnson Do you think he just misperceives this I inquired I do disclosed Johnson Senate Republicans who are noes on the bill applauded Musk s staunch opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill We both seem to be on the same wavelength and that we're very very skeptical announced Sen Rand Paul R-Ky On Thursday afternoon Musk argued that President Trump would have lost the White House and Democrats would control the House and Senate were it not for the million he poured into the campaign He obviously played a positive role reported Sen Ron Johnson R-Wisc another no on the bill He helped spend that much money He attracted a lot of people But Democrats weren t so sure of Musk s political rainmaking It s just crocodile tears that are being shed by Elon Musk commented Sen Ed Markey D-Mass Democrats saw the breakup coming between the president and Musk It's a divorce that was predictable if not inevitable declared Sen Richard Blumenthal D-Conn Various Senate Republicans claimed they weren t worried about Musk torching the bill and even President Trump on X They thought the president wielded an inherent advantage over Musk in the ultimate Twitter cage match President Trump has the biggest platform on Earth noted Sen Bernie Moreno R-Ohio It s too early to tell if Musk s incineration of the One Big Beautiful Bill will hamper efforts to pass the regulation especially with tight vote margins in the House and Senate It's not helpful conceded Mike Johnson But I don't think it's changed the trajectory in any way But Rep Tim Burchett R-Tenn explained Republicans stand at an unenviable crossroads They have a choice of going against Trump or Musk mentioned Burchett