Mike Johnson, the current speaker of the House, has been in a desperate race to save the GOP’s domestic-policy megabill after Elon Musk launched a sudden and aggressive public attack on the legislation. Johnson has spent his 19-month tenure in the Speakership cultivating a close relationship with former President Donald Trump in an effort to avoid the social-media-driven scandals that plagued many Republican priorities during Trump’s first term. Now, he faces another, perhaps even more unpredictable, online challenge: Musk’s scorched-earth campaign against the legislation.
Musk’s decision to criticize the bill as a ‘disgusting abomination’ through his widely followed social media platform has forced Johnson into a frantic scramble to defend the legislation. The speaker has mounted a multi-front response by questioning Musk’s motives for opposing the bill, challenging some of his fiscal claims, and emphasizing the need for consensus among Republicans to pass the bill. Johnson has described the process as a ‘multiple step process’ that includes the current spending ‘rescissions’ being pursued by Republicans, the upcoming fiscal 2026 appropriations process, and the possibility of another reconciliation package in addition to the megabill.
A key concern for Johnson is that Musk’s attacks could potentially strengthen fiscal hard-liners at a critical moment for the legislation. The Senate is poised to make significant changes that could reduce the size of the spending cuts in the House-passed bill, and Musk is only adding fuel to the fire by emboldening potential holdouts. Some House Republicans, like Rep. Chip Roy, have suggested that Musk’s critiques might have had less impact earlier in the process, but the current political climate has put pressure on the party to defend the legislation.
The GOP is also mobilizing allies and influencers, including some of the most prominent online conservative figures, to publicly defend the megabill on social platforms. Johnson has shared a list of ’50 MAJOR wins from Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill’ from Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk on his official speaker account, alongside endorsements from top Trump aide Stephen Miller and several of his own members. Despite these efforts, Johnson has also been willing to admit that Musk’s criticism might be based in part on his own business interests, as the megabill would affect Tesla and the clean-energy tax credits that the company relies on.
Musk on Thursday took direct aim at Johnson, suggesting the speaker had betrayed his past views on deficit spending by pushing the megabill forward. In response, Johnson has reminded the public that he has always been a fiscal hawk, emphasizing the importance of fiscal responsibility and economic growth. However, as the legislative process nears its critical stages, the impact of Musk’s criticisms remains uncertain. The question is whether his influence will ultimately bolster or undermine the GOP’s efforts to pass the controversial bill.
The situation remains tense, with some House Republicans expressing frustration over Musk’s public attacks, and others feeling vulnerable to his potential political influence. As the debate continues, the GOP’s ability to maintain its legislative momentum will depend on its ability to manage both internal dissent and external attacks from powerful figures like Elon Musk.