The goodwill Elon Musk established with House Republicans is plummeting about as fast his relationship with President Donald Trump, and the GOP doesn't appear to be concerned the tech tycoon who donated millions to back the party in 2024 could work against them in the 2026 midterms.
Musk has been a fervent opponent of the reconciliation budget bill that narrowly passed the House last week and is being considered by the Senate because it adds too much to the federal deficit and doesn't cut enough spending. He also reportedly is angry that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act phases out by 2026 the tax credit of up to $7,500 given to buyers of electric vehicles, which could be crucial to the success of Musk's Tesla.
"I've had a lot of love and respect for you for what you've done for this country over the last several months, but you've lost your damn mind," Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, told reporters of Musk, The Hill reported Thursday. "You've lost your mind. Enough is enough. Stop this. I don't think it's healthy."
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said Musk's standing with Republicans has diminished.
"He's extremely bright, my God. I mean — SpaceX, Tesla, all that stuff," Van Drew said, according to The Hill. "However, I never saw that he had his finger on the pulse of America and what the American man and woman is thinking. I quite frankly, don't think he does."
Musk compounded his criticisms by urging his followers on X in a Wednesday post: "Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL." The post had more than 329,000 likes and 46.5 million impressions as of 7:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
But out of nearly a dozen Republican Capitol Hill offices that spoke with The Hill, ranging from rank-and-file members to leadership, almost none said they received calls from GOP-supporting constituents opposing the bill by the afternoon after Musk's tweet, or callers making references to Musk. One office reported a caller who said, "kill the bill."
As party leaders push to get the legislation to Trump's desk by July 4, lawmakers said there is no time to go back to the drawing board.
"It would be problematic starting at ground zero since it's taken us about three months to get what we've done," Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., said Wednesday, according to The Hill. "I don't know if Elon understands the whole process, but I think that the Senate will make it more conservative."
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, noted how Musk stood back while members of the group went to war against GOP leaders and demanded more deficit reductions in the bill ahead of the vote.
"When there was blistering fire heaped upon them, he didn't really have much to say," Biggs said Wednesday, The Hill reported. "He's waiting till now to make the assessments? It's kind of odd."
House Republicans, including some who benefited from Musk's donations in 2024, said they are not concerned about losing out on his cash in the midterms, The Hill reported. They aren't convinced he will follow through with spending plans a year from now, and if he does, it will be effective. Musk and his groups spent more than $20 million to support the losing candidate in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race earlier this year.
As long as a candidate has Trump's endorsement, one GOP member told The Hill, "You don't [have] to worry if Elon spends $5 million." And in a swing district, "Elon being against you if you are a Republican probably isn't so bad either."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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