Exclusive: The second-highest-ranking Republican in the House, Steve Scalise, has dismissed Elon Musk’s criticisms of President Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ calling the tech billionaire’s comments ‘off-base.’ Scalise, speaking with Fox News Digital, emphasized that the bill has the potential to create millions of jobs, drawing parallels to the 2017 tax cuts that led to significant economic growth. ‘This is a bill that will create millions of jobs,’ he said, ‘and we’re at the point again today where the economy is waiting for this bill.’
Musk has been vocal in his opposition to the legislation, initially attacking it before appearing to back off, and has since launched another tirade against it while it progresses through the Senate. His recent post on X criticized the bill’s ‘insane spending,’ which he claimed would increase the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, labeling the situation as a ‘one-party country’ under the ‘PORKY PIG PARTY.’ However, Scalise remains focused on swiftly advancing the bill, stating, ‘Failure’s not an option’ as the legislation faces potential challenges from within the GOP.
The Senate is expected to pass the bill by Wednesday, setting the stage for its return to the House of Representatives. The legislation, now in its final stages, is a comprehensive 940-page bill that outlines Trump’s agenda on taxes, the border, defense, energy, and the national debt. While the House majority previously passed the bill in late May by just one vote, the current process is crucial to ensuring it reaches President Trump’s desk by the Fourth of July.
Despite the progress, internal GOP divisions persist. Moderates are concerned about provisions that shift Medicaid costs to states that expanded their programs under ObamaCare, while conservatives argue that these cuts are not sufficient to offset the bill’s spending. Scalise acknowledged these concerns but stressed that the majority of the bill remains intact and that the focus must remain on enactment. ‘We’re having a lot of conversations with our members,’ he said, ‘and we’re following what changes are being made to the bill because some could help fix some of those issues.’
As the Senate prepares to vote, the House GOP leadership is moving swiftly to secure the necessary votes. Scalise reiterated the urgency of the timeline, stating, ‘The plan is still to bring members back and have votes as early as Wednesday morning.’ The bill’s passage remains critical for fulfilling Trump’s legislative goals, and the political stakes have never been higher as the final push begins in Congress.