The White House has responded to President Donald Trump’s close ally Elon Musk’s blistering criticism of his “big, beautiful bill.”
Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was tasked with saving trillions in federal spending, ripped into the budget bill in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, branding it “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination.” “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know,” he added.
During a White House briefing on Tuesday afternoon, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about Musk’s comments and “how mad President Trump was going to be” when he read them.
However, Leavitt brushed off the question, saying it “doesn’t change the president’s opinion.” “Look, the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,” she said. “This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s sticking to it.”
What To Know
The bill touted by Trump is a key avenue for Republicans to push forward the White House agenda.
However, GOP infighting could put the bill in peril due to the narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress and the united front Democrats have put up against the legislation.
Conservative Republicans have historically favored deep budget cuts while centrist-leaning Republicans have been more inclined to keep certain programs for the benefit of their constituents.
Trump recently issued a new deadline for the bill, calling on Republican senators to work on getting it passed and to his desk before the Fourth of July.
Newsweek’s live blog is closed.
04:59 PM EDT
Trump signs order doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum
President Trump has signed an executive order doubling the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, from 25 percent to 50percent.
The new tariff takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
“I have determined that it is necessary to increase the previously described steel and aluminum tariffs to adjust the imports of steel and aluminum articles and their derivative articles so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security,” Trump said in the text of the executive order, shared by the White House on Tuesday.
“In my judgment, the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminum in the United States market and thereby undercut the competitiveness of the United States steel and aluminum industries.”
Trump added that the U.K. will be exempt from the full force of the tariff, under their new trade deal with the U.S.
04:47 PM EDT
Schumer brings printed copy of Musk’s abomination X post to his weekly news conference
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, took a a printed-out copy of Elon Musk’s X posts criticizing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” to his party’s weekly news conference.
“He’s right,” Schumer said of Musk’s comments, calling the spending bill a “disgusting abomination.”
“Republicans should listen to him.”
04:36 PM EDT
Man jumps Mar-a-Lago wall to marry Trump’s granddaughter: Police
A man was booked into a Florida jail Tuesday morning after police say he admitted to jumping a wall into President Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago estate to “spread the gospel” to Trump and marry his granddaughter, Kai.
According to Palm Beach Police, 23-year-old Anthony Thomas Reyes of Texas admitted to Secret Service agents that “he had jumped over the wall to get into the property” of Mar-a-Lago early Tuesday morning.
The Secret Service agents said that Reyes had not entered the sweep area or been given permission to enter the property. According to police, this is not the first time Reyes trespassed at Mar-a-Lago, citing a previous incident in December 2024.
Reyes was read his Miranda Rights, police say, and he then “openly admitted” that he climbed the wall surrounding Mar-a-Lago in order to “spread the Gospel to POTUS and marry Kai.”
Kai Trump, 18, is the president’s granddaughter and the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. She is active on social media and an avid golfer. She committed to the University of Miami to play golf after graduating from high school.
04:15 PM EDT
Speaker Johnson blasts Musk’s bill criticism as ‘terribly wrong’
Speaker Mike Johnson said that Elon Musk’s criticism of President Trump’s spending bill is “terribly wrong.”
“Let me say this: It’s very disappointing,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday. “With all due respect, my friend Elon is terribly wrong about the one big, beautiful bill.”
The Speaker said he spoke with Musk by phone Monday after the billionaire expressed he was “disappointed” with the bill, and he’d “extolled all the virtues of the bill,” which he thought the Tesla CEO had understood.
Johnson suggested that Musk’s ire may stem from the fact the bill cuts electric vehicle credits to companies like Tesla.
“I know that the EV mandate is very important to him; that is going away because the government should not be subsidizing these things as part of the Green New Deal,” Johnson said. “I know that has an effect on his business and I lament that. We talked about the ramp down period on that and how that should be duly considered by Congress.”
04:08 PM EDT
Who was Harvey Milk?
In 2021, the U.S. Navy named a new ship after gay-rights leader Harvey Milk – the first openly gay official to be elected in California in the 1970s who had been forced out of the Navy two decades earlier because of his sexual orientation.
“This great ship honors Navy diver and civil rights activist Harvey Milk, who was forced out of the service due to unfair policies,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, launching the new ship, in 2021. “Because of him, today our LGBTQ Sailors and Marines serve honorably as their genuine selves. Leaders like Harvey Milk taught us that diversity of backgrounds and experiences help contribute to the strength and resolve of our nation.
Milk was assassinated on Nov. 27, 1978 by Dan White, who also killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. White was convicted of manslaughter and spent five years in prison before later killing himself.
03:54 PM EDT
Hegseth strips name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk from Naval ship
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename a ship that was named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk.
The memorandum, from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, states that the oil ship USNS Harvey Milk will be given a new name, Military.com reports.
The move comes at the start of Pride Month.
Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi slammed called the decision as “a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.”
“Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the “warrior” ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.”
03:33 PM EDT
Thomas Massie throws support behind Musk’s bill criticism
Rep. Thomas Massie, who was one of just two Republican congressmen who voted against Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in the House, has backed Elon Musk’s criticism of the budget.
Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was tasked with saving trillions in federal spending, ripped into the budget bill in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, branding it “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination.”
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know,” he added.
Rep. Massie responded to Musk with just two words of approval; “he’s right.”
02:23 PM EDT
White House reacts to Musk calling Trump’s bill an ‘abomination’
The White House has responded to President Donald Trump’s close ally Elon Musk’s blistering criticism of his “big, beautiful bill.”
Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was tasked with saving trillions in federal spending, ripped into the budge bill in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, branding it “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination.”
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know,” he added.
During a White House briefing on Tuesday afternoon, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about Musk’s comments and “how mad President Trump was going to be” when he read them.
However, Leavitt brushed off the question, saying it “doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big beautiful bill and he’s sticking to it.”
01:58 PM EDT
Russian sanctions are a ‘tool in Trump’s toolbox’
The White House said that President Donald Trump has not ruled out imposing tariffs on Russia as part of his efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
“He has smartly kept this as a tool in his toolbox,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.
Leavitt said she wanted to “remind everybody of how far we’ve come” after Ukraine and Russia delegations held peace talks in Turkey on Monday.
But added that Trump was “willing to use sanctions if he needs them.”
01:53 PM EDT
US sent ‘friendly reminder’ to trade partners to submit deals before deadline
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office sent letters to America’s global trade partners to remind them to submit their best tariffs deals before tomorrow’s deadline, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.
Leavitt said that the “president expects good deals” and “we are on track for that,” but that the administration had wanted to send a “friendly reminder that the deadline is coming up.”
01:50 PM EDT
White House blames Biden-era immigration policies for Boulder attack
The White House on Tuesday blamed former President Joe Biden‘s immigration policies for allowing the Boulder attack suspect to remain in the country, calling the incident “a sobering reminder of the consequences” of what it described as a failed border strategy.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in her press briefing this afternoon, “President Trump sounded the alarm over these reckless Biden policies for years because this is the predictable result of letting anti-American radicals and illegal immigrants pour into our country.”
01:49 PM EDT
Elon Musk calls Trump’s big bill ‘disgusting abomination’
Elon Musk ripped into President Donald Trump‘s spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” and accusing lawmakers who supported it of knowingly betraying the public trust.
“Shame on those who voted for it,” Musk posted on X. “You know you did wrong. You know it.”
I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.
This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.
Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2025
01:47 PM EDT
Trump will attend NATO summit in The Hague
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in The Hague later this month.
While there, he will meet with the leaders of other NATO countries in the Netherlands.
01:35 PM EDT
White House defends new FEMA boss’ comments about hurricane season
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has defended Trump’s newly appointed FEMA boss David Richardson after he remarked that he hadn’t known the U.S. had a hurricane season, in a leaked all-hands meeting.
Leavitt was asked in her Tuesday briefing if the president was still comfortable with Richardson after he made those comments, without any clarification on whether it was meant as a joke or in earnest.
“We know we are into hurricane season now and I know FEMA is taking it seriously, contrary to some of the reporting we have seen based on jokes that were made in leaks from meetings,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt criticized the media for covering the new FEMA bosses comments, adding that, “there are serious people that are taking this seriously.”
The press secretary also warned states to be “responsible with their tax dollars” as, “we’re not going to enable states to make bad decision with federal tax dollars, and then have the federal government later have to bail these states out.”
01:28 PM EDT
Republican-led state setting an example for teaching math
Alabama was the only state to earn a “Strong” rating its math education in a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality released Tuesday.
The state, which has historically leaned red, achieved a strong rating across five core policy areas.
Historically, Republican-leaning poor states have suffered from reduced education funding and teacher gaps, leading to lower scores and educational quality.
In previous years, Alabama ranked near the bottom of all states, so the new report shows significant progress in public school classrooms.
01:19 PM EDT
Majority Leader John Thune says failing to extend debt limit would be ‘incredibly consequential’
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that failing to extend the U.S. debt limit would be “incredibly consequential in a very adverse way.”
Thune made his comments, on Tuesday morning, after President Donald Trump railed against budget bill holdout, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
Paul has said repeatedly that he would not vote for the bill if a debt limit extension is included.
On Tuesday Thune said that he was determined to “get to 51” senators voting for the bill, adding that “failure is not an option.”
01:10 PM EDT
DNC hires taco truck to mock Trump over TACO nickname
FILE – President Donald Trump speaks at U.S. Steel Corporation’s Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant, Friday, May 30, 2025, in West Mifflin, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
FILE – President Donald Trump speaks at U.S. Steel Corporation’s Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant, Friday, May 30, 2025, in West Mifflin, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
AP
The Democratic National Committee has hired a taco truck to mock Donald Trump over his new “TACO” (Trump Always Chickens Out) nickname.
The truck, which will be parked outside the Republican National Committee’s headquarters on Capitol Hill, will also feature an image of the president in a chicken suit next to the slogan “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
“Trump always chickens out — we’re just bringing the tacos to match,” DNC chair Ken Martin said in a statement to Axios.
The term “TACO” originated in financial circles as a quip about Trump’s tariff threats and perceived unpredictability.
Trump announced a series of sweeping global tariffs in April, sparking major stock market volatility. Within a few days, the president announced he was pausing them for 90 days amid the backlash – the first in a series of shock announcements and row-backs.
Last week, CNBC’s Megan Casella asked Trump about the “TACO trade” theory, which prompted a furious tirade from the president who accused her of asking the “nastiest” question and telling her to never ask it again.
12:28 PM EDT
Could Clarence Thomas delay retirement over Trump picks? Experts weigh in
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is seen before swearing in Pam Bondi as attorney general in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 5, 2025. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)…
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is seen before swearing in Pam Bondi as attorney general in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 5, 2025. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)
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Francis Chung/AP
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is unlikely to delay any hypothetical retirement to avoid being replaced by a President Donald Trump appointee, legal analysts have said.
Speaking with Newsweek, analysts rejected the suggestion that a spat between Trump and conservative legal groups, as well as tension over some of the appointments Trump has made, would be enough to change Thomas’ tenure in the courts.
As Republicans have a slim majority in both the House and Senate, the courts have emerged as one of the main impediments to policies the Trump administration has pursued. Trump has repeatedly called for the impeachment of federal judges who have blocked his orders and has appointed people to courts to suit his politics.
Thomas, a conservative judge, has served since 1991. If the 76-year-old retires, it will change the alignment and direction of the court, depending on who replaces him. He has made no public statements indicating whether he wishes to retire.
12:18 PM EDT
Hegseth to testify before Congress for first time since Signal leak
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to testify before Congress later this month.
It will be his first time testifying since he discussed a military attack plan on a Signal group chat that included a journalist from The Atlantic. He also has not held a news conference since being sworn in.
Hegseth is expected to appear before both the House and Senate Appropriations defense subcommittees on June 10, ABC News reports.
12:09 PM EDT
McMahon reveals plans to tackle ‘incredibly high’ tuition costs
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has revealed the Trump administration’s plans to tackle the “incredibly high” cost of higher education in the United States.
McMahon said that there were many students graduating who would never be able to pay off their student loans, even if they did land their dream job that they went to college for.
She said the administration’s plans to deal with the high fees and loans was by including more information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so would-be students can learn, “Is this the college the right place for you?”
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin then asked McMahon why the budget proposal suggests cutting the borrower defense branch of the education department, which supports the many students struggling to pay off debt after attending for-profit schools.
“We’re putting other measures in place,” McMahon responded, before asking, “Where are our guidance counselors in schools?”
Durbin responded, “You’re cutting the numbers of counselors in schools at the same time.”
11:54 AM EDT
McMahon defends increasing funding for charter schools more than tenfold
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has defended the budget proposal to increase funding for charter school programs, from $50 million to $600 million.
“No child should be trapped in a failing school”, McMahon told the Senate hearing on Tuesday.
She added that the Trump administration believed that the “freedom of choice” that charter schools provided was very important.
11:42 AM EDT
McMahon questioned over plans to stop antisemitism aid cuts
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito asked McMahon during the Senate hearing on Tuesday, how the Trump administration plan to protect Jewish students from antisemitism, when the budget plan cuts funding to the office of civil rights.
McMahon responded that Trump’s actions to defund Columbia and Harvard universities shows that the administration “will not tolerate antisemitism on campuses or discrimination of any kind.”
The Trump administration has taken punitive measures against several elite colleges in the U.S. for allowing students to protest against the war in Gaza.
“We are actively enforcing that and we have defunded [programs at Columbia and Harvard,” McMahon said. “We’re saying we mean business.”
10:51 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s approval rating shifts in multiple polls
President Donald Trump‘s approval ratings are trending upward, according to multiple national polls.
In recent months, Trump has seen his approval ratings fluctuate as he has pursued an aggressive policy agenda, including the introduction of tariffs, which led to volatile economic markets, moved forward with an immigration plan featuring deportations and cut thousands of federal jobs.
An uptick in the polls shows the president’s base could be stabilizing as he attempts to control political narratives. If the president’s approval rating continues to rise, it could bolster Republican momentum and complicate Democratic strategy heading into midterms.
A number of recent polls show an uptick in Trump’s approval rating—though most fall within the margin of error.
That includes the most recent ActiVote poll, conducted between May 1 and May 31 among 488 adults, which showed that Trump’s approval rating stands at 46 percent, while 50 percent disapprove.
10:37 AM EDT
New, darker official portrait of Trump unveiled in White House
The new official portrait of President Donald Trump hangs in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The new official portrait of President Donald Trump hangs in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon/AP
A new official portrait of President Donald Trump was unveiled on Monday, with notable differences from his last.
Trump’s official portraits taken during both his terms in the White House have sparked widespread discussions on social media.
During his first term, the president’s picture showed him smiling, and the lighting was bright. Comparatively, during his second term, the president has taken a more serious tone for his official photos.
The president has also rearranged some artwork within the White House during his second term in office, most notably adding his infamous “fight” photo, taken after his assassination attempt in July 2024, to the collection, which can now be seen hanging on the wall.
10:28 AM EDT
Education secretary Linda McMahon grilled on education budget in Senate hearing
Education Secretary Linda McMahon is testifying about education budget in Senate appropriations committee hearing.
McMahon faced questions from Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin over the $13 billion for this fiscal year which is still characterized as “unallocated.”
“The lack of transparency combined with this budget request raises serious questions about what are you trying to hide and why?” said Baldwin.
“This administration seems focused above all else on dismantling the department of education to score political points regardless of the impact on tens of millions of public school students.”
10:06 AM EDT
ICE director responds to agents being labeled ‘terrorists’
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting chief has denied heavy-handedness on the part of his agents, who he says have been forced to wear masks after being “doxed” and branded “terrorists.”
Doxing is an online attack that involves publishing someone’s personal information and details online, often with the intent to intimidate or frighten the victim.
The agency’s Acting Director Todd Lyons comments come in the wake of criticism by San Diego Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera, who branded ICE officers “terrorists” following a raid at an Italian restaurant in the Californian city last week. The operation turned chaotic as customers tried to prevent the sting, which took place during the Friday night dinner rush.
09:55 AM EDT
Trump rails against budget bill holdout Rand Paul
President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack against Republican senator Rand Paul—the holdout against his “big, beautiful bill” (BBB).
“Rand Paul has very little understanding of the BBB, especially the tremendous GROWTH that is coming,” Trump fumed in a Tuesday morning Truth Social post.
“He loves voting “NO” on everything, he thinks it’s good politics, but it’s not. The BBB is a big WINNER!!! Rand votes NO on everything, but never has any practical or constructive ideas.
“His ideas are actually crazy (losers!). The people of Kentucky can’t stand him. This is a BIG GROWTH BILL!”
Paul has spoken out against the spending bill and said he will not vote to pass it due to the inclusion of a mechanism that would allow Congress to increase the nation’s debt limit by $5 trillion.
09:44 AM EDT
Vast swathes of Alaska wilderness to lose federal protection
Huge swathes of the Alaska wilderness are set to lose federal protections under the Trump administration’s latest move to expand drilling and mining.
Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, announced that the administration is planning to overturn former President Joe Biden’s order banning drilling in the remote 23 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).
Burgum, speaking in Alaska on Monday, said the order, part of a package of protections for the state, was undermining “our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical,” the New York Times reported.
09:34 AM EDT
WATCH: Trump officials visit key operations at Alaska oil field amid push to expand drilling
09:21 AM EDT
New federal employees must now write essays praising Trump’s policies
Those seeking a job in the federal government will now have to write an essay in support of President Donald Trump‘s executive orders, according to a memo from the Office of Personnel Management.
Vince Haley, the White House’s head of domestic policy, wrote in the May 29 memorandum that all civil service applicants must answer a series of essays as part of the job recruitment process, including one about how they would “help advance” Trump’s policy priorities.
Since assuming office in January, Trump has overseen a shake-up of the federal workforce, implementing hiring freezes and mass layoffs to downsize the government in the name of efficiency. The president’s actions have sparked criticism and legal challenges.
09:13 AM EDT
US growth expected to slow to 1.6% this year, says OECD
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predict that U.S. growth will slow to just 1.5 percent in 2026 amid Trump’s trade wars.
World economic growth will slow to just 2.9 percent this year and stay static through 2026 – a significant drop from the 3.3 percent global growth last year and 3.4 percent in 2023.
Trump’s policies have rocked the dollar and the treasury yield, as well as sending the markets into a tailspin.
The average tariff rate is currently 15.4 percent, the highest since 1938. The rates were just 2.5 percent a few months ago.
08:44 AM EDT
Donald Trump predicts GOP comeback in deep-blue state
President Donald Trump expressed confidence in a Republican resurgence in New Jersey during a recent rally, claiming that the deep-blue state is ripe for political change.
“New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show and really get in there and vote for somebody that’s going to make things happen,” the president said during a telephone rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli on Monday.
The Republicans have not won a gubernatorial election in New Jersey since 2013. The last time the GOP won a presidential election in New Jersey was 1988.
08:35 AM EDT
DOJ threatens legal action against California public schools over trans athlete
The U.S. Department of Justice has threatened legal action against California public schools for allowing transgender athletes to compete in high school sports.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in a letter to the state’s public school districts, that the California Interscholastic Federation’s 2013 bylaw allowing trans athletes to compete, was “unconstitutional” and discriminated against female athletes.
“Scientific evidence shows that upsetting the historical status quo and forcing girls to compete against males would deprive them of athletic opportunities and benefits because of their sex,” wrote Dhillon, referring to trans girls as males in the letter, later shared on X.
Today at work… put 1600+ California schools on blast for violating equal protection in girls’ sports. ⚽️ Day is still young. pic.twitter.com/5M0TAK5pjF
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) June 2, 2025