(WASHINGTON) — Speaker Mike Johnson is working to keep the focus on the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” on Friday as all eyes remain on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk amid their bitter public feud.
Johnson is pushing the House-passed bill that advances Trump’s legislative agenda, which is being negotiated in the Senate. Musk has publicly criticized the bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” and encouraging members of Congress to “kill the bill.”
Musk’s criticism reached a boiling point on Thursday — ending with an explosive spat between the president and the tech billionaire. On Friday morning, Trump told ABC News that Musk had “lost his mind.”
Johnson was once one of Musk’s most powerful boosters on Capitol Hill. Johnson met with Musk repeatedly and would even talk him through legislation by phone. Musk even addressed a meeting of House Republicans in March.
Asked by ABC News if it was a mistake to trust Musk, Johnson dismissed the question and turned the focus back to the bill.
“I’m not going to engage in this back-and-forth stuff. I don’t think the American people care much about Twitter wars. I think they care about us accomplishing our legislative agenda, and the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ does that.”
Johnson reiterated Friday that he has a job to do — and it’s not to get involved in the Musk-Trump squabble. Still, Johnson engaged in the online battle Thursday, responding to a Musk post criticizing the speaker.
Several other House Republicans are weighing in on the dispute and whether Musk’s influence and strong opinions about the megabill could influence its passage.
“I think Elon probably did change the trajectory of this bill two or three days ago when he came out against it because people trust the guy who can land rockets backwards more than they do the politicians,” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said. Massie was one of two House Republicans who opposed the bill when the House voted on it last month.
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sided with both Trump and Musk on different aspects of the bill — favoring Musk on the price tag. She said ultimately she thinks the focus should be on passing Trump’s agenda.
“I don’t think lashing out on the Internet is the way to handle any kind of disagreement, especially when you have each other’s cell phones,” Greene told reporters Friday. “I hope this gets worked out, but I will tell you right now that people are going to be focused on making sure that we get the agenda that we voted for.”
Republican Rep Troy Nehls, a staunch Trump ally, called for an end to the spat between the president and Musk, saying “enough is enough.”
Despite Musk publicly clashing with the head of their party — even seeming to suggest the House should impeach the president — some Republicans didn’t go out of their way to bad mouth the billionaire.
“Elon Musk can use his funds as he sees fit,” Republican Rep. Ralph Norman said when asked if he’s worried Musk would primary Republicans. “Again, he’s a patriot and if he disagrees, I respect the honesty, really.”
Republican Rep. Warren Davidson called for unity.
“I just hope that people that I care a lot about get along, that they mend, that they patch up their relationship,” he said. “It’s disappointing to see them arguing in public that way.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries capitalized on the clash, calling it a “welcome development.”
“To the extent that the developments of this week will make it more likely that we can kill the GOP tax scam, that’s a welcome development,” he said.
Police cordon off Pearl Street following an attack on the Pearl Street Mall, June 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. Chet Strange/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are warning of an “elevated threat” facing the Jewish community in the wake of two attacks: Sunday’s Molotov cocktail assault in Boulder, Colorado, and last month’s killing of two Israeli Embassy staff members in Washington, D.C.
The Israel-Hamas conflict “may motivate other violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators with similar grievances to conduct violence against Jewish and Israeli communities and their supporters,” the FBI and DHS said in a public service announcement issued Thursday night. “Foreign terrorist organizations also may try to exploit narratives related to the conflict to inspire attacks in the United States.”
The public should “remain vigilant” and “report any threats of violence or suspicious activity to law enforcement,” the agencies said.
The PSA references Sunday’s attack in Boulder when Mohamed Soliman allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at a group of marchers advocating for the release of Israeli hostages, according to prosecutors. Fifteen people, including a Holocaust survivor, were injured, officials said.
Soliman, who was arrested at the scene, allegedly yelled “Free Palestine” during the attack, the FBI said.
Soliman later told police “he wanted to kill all Zionist people,” court documents said. He “said this had nothing to do with the Jewish community and was specific in the Zionist group supporting the killings of people on his land (Palestine),” documents said.
Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime as well as 118 state charges, including attempted murder, assault and explosives charges. He has not entered a plea in either case.
The PSA also mentions the May 21 killings of two Israeli Embassy staff members. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were fatally shot as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. When the suspect was arrested, he began to chant, “free, free Palestine,” according to police.
The Anti-Defamation League has documented a dramatic rise in acts of hate targeting Jewish people in the U.S. since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel. In 2024, the ADL said it recorded a record high of 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the U.S., marking a 344% increase over the past five years and a 893% increase over the past 10 years.
“I am angry,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said a news conference in Boulder on Wednesday.
“It’s way past time for our political leaders, community groups, media outlets, tech platforms, faith leaders to take action before more Jewish blood is spilled. And it’s way past time to stop excusing antisemitic rhetoric,” he said.
Greenblatt urged the public to speak out against hate and shared small, specific actions people can take.
“Flag a hateful post, sign a petition, attend a service, make a comment in city council,” he said.
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President JD Vance on Friday continued to stand by President Donald Trump during his public feud with Elon Musk, but is notably not criticizing the Tesla billionaire directly.
Vance first weighed in hours after the explosive exchange began on Thursday, offering only a brief post on X.
“President Trump has done more than anyone in my lifetime to earn the trust of the movement he leads. I am proud to stand beside him,” Vance wrote.
On Friday morning, Vance turned his attention to the news media while still staying silent on Musk’s accusations against the president.
“There are many lies the corporate media tells about President Trump. One of the most glaring is that he’s impulsive or short-tempered. Anyone who has seen him operate under pressure knows that’s ridiculous,” Vance wrote on X. Musk on Thursday had not made any claims about Trump being “impulsive” or “short-tempered.”
Musk lobbied for Vance to be Trump’s 2024 running mate. Back in late February, Musk had posted to X that Vance was the “Best VP ever and our future President.”
Tensions between Trump and Musk, largely stemming from Musk’s relentless criticism in recent days of Trump’s signature legislation, reached a fever pitch on Thursday.
Trump in the Oval Office offered his harshest words yet for his former close adviser, saying he was “disappointed” in Musk. Musk hit back in real time, going on a X rampage that included suggesting Trump would have lost the 2024 election without him and even claiming Trump was “in” the Epstein files regarding the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, charged in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors.
At one point, he agreed with one user calling for Trump to be impeached and replaced with Vance. Vance has not responded to that, either.
Trump hit back on his own conservative social media platform, claiming Musk had gone “CRAZY” and floated the possibility of ending Musk’s government contracts.
The president told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl on Friday morning that Musk “has lost his mind” and that he was “not particularly” interested in talking to him right now.
(WASHINGTON) — In a phone interview Friday morning, hours after his blistering exchange with Elon Musk, President Donald Trump sounded remarkably unconcerned about their feud, as if it weren’t even the most interesting thing that happened Thursday.
Speaking on a phone call Friday morning shortly before 7 a.m., ABC News asked him about reports he had a call scheduled with Musk for later in the day..
“You mean the man who has lost his mind?” he asked, saying he was “not particularly” interested in talking to him right now.
He said Musk wants to talk to him, but he’s not ready to talk to Musk.
Trump then talked for a couple of minutes about other things — referring to inflation (down), foreign investment (up) and his plans for a visit to China (huge).
People close to Trump have described him as more sad than angry at Musk. One adviser who was with Trump on Thursday night said he seemed “bummed” about the breakup. And that’s the way he sounded on Friday morning.
Trump is considering either giving away or selling the red Tesla he purchased to support Musk, a senior administration official told ABC News’ Rachel Scott Friday morning. The Tesla was parked just on West Executive Avenue on Thursday. Trump made a show of checking out Tesla models at the White House in March as Musk’s company took a hit as he arrived in Washington.
The war of words on Thursday, stemming from Musk’s criticism of Trump’s signature tax and immigration bill, had Musk suggesting Trump would have lost the 2024 election without him, backing calls for Trump’s impeachment and even claiming Trump was “in” the Epstein files regarding the investigation into the accused sex trafficker.
“That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk posted.
Trump, in turn, had said Musk had gone “CRAZY” and suggested terminating Musk’s government contracts and subsidies.
Vice President JD Vance expressed his support for Trump amid the public dispute in a brief post to X — albeit hours after the back-and-forth between Trump and Musk began. The post didn’t directly weigh in on Musk’s attacks or criticize the Tesla billionaire, with whom Vance has his own history with that predates his time as Trump’s running mate and vice president.
“President Trump has done more than anyone in my lifetime to earn the trust of the movement he leads. I am proud to stand beside him,” Vance wrote on social media.
Vance still hadn’t directly responded to Musk’s accusations against Trump when he posted again on Friday morning.
“There are many lies the corporate media tells about President Trump. One of the most glaring is that he’s impulsive or short-tempered. Anyone who has seen him operate under pressure knows that’s ridiculous,” Vance wrote, focusing his fury on the media.
The White House called the public feud between Trump and Elon Musk “an unfortunate episode from Elon, who doesn’t like the One Big Beautiful Bill because it doesn’t include his policies.”
“The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Just hours after accusing Trump, without evidence, of appearing in the Epstein files, Musk showed some signs of trying to soften his tone — even appearing to agree with a post on X calling for the two to “make peace.”
The first sign Musk was starting to walk things back came thanks to an account with just over 141 followers on X who suggested to “cool off” and “take a step back.”
The post from the seemingly random user led Musk to reverse his threat to decommission the spacecraft used to transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station, a threat Musk had made just hours earlier.
“Good advice,” Musk responded to the user. “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.”
ABC News’ Will Steakin and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.
(CHICAGO) — A 36-year-old police officer who was a mother to a young daughter and four-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department has been shot and killed while on duty in Chicago, police said.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:50 p.m. on Thursday night when Chicago Police Department officers assigned to the 6th (Gresham) District Tactical Team were on patrol when they attempted to conduct an investigatory stop on a male suspect in the 8200 block of S. Drexel Avenue, according to a statement from the Chicago Police Department.
Officers approached the suspect, but the individual immediately fled on foot into a nearby building, police said.
Law enforcement subsequently pursued the suspect into the building but were confronted by another individual who was armed inside of the residence which the suspect fled to, authorities continued.
“The armed offender fled the residence and was taken into custody,” police said. “An officer sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to an area hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.”
The police officer who died has not yet been named but Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said said she was a 36-year-old female officer who had been with the department for four years at the 6th District and was a mother to a young daughter.
“She lost her life tragically doing the job that she loved and that was one of the things that her mother said, she loved her job and the way that she worked, it was evident that she did love her job and she wanted to make Chicago a better place,” Snelling said during a press conference. “She wanted to make it safer.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson said the entire city is mourning the loss of this officer.
“This young woman served honorably and courageously. I am calling on the entire city of Chicago to keep this officer’s family in your prayers along with our entire police department,” Mayor Johnson said. “Her young, energetic bold approach toward keeping us safe is the memory that we will honor.”
An additional officer sustained an injury to the wrist and was taken to the hospital in fair condition, police said, but no other injuries were reported.
Three firearms were located on the scene and multiple people were taken into custody, police said.
Overall, between Jan. 1 and April 30, 16 police officers in the United States have been feloniously killed in the line of duty and firearms were used in 75% of those incidents, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The leading circumstances surrounding officers’ deaths included activities related to responses to unlawful or suspicious activities, pursuits and traffic stops, according to the Justice Department.
Accidental law enforcement deaths, however, have decreased 68.2% when comparing the first four months of 2024 (22 deaths) with those of 2025 (7 deaths), with the leading causes of accidental deaths in 2025 being motor vehicle crashes and officers struck by vehicle.
The investigation into the death of the 36-year-old officer is currently ongoing.
(GATEWAY, Ark.) — A U.S. Border Patrol tactical unit from Texas, known as BORTAC, has been deployed to Arkansas to assist in the manhunt for Grant Hardin, officials said.
This unit is “equipped with specialized tools and possess extensive experience in high-risk operations and complex terrain navigation,” according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit state prison in Calico Rock, Arkansas, on May 25 through a sally port by impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner,” which caused another corrections officer “operating a secure gate to open the gate and allow Hardin to walk away from the North Central Unit,” according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News.
Officials said during a press conference that Hardin was not wearing an official uniform from the department of corrections and it had to “have been homemade or brought in somehow.”
Hardin currently remains at large, and the FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture. The RGV Sector BORTAC team is composed of highly trained tactical agents and they are providing “advanced search capabilities and operational support to the multi-agency effort underway in northern Arkansas,” officials said.
“BORTAC’s unique capabilities and training are well-suited for the demands of this critical mission. USBP is committed to supporting our state and local partners in the effort to apprehend this dangerous fugitive,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.
Authorities have already been using helicopters, drones, K9 officers and ATVs in their search for Hardin but have, so far, not been able to find him. Rugged terrain, densely wooded areas, hills and days of rain have been “hindering the ongoing search,” a spokesperson with the department of corrections said.
Deputies are continuing to monitor the roadways near the prison and are conducting security checkpoints in the area, according to officials, and the department of corrections said they are in contact with neighboring states, since Hardin grew up on the Missouri border.
Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton, according to The Associated Press.
He was also convicted of the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, Arkansas, a crime highlighted in the 2023 television documentary “Devil in the Ozarks.”
Hardin is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 259 pounds and authorities said anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact local law enforcement immediately.
ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway and Megan Forrester contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Prior to becoming Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had espoused the idea of “medical freedom,” the ability of people to make personal health decisions for themselves and their families without corporate or government coercion.
It’s an idea supported under Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement to reduce the prevalence of chronic disease in the U.S. by making healthier lifestyle choices.
On topics, such as vaccines, Kennedy has said he wouldn’t prevent children from being able to receive vaccines but would leave the choice up to parents.
“I’m a freedom-of-choice person,” Kennedy told Fox News host Sean Hannity during an interview in March. “We should have transparency. We should have informed choice, and if people don’t want it, the government shouldn’t force them to do it.”
Some public health experts told ABC News, however, that the HHS has been limiting choices on some products for many Americans despite Kennedy’s talk about “freedom of choice.”
Just last week, Kennedy announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups.
Additionally, Kennedy has called on states to ban recipients of food stamps from being able to use them to purchase soda. He has also praised states for banning fluoride from public drinking water and indicated he will change federal guidance on recommending adding fluoride.
The public health experts said Kennedy’s actions are setting up a dichotomy on public health.
“I think that RFK Jr. has done a really good job of identifying some of the problems [in public health], but it’s the solutions that are problematic,” Dr. Craig Spencer, an associate professor of the practice of health services, policy and practice at Brown University School of Public Health, told ABC News. “What you’re seeing with RFK Jr. and his approach to health is an individualization of public health. It’s this idea that you can make decisions for your health, and that’s always been true.”
He went on, “We need to be able to follow their guidance, not just have them tell us, ‘Follow your own science.’ As the focus shifts from community to individuals, we’re losing a lot of that underpinning, which has led to a lot of the gains in public health.”
Limiting access to COVID-19 vaccines
Kennedy has repeatedly stated that he is not anti-vaccine and that he supports vaccination.
Shortly after Trump’s election, Kennedy said in an interview with NBC News that “if vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away. People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information.”
During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy said he supported the childhood vaccination schedule and that he would not do anything as head of HHS that “makes it difficult or discourages people from taking vaccines.”
Separately, in an opinion piece Kennedy wrote for Fox News in March on the nationwide measles outbreak, he said the measles vaccine helps protect individuals and provides “community immunity” but also called the decision to vaccinate a “personal one.”
However, last week, Kennedy announced the removal of the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC’s immunization schedule for “healthy children and healthy pregnant women.”
The CDC’s immunization schedule is not just a guide for doctors but also determines insurance coverage for most major private plans and Medicaid expansion programs. Following Kennedy’s announcement, the schedule was updated noting all children would be eligible for COVID vaccines, but now under a shared-clinical decision-making model — allowing parents to choose whether their children are vaccinated alongside advice from a doctor.
“Regarding the vaccines, HHS is restoring the doctor-patient relationship,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told ABC News in a statement. “We are encouraging those groups to consult with their health care provider to help them make an informed decision. This is freedom of choice.”
“If you restrict access, you necessarily restrict choice,” Dr. Matthew Ferrari, a professor of biology and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Pennsylvania State University, told ABC News. “Those two things are antithetical. You can’t do both. You can’t say you’re allowing choice if you’re restricting access.”
Ferrari said the idea of “medical freedom” is catchy, but public health recommendations are made based on how to protect the most vulnerable individuals.
“If you look at the outcomes, if you look at the consequences of that movement, it has been to disproportionately restrict access to — and restrict support and infrastructure to allow people to access — preventive medicine,” he said. “It’s sort of easy to say, ‘Well, take the vaccine away. But [vaccines] prevent a future outcome of illness for yourself and for others in the community.”
Traditionally, the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices decides if there is a benefit to a yearly vaccine and who should get it. The independent advisory committee then makes recommendations to the CDC, which has the final say. The committee was set to meet in late June to vote on potential changes to COVID vaccine recommendations.
Spencer said Kennedy’s bypassing of traditional avenues when it comes to changing vaccine recommendations is also taking away choice from people.
“This did not go through the normal process that it should have, and he basically just made a decision for people while at the same time saying that he’s going to let people make a decision,” Spencer said.
Restricting foods under SNAP
Kennedy has also campaigned to prevent Americans from using food stamps — provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — to buy candy and soda.
“It’s nonsensical for U.S. taxpayers to spend tens of billions of dollars subsidizing junk that harms the health of low-income Americans,” Kennedy wrote in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal last September.
At a MAHA event in late May, Kennedy said the governors of 10 states have submitted waivers to the United States Department of Agriculture requesting permission to ban SNAP recipients from using benefits to buy candy and soft drinks.
“The U.S. government spends over $4 trillion a year on health care,” Nixon said in a statement. “That’s not freedom — it’s failure. Secretary Kennedy is unapologetically taking action to reverse the chronic disease epidemic, not subsidize it with taxpayer dollars. Warning Americans about the dangers of ultra-processed food isn’t an attack on choice — it’s the first step in restoring it.”
Nutrition experts agree that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are unhealthy. Frequent consumption of SSBs is linked to health issues such as weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease and kidney diseases, according to the CDC.
Kristina Petersen, an associate professor in the department of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University, told ABC News there is a crisis of diet-related diseases in the U.S., which increase the risk of disability and reduces lifespan.
However, she said there needs to be strong evidence of the benefits of restrictive policies if they are to be put in place.
“In terms of limiting people’s choices, it is important to consider all the different roles that food plays in someone’s life, and so obviously we want people eating nutritious foods, but also we need to acknowledge that food is a source of enjoyment,” Petersen said. “A lot of social situations revolve around food. So, when we’re thinking about reducing people’s access to given foods, we need to think about the consequences of that.”
One unintended consequence could be an eligible family not signing up for SNAP benefits because of the restrictions, she said.
Even if a ban on buying candy and soda with SNAP benefits does occur, Petersen said she is not aware of any evidence that shows banning certain foods leads to healthier diets.
She added that the nation’s dietary guidelines are written to emphasize healthy foods like fruits and vegetable rather than telling people to avoid or restrict less healthy foods.
“All foods can be consumed as part of a healthy dietary pattern. It’s really just the amount and the frequency that determines whether that pattern is helpful overall or less helpful,” Petersen said. “People can have small indulgences, but really, we’re interested in what is their pattern over a period of time.”
Providing incentives for purchasing healthier foods may be more effective and still allow people to have choice, Petersen said.
A 2018 study used a model simulation to study the effects of food incentives, disincentives or restrictions in SNAP.
One of the simulations involving incentives for foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and plant-based oils found to have the most substantial health benefits and be the most cost-effective.
“Things like fruits and vegetables, they do tend to be more expensive, so if you incentivize them by providing more benefits … that’s making the dollar go further, and it’s kind of making the economic piece of this a bit stronger,” Petersen said. “A lot of this is framed around personal choice. Rather than restricting access to, how can we give people more access to healthy foods? I think that’s going to have the greatest benefit here.”
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud and Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report.
(NORFOLK, Va.) — A 21-year-old Navy sailor has mysteriously disappeared in Virginia, leaving her mother desperate for answers.
Angelina “Angie” Resendiz was last seen on Thursday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at her barracks in Miller Hall at Naval Station Norfolk, according to the Virginia State Police.
“This disappearance poses a credible threat to their health and safety as determined by the investigating agency,” police said.
Resendiz, a Texas native, is a culinary specialist assigned to the USS James E. Williams, the Navy said.
Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, insists that her daughter “does not miss work. Sick, snow, feeling down, she shows up.”
Resendiz joined the Navy in 2023 after high school “because she felt it was something that called her,” Castle wrote to ABC News.
As a culinary specialist, “She thought that one day she might be able to cook for the president and other world leaders,” Castle said. “She worked really hard on her ship.”
“She’s fun, loving, kind, compassionate, uplifting,” she added.
“People that care about Angie shared with me that the last person she was with was missing with her,” and “that person showed up Monday but not Angie,” Castle said.
“There are no answers for me,” she said. “I just want my kid, she doesn’t deserve to be missing.”
The Navy told ABC News in a statement that it’s “cooperating fully with the investigation.”
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service said, “Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS will not comment further while the investigation remains ongoing.”
Anyone with information is urged to call NCIS at 877-579-3648.
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump hit back on Elon Musk following Musk’s rampage against his domestic megabill, saying on Thursday he’s “very disappointed” in the Tesla billionaire.
“Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump said.
Musk responded in kind to the personal comments in real time on X, where he continued to swipe at the legislation and at Trump directly.
At one point, Musk responded to a user: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”
“Such ingratitude,” Musk added. Musk spent more than $270 million to back Trump and other Republicans during the 2024 election cycle.
Musk and Trump had not spoken as of Thursday morning, according to two sources familiar with the president’s conversations.
Multiple administration officials have attempted to reach out to Musk and his representatives personally, but their calls and texts have not been returned, several sources tell ABC News.
President Trump was asked about Musk’s relentless criticisms of the tax and immigration bill while taking reporter questions alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office.
“He hasn’t said anything about me that’s bad. I’d rather have him criticize me than the bill, because the bill is incredible,” Trump said of Musk.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed the House last month by a single vote. The measure would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and boost spending for the military and border security, while making some cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other assistance programs.
It now faces headwinds in the Senate, specifically among a small group of Republican fiscal hawks.
Musk has said the the legislation, estimated by the nonpartisan budget office to add $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, would undermine the Department of Government Efficiency’s goal to reduce government spending and trim the national debt.
“Where is this guy today??” Musk wrote as he reupped another user’s compilation of past Trump tweets criticizing high deficits, unbalanced budgets and more.
Trump contended on Thursday that Musk, the CEO of Tesla, was really “upset” because the legislation would remove tax credits for electric vehicles.
“But 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. “He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden, he had a problem.”
Before speaking out publicly against the bill, Musk personally pushed some lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, to keep the tax credits for electric vehicles in the bill, according to two people familiar with conversations.
Musk pushed back on X and suggested Trump was not telling the truth.
“False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!” he wrote.
In another post, Musk wrote: “Whatever.”
“Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” the post read.
“In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful,” Musk added. “Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.”
As of now, the Tesla that President Trump bought to show support for Elon Musk is still on the White House complex, according to two sources.
The White House declined to comment. A representative for Musk has not yet returned request for comment.
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the phone Thursday amid trade tensions between the two countries — and during the call, Trump said Xi invited him to visit China.
In a social media post, Trump said they discussed “some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal.” The call lasted about one and a half hours, and the leaders exclusively talked trade.
Trump added that it “resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries.” He said that U.S. and Chinese negotiating teams “will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined.”
The president said that Xi invited him to visit China and Trump extended an invitation for Xi to visit the U.S.
“So, I will be going there with the first lady at a certain point, and he’ll be coming here hopefully with the first lady of China,” Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office.
The call happened at Trump’s request, Chinese State News Agency Xinhua had reported.
It was the first confirmed time the leaders have spoken since Trump returned to the White House. Trump has alluded to a previous call with Xi, but he nor the White House have ever confirmed if that took place since he took office in January.
Their conversation is a significant development amid a trade standoff between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies.
It came after Trump last week accused China of violating a deal negotiated by top officials in Geneva last month to roll back high tariff rates for 90 days. The agreement saw the U.S. drop the rate on Chinese goods coming to the U.S. from over 145% to 30%. China lowered its levy on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China was slow-walking approval of export licenses for rare earth materials, which was also a part of the Geneva agreement.
Beijing pushed back on Monday, saying it “firmly rejects unreasonable accusations” and that it was the U.S. that “unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions.”
Chinese leaders said they had their own concerns about U.S. restrictions on tech exports and the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Chinese student visas.
Trump on Thursday, following his call with Xi, told reporters he believed they “straightened out any complexity” regarding the agreement.
“I think we’re in very good shape with China and the trade deal,” Trump said. “We have a trade deal with China, as you know, but we were straightening out some of the points having to do mostly with rare earths, magnets and some other things.”
Trump also said it was “no problem” to have Chinese students come the U.S., despite the administration announcement it would “aggressively” revoke the visas.
“It’s an honor to have them, frankly,” he said, before turning his attention to Harvard University. The administration has demanded information on all the school’s international students, including names and coursework.
“Look, we want to have — we want to have foreign students, but we want them to be checked,” Trump said. “You know, in the case of Harvard and Columbia and others, all we want to do is see their list. There is no problem with that.”
