Congress and Presidents Simply Reflect U.S. Society’s Addiction to Overspending and Debt

June 3, 2025

Overview

Elon Musk, former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a major tax-and-spending package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2025, calling it a “disgusting abomination” that exacerbates the federal deficit. The bill, which extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and increases spending on military and border security, is projected to significantly increase the U.S. national debt, already approaching $37 trillion. Musk’s remarks, made on his social media platform X, underscore ongoing tensions within the Republican Party over fiscal policy.

This article specifically examines if Congress is simply reflecting the norms of American society by repeatedly approving unbalanced budgets over decades, and if other nations have similar societal and national debt trends.

Facts

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed the U.S. House on May 22, 2025, with a 215-214 vote, supported by most Republicans and opposed by all Democrats and two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan federal agency, estimates the bill will increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over 10 years, with tax cuts costing $4.5 trillion and spending cuts saving $1.5 trillion.
The U.S. national debt is approaching $37 trillion in June 2025, with the 2025 fiscal year deficit projected at $2 trillion, per the U.S. Treasury Department.
Elon Musk posted on X on June 3, 2025: “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.”
The bill includes provisions to extend 2017 tax cuts, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, increase military and border security funding, and impose work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
U.S. household debt reached $17.7 trillion in Q1 2025, driven by mortgages ($12.4 trillion) and credit card debt ($1.1 trillion), per the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Comparative data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 2024 shows U.S. general government gross debt at 123% of GDP, Japan at 252%, Germany at 66%, and China at 83%.

Perspectives

Elon Musk (Tesla CEO, former DOGE head): Argues the bill undermines DOGE’s efforts to cut federal spending, claiming it will balloon the deficit to $2.5 trillion and impose unsustainable debt on Americans. He emphasizes fiscal restraint as critical to national stability.
President Donald Trump: Supports the bill as essential for economic growth, stating on May 28, 2025, “We have to get a lot of votes. We need to get a lot of support, and we have a lot of support.” He argues tax cuts will spur growth to offset deficits.
Congressional Budget Office: Maintains a neutral stance, projecting the bill’s $3.8 trillion deficit increase based on economic models, noting that spending cuts are insufficient to offset tax reductions and new expenditures.
Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.): Opposes the bill, stating on X on June 3, 2025, “We have both seen the massive waste in government spending and we know another $5 trillion in debt is a huge mistake.” He advocates for deeper spending cuts.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.): Defends the bill and believes it aligns with Trump’s agenda despite deficit concerns.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): Opposes the bill, stating on June 3, 2025, during a press conference, that he agrees with Musk’s deficit concerns and aims to block the legislation to protect social programs like Medicaid.

Considerations

U.S. federal debt at 123% of GDP exceeds many developed nations, though Japan’s 252% ratio suggests higher debt sustainability is possible with strong economic management.
Rising household debt, particularly credit card balances, mirrors federal overspending, potentially straining American families if interest rates remain high.
Short-term economic growth from tax cuts may boost GDP, but long-term deficit increases could raise borrowing costs, per IMF warnings on high-debt economies.
The bill’s Medicaid and SNAP cuts could reduce federal spending but risk increasing poverty, as CBO estimates 8.6 million people may lose healthcare access.
Global trends show nations like Germany (66% debt-to-GDP) prioritizing fiscal discipline, which may offer lessons for U.S. policy to balance growth and debt reduction.
Political polarization over spending, as seen in Musk’s and Schumer’s alignment against the bill, may complicate bipartisan debt reduction efforts in the Senate.
Long-term debt servicing costs could crowd out public investments in infrastructure or education, limiting future economic resilience.