Tesla CEO Elon Musk has voiced rare public disappointment with the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it a blow to fiscal responsibility and a setback for the government’s cost-cutting efforts led by DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).

In a sneak peek of a CBS “Sunday Morning” interview airing later this week, Musk told correspondent David Pogue, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not decreases it, and undermines the work the DOGE team is doing.”

The criticism comes just days after President Trump celebrated the bill’s razor-thin passage in the House, portraying it as a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. Supporters of the legislation claim it helps solidify tax cuts and moves toward long-term savings, but Musk’s take hints at a deeper tension between fiscal hawks and political realities.

Pogue pressed Musk, saying, “I actually thought that when this big beautiful bill came along, everything DOGE has done gets wiped out in the first year.” Musk’s reply was characteristically sharp: “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion.”

That quote is likely to resonate beyond just budget watchdogs. While Musk remains a key ally of Trump and continues to advise the administration, his remarks suggest growing internal pressure to rein in government spending even as the administration claims victory on major legislation.

Musk’s DOGE initiative, launched early in Trump’s second term, was created to cut bureaucratic waste and streamline federal operations. It quickly gained traction with conservatives who saw it as an overdue course correction for runaway spending and unaccountable agencies. But the newly passed bill—which reportedly restores several programs and includes concessions to centrists—may have undercut those efforts.

Musk’s interview is the first public signal that some within Trump’s own coalition are uneasy about the bill’s implications. While Trump himself has touted the legislation as a “win for America,” critics on the right argue it lacks the bold fiscal cuts many expected after the GOP’s 2024 landslide.

This isn’t the first time Musk has broken ranks. In April, he voiced concern over delays in codifying spending reforms, though he praised Trump’s executive orders targeting agency waste. But this time, Musk’s tone is notably more critical—suggesting that the spending package could undo the very efficiencies DOGE was designed to achieve.

The White House has not publicly responded to Musk’s comments, though a spokesperson for DOGE acknowledged last week that the department was “still assessing the full budget impact” of the new bill.

For now, Trump continues to push forward with his broader agenda, but internal voices like Musk’s may force him to revisit the balance between political wins and fiscal discipline.

With DOGE’s mission still unfolding, and midterms on the horizon, Musk’s blunt assessment could reignite a battle within the GOP over whether the “Big Beautiful Bill” was a step forward—or a step back.