Johnson Claims Republicans Lack Time to Develop New Trump Strategy Despite Musk's Urgent Call to 'KILL the BILL'

The deepening rift between Speaker Mike Johnson and tech magnate Elon Musk intensified this week as Johnson firmly rejected Musk’s demand for a new budget reconciliation bill. Musk, voicing his frustration on social media platform X, criticized the current legislation for its potential to “massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling by 5 TRILLION DOLLARS.” His criticism escalated when he urged lawmakers to “KILL the BILL” outright, raising the stakes in an already contentious debate over federal spending and fiscal policy.

Addressing the call for a fresh legislative start, Speaker Johnson stressed the practical limitations facing Congress. “We don’t have time for a brand new bill,” Johnson told reporters, citing the complexity and significance of the legislation currently before lawmakers. “This extraordinary piece of legislation—record number of savings, record tax cuts for the American people and all the other benefits in it,” Johnson declared, emphasizing the 14 months of effort that went into crafting the package. “You can’t go back to the drawing board, and we shouldn’t. We have a great product to deliver here.”

Republican leadership sought to rally support for the omnibus bill by touting its achievements: historic spending reductions, broad tax cuts, and key elements of former President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda spanning immigration, energy, defense, and fiscal responsibility. The House approved the measure by a razor-thin margin of 215–214, with only three Republicans abstaining from a “yes” vote—a sign of the high stakes and party discipline surrounding the legislation.

Despite criticism from Musk and allies, Johnson encouraged fellow lawmakers and the public not to let “the perfect be the enemy of the good.” He reaffirmed Republican pride in the bill and readiness to defend it nationwide. Johnson also noted that some of Musk’s recommendations via his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would be pursued through alternative legislative vehicles rather than through reconciliation, aiming to placate both fiscal hawks and party loyalists.

Musk’s vocal opposition places House Republicans in a difficult position, particularly after months of publicly supporting his efforts to slash government waste. The tension is exposing fault lines between populist and establishment factions within the GOP as the bill moves to the Senate, where Republican leaders have signaled openness to at least limited revisions despite the party’s narrow majority.

The White House has remained steadfast, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterating President Trump’s strong backing for the package. “The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s sticking to it,” she affirmed, underscoring the administration’s commitment to seeing the legislation through in its current form.