Trump 'disappointed' with Musk criticism of 'big, beautiful bill,' saying it's related to EV incentive cuts

President Donald Trump said he’s ‘very disappointed’ with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, days after Musk’s official departure from spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

In recent days, Musk has been very critical of Trump’s massive tax and spending package dubbed the "big, beautiful, bill," labeling the measure a "disgusting abomination" due to the fact it ramps up the federal deficit. 

"I've always liked Elon … you saw the words he had for me, and he hasn't said anything about me… I'd rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible," Trump told reporters Thursday in the Oval Office with a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "It's the biggest cut in the history of our country."

Trump said that Musk’s opposition to the bill stems from the fact it nixes an electric vehicle tax credit that benefits companies like Tesla. But Trump said that provision has always been part of the measure. 

"I'm very disappointed, because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill better than almost anybody sitting here better than you people," Trump said in the Oval Office. "He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out that we're going to have to cut the EV mandate, because that's billions and billions of dollars, and it really is unfair."