Despite a wave of damning polls and sharp criticism—even from former allies—President Donald Trump is doubling down on his defense of his sweeping “Big Beautiful Bill,” insisting it remains “very popular” with the American people.
Trump made the comments Friday, just hours after Congress narrowly passed the massive spending package, which is projected to add $3.4 trillion to the already staggering $36.2 trillion national debt. Speaking after returning from a rally in Iowa, Trump praised the bill as delivering “the biggest tax cuts in our country’s history” and brushed off concerns about its unpopularity.
“The only poll I saw was a Democrat poll,” Trump told reporters, dismissing widespread polling that shows deep public disapproval.
In reality, a slew of recent surveys from respected outlets—including CNN, The Washington Post, Pew Research, Fox News, Quinnipiac University, and the Kaiser Family Foundation—paint a grim picture. All reported net approval ratings in the double-digit negatives, ranging from -19% to -29%.
Critics say the bill slashes safety nets, favors the wealthy, and piles on debt while offering little relief to ordinary Americans. Among the most surprising rebukes came from Elon Musk, once a key Trump backer. Musk lambasted the legislation as a “disgusting abomination” filled with wasteful spending that he said would “destroy jobs” and bankrupt the nation.
Taking aim at Republicans who supported the bill, Musk dubbed the GOP the “Porky Pig Party” and warned that the bill’s passage could be “political suicide.” He even floated the idea of launching a new political party to push back against what he called a betrayal of conservative values.
Trump hit back swiftly and harshly, threatening to wield federal power against Musk’s companies. He suggested that Tesla and SpaceX’s federal contracts could be reviewed—or revoked—by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency Musk once briefly led. Trump even made the provocative claim that Musk could be deported, though the billionaire is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
In response, Musk doubled down, retweeting critical commentary and launching a Twitter poll asking followers if he should form a new party.
As Trump prepared to officially sign the bill into law late Friday, the storm surrounding the legislation—and the president’s response to it—shows no sign of calming.
