3 weeks ago
1
CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten on Wednesday argued that ex-White House adviser Elon Musk isn’t a fan of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” because it has far-from-notable impact on reducing the federal deficit.
“No wonder Elon Musk is so upset,” Enten told CNN’s John Berman.
The billionaire took to his social media platform Wednesday where he ramped up criticism of the GOP-backed legislation and pushed for Americans to “KILL the BILL,” one that cuts taxes for mostly higher earners and slashes Medicaid funding.
In one post, Musk claimed that a new spending bill “should be drafted that doesn’t massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling” by trillions of dollars.
Enten noted that Trump looks to send Congress a rescissions package of cuts made by Musk’s old stomping grounds at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency — cuts that would drop the national debt down by about $9 billion.
The House-passed spending bill, on the other hand, would bring the federal deficit and debt “through the roof” by an estimated $2 trillion over 10 years.
“You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to know that $9 [billion] doesn’t come anywhere close to... $2 trillion,” he added.
“So all of DOGE’s work that they would send — at least a part of it — to Congress gets completely wiped out, wiped off the map by the big, beautiful bill.”
Berman went on to refer to Musk being “mostly critical” of Congress in his takes on the bill before asking who would “win” in a battle between the billionaire and Congress.
Enten turned to a mix of net favorability (percent approval minus percent disapproval) ratings showing how Musk — who sits at +63 — is a “very popular dude” among Republicans compared to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who sit at +46 and +30, respectively.
But the billionaire, he said, is “nowhere close” to Trump’s net favorability rating among the GOP — a figure that sits at +79, per a mix of polls.
If the president — who has remained silent on Musk for most of Wednesday — “decides to turn his fire” on the criticism, Enten said, it’s a fight that the former White House adviser simply can’t win.
Enten, when asked if Republicans “really care” about cutting taxes even if the deficit increases, pointed to polls showing a dramatic shift on the issue.
In 1992, just 22% of Republicans dismissed the deficit rising amid tax cuts.
Today, that figure sits at 74%.
English (US) ·