Democrats embrace Musk after his opposition to Trump’s megabill, despite months of fierce criticism.

Democratic Support Shifts as Musk Rejects GOP Bill

Elon Musk’s public rejection of President Donald Trump’s massive spending package has triggered a surprising political shift, with several prominent Democrats now voicing support for the billionaire tech executive. This comes despite months of heated condemnation of Musk from the same lawmakers, who had previously described him as a fascist, dictator, and dangerous influencer in federal policy.

President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sprawling piece of legislation containing tax cuts, energy policy, and border security provisions — passed the House with unanimous GOP support but has hit roadblocks in the Senate. While House Democrats uniformly opposed the bill, they have now found an unlikely ally in Musk, who criticized the measure as “pork-filled” and “disgusting.”

“This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk posted on X. “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

Musk’s comments were quickly echoed by Democrats such as Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who posted, “We can be the party of sanctimonious lectures, or the party of FDR that knows how to win.” Khanna also told Politico that Democrats should try to align Musk’s values with their own on science funding, clean technology, and international education.

Fetterman Blasts Democrats’ Sudden Embrace of Musk

Maverick Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania sharply criticized his own party on Thursday for what he described as a sudden and inconsistent shift toward supporting Elon Musk. “The Dems, we've been dumping all over Musk and vandalizing Teslas or whatever, and now, suddenly, we might be more back into him,” he said, calling out the party’s apparent opportunism.

Known for breaking ranks with Democrats on issues like immigration and foreign policy, Fetterman underscored the need for principle over political convenience. “I would never want to vandalize Teslas, and the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is wrong for America,” he added, framing his position as consistent in contrast to others in his party.

New York Rep. Ritchie Torres struck a similar tone, saying he believes in “redemption” and that Musk is “telling the truth about the legislation.” However, Torres also acknowledged Musk’s prior actions had caused “enormous damage,” especially his efforts to gut the federal workforce during his tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

These comments reflect a notable reversal from earlier this year, when many Democrats condemned Musk for slashing federal programs and accused him of antisemitism after what was perceived as a Nazi-style salute on inauguration day. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Jerry Nadler, and others were among Musk’s most vocal critics.

Despite this, former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau also joined the chorus, posting “Couldn’t agree with Elon more: kill the bill.”

The realignment has not gone unnoticed. Republican Rep. Tim Burchett remarked, “It’s kind of ironic… a week ago, the Democrats hated Elon Musk’s guts… and now they’re basing everything they have on him.”

Musk’s stance has also earned him unexpected allies among conservative Republicans such as Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Ron Johnson, who have raised concerns over the bill’s projected $5 trillion debt ceiling increase.

Trump, meanwhile, responded to the criticism during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, saying Musk only objected once the bill’s cuts to electric vehicle mandates — which impact Musk’s company Tesla — became clear. “Elon knew everything about it… He had no problem with it,” Trump said. “All of a sudden, he had a problem.”

The president lamented the deterioration of their relationship, stating, “Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore.” He later posted online that Musk had “gone CRAZY” after losing his government EV mandate.

As the Senate faces a July 4 deadline to finalize the bill, the growing tensions between Trump and Musk — and the shifting alliances they have produced — continue to complicate the legislative path forward.