”The latest bill proposal to the senate is going to destroy millions of jobs in America and cause enormous strategic damage to our country”, writes Elon Musk, who recently left his assignment as advisor in the White House and responsible for the efficiency agency Doge, on X.
Musk is referring, among other things, to the proposal's cuts in support for green industries related to electric cars and solar and wind power.
”Completely insane and destructive. It gives subsidies to industries from the past while seriously damaging the industries of the future", writes the Tesla and Space X entrepreneur.
Investments in the military
The budget proposal contains investments in the military, Trump's ”golden” air defense, border control and deportations. A large part is also about cementing a package of tax cuts, which is left from Trump's first term as president, which would otherwise expire in December.
In order to compensate for tax losses and finance new costs, the proposal implies cuts in various government programs, such as the health insurance Medicaid and climate initiatives from the previous presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
Some Republicans are, however, skeptical of cutting programs aimed at the poor, such as health insurance and food stamps. Others are critical of a proposed increase in the debt ceiling, in order to be able to increase the state's borrowing, and would rather see even larger cuts.
The version of the budget that is now on the table was made public late on Friday.
Requires reading aloud
Democrat Chuck Schumer has demanded that the 940-page long document be read aloud in the senate.
”The Republicans do not want to tell the Americans what is in the proposal”, he writes on X.
”We will stay here all night if that's what it takes to read it", he continues.
The Republican majority in the senate is fragile and according to AP, Vice President JD Vance has arrived at Congress. He has the decisive vote in the event of a tie.
The Republican senators Thom Tillis, Rand Paul and Ron Johnson are currently against the proposal, according to CNN.
If the proposal is rejected in the senate, it will be sent back to the House of Representatives for a new vote before the president can sign it.
