House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed surprise at Elon Musk’s criticism of the “big, beautiful bill” during a recent conversation, despite previously discussing the legislation with him.
Johnson, speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, maintained confidence in the bill, but acknowledged the broader challenge posed by the nation’s mounting debt. “It took Congress decades to reach this point, where the national debt now exceeds $36.2 trillion,” he said. “It’s going to take more than one bill to fix it.”
He emphasized the need for extended reform efforts under Republican leadership, adding, “The Trump administration needs four years to do all this reform, not two years. The Biden administration, Biden-Harris, made such a disaster of every metric of public policy, it’s going to take us more than one bill to fix it all.”
The remarks came after Musk publicly warned against excessive government spending, cautioning that it could lead the U.S. “into debt slavery.”
The “big, beautiful bill” has faced internal GOP division, as lawmakers weigh fiscal responsibility against broader policy goals.