Fetterman Criticizes Democrats for Sudden Support of Musk Amid Trump Fallout

Maverick Democratic Senator John Fetterman publicly rebuked his own party Thursday for their sudden shift in support of tech billionaire Elon Musk amid an escalating feud between Musk and President Donald Trump. The controversy comes as Musk launched a fierce critique of Trump's signature "big, beautiful bill," drawing unexpected backing from some Democratic lawmakers who previously opposed the SpaceX and Tesla CEO.

This week saw an unusual alignment as Democrats found themselves rallying behind Musk after his blunt public rejection of Trump’s legislative centerpiece—a wide-ranging spending bill touted by the president as vital to border security, energy independence, and tax reform. The legislation, currently under contentious debate in a Republican-led Congress, has faced mounting opposition not only from Senate Republicans but also unanimously from House Democrats, putting its future in doubt.

Amid this legislative turmoil, Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, issuing a scathing denunciation of the bill. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” Musk wrote, intensifying pressure on lawmakers already wary of the bill’s ballooning costs.

Fetterman, known for his independent streak and willingness to criticize fellow Democrats on issues like immigration and foreign policy, questioned his party’s newfound embrace of 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 remarked, highlighting what he described as inconsistency in Democratic attitudes toward one of the world’s most prominent entrepreneurs.

Not long ago, protests erupted at Tesla dealerships across the country, with demonstrators targeting the automaker as part of broader opposition to Musk’s business practices and political commentary. Some of these incidents this year escalated into destruction of property, leading federal authorities to label the attacks as “domestic terrorism.” Yet today, many Democrats are echoing Musk’s criticisms of Trump’s bill, despite having spent months denouncing both the billionaire and his controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

“It wasn’t that long ago that Tesla was like the virtue-signaling kind of accessory for Dems,” Fetterman added. “I would never want to vandalize Teslas, and the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is wrong for America. So, from my perspective, I’ve just tried to be consistent through that.” He called on his party to clarify its stance: “Democrats have to decide what they think of Musk and stick with it.”

Other lawmakers weighed in on the controversy. Representative Ro Khanna of California suggested that Democrats should work with Musk to halt Trump’s spending bill, emphasizing the importance of joining forces on shared objectives despite past disagreements. On the Republican side, Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett noted the irony, stating, “It’s kind of ironic to me that, a week ago, the Democrats hated Elon Musk’s guts … and now they’re basing everything they have on him.”

The debate over the “big, beautiful bill” underscores deep divisions not just between the two major parties but also within them, with the role of high-profile outsiders like Elon Musk further complicating an already fractious political landscape. As the national debt climbs to over $36 trillion, the stakes remain high—and the fallout from this dramatic political realignment is still unfolding in Washington.