Elon Musk asked to return to White House after role ended but was rebuffed says insider

Elon Musk’s brief tenure at the heart of the Trump administration has ended in acrimony, with the billionaire entrepreneur now publicly savaging the president’s flagship legislation.

Musk, who was brought into government as a “special government employee” to spearhead cost-cutting efforts, had his time limited to 130 days. According to two sources close to the Tesla and SpaceX chief, he had hoped to extend his stay—but was turned down, reports The Telegraph.

The tech titan received an Oval Office farewell last week as he stepped down from his post as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. But any goodwill appeared short-lived. Taking to his platform X, Musk condemned Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” as a “disgusting abomination.”

His outburst sent shock waves through Washington, where Trump is fighting to get the ambitious tax-and-spending bill through a narrowly divided Congress.

A Trump insider acknowledged the backlash, telling reporters administration officials were “disappointed” with Musk’s comments. Meanwhile, a source close to Musk described the situation as a case of “sour grapes.”

But the damage may already be done. Musk’s intervention has added fuel to growing concerns about the president’s legislation. Among those voicing opposition is Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a key Trump ally on Capitol Hill.

The bill has become a central plank of Trump’s second-term domestic agenda. The president has reportedly cleared his schedule for days at a time, personally working the phones to secure votes and move the bill through a Congress where Republicans hold only a razor-thin majority.

Allies of the former president are now suggesting Musk’s criticism is driven more by personal frustration than principle. “He’s a businessman with interests,” one Trump ally said privately, “and he wasn’t happy about leaving.”

According to sources, Musk had sought more time to work toward his ambitious goal of cutting $1 trillion in federal spending—but was told that would not be possible.

There were also reported tensions over policy decisions that hit close to home. As first reported by Axios, the bill removes the electric vehicle tax credit, which has long benefited Tesla. In addition, Musk’s efforts to convince the FAA to purchase Starlink satellites for air traffic control reportedly fell flat. Over the weekend, the administration also pulled the nomination of a Musk ally to lead NASA.

At stake is Trump’s signature legislation, which aims to enshrine existing tax cuts and add new breaks for tips and overtime—key campaign pledges. Supporters say it will boost the economy; critics argue it doesn’t go far enough in offsetting lost revenue.

Adding to the pressure, the Congressional Budget Office warned on Wednesday that the bill could add $2.4 trillion to the national debt, which has already soared to a record $36.2 trillion.

Despite the growing storm, the bill has cleared its first hurdle—passing the House. The battle now moves to the Senate, with Musk’s rebuke looming large over the debate.