President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was open to moving the July 4 deadline he gave fellow Republicans in the US Senate to get behind a tax and spending bill, amid deep divisions within the party.
Trump told reporters at the White House he was open to shifting Friday's deadline but said it would be wise for Republicans to get on board. He said he expected to get the legislation passed in the end.
July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day in the United States.
The war of words between billionaire Elon Musk and Trump over the big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts is heating up again, with Musk claiming he may form a new political party and Trump blasting the Tesla CEO over electric vehicle subsidies.
The most prominent divide in the relationship between Musk and Trump is the president's big bill. Musk ramped up his criticism of the bill three days ago, arguing the legislation that Republican senators are scrambling to pass would kill jobs and bog down burgeoning industries.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said Musk has known that he's against an EV mandate and that people should not be forced to own electric vehicles.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump wrote.
The President went on to say that there could be some cost savings for the nation.
“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!” Trump posted.
Several hours later, while standing on the White House lawn before heading to Florida, Trump continued to discuss what he believes is Musk's displeasure with potentially losing EV subsidies.
“He's very upset. You know, he can lose a lot more than that, I'll tell you right now," Trump said. "Elon can lose a lot more than that.”
The President also cautioned Musk on the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which the billionaire used to lead.
“DOGE could be the monster that turns around and eats Elon,” Trump said.
Democrats have criticised the proposed cuts and have attempted to slow proceedings in the Senate.
Senator Ed Markey proposed an amendment to delete provisions which he argued would force rural hospitals to limit their services or shut down altogether.
Other amendments proposed by Democrats concerned the bill's cuts to food assistance. They were all voted down along party lines.
Musk, who is also CEO of SpaceX, posted on X on Saturday that the bill would be “political suicide for the Republican Party”.
Musk suggested he will work to get members of Congress who vote for the bill out of their seats next year.
“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame,” he wrote on X. “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
A few hours later, Musk followed up with a post claiming he will create a new political party if the bill passes.
“If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day,” he wrote. "Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE."
