Elon Musk, the tech billionaire who threw away a quarter of a billion dollars during the 2024 election, claims he’s going to be a bit tighter with his purse strings when it comes to politics in the future. In an interview at the Qatar Economic Forum with Bloomberg, Musk, a Trump supporter spearheading efforts to cut government bloat through the Department of Government Efficiency, stated, “I think I’ve done enough. If I see a reason to do political spending in the future, I will do it. I don’t currently see a reason.” During the last election cycle, Musk splurged a whopping quarter of a billion dollars, mostly to boost Trump’s campaign. Despite his recent proclamation, he started off 2025 with a bang by vocally supporting an unsuccessful conservative candidate for Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court and shelling out over $12.5 million through his super PAC to help the candidate.
Trump, after a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill this morning, hinted at some changes he wants to make to the reconciliation bill expected to be voted on this week. He mentioned that they will be making a couple of tweaks to the legislation, which has already passed through several committees. Trump expressed his disapproval of state and local tax (SALT) deductions, suggesting that Democratic governors are pushing for them to be included in the bill. Additionally, a group of blue-state Republicans are advocating for a higher cap on SALT. Despite Republican provisions in the bill to impose limits on Medicaid, Trump adamantly claimed that there won’t be any cuts to the program, making it harder for people to access benefits. When asked about including work requirements for Medicaid, Trump simply stated, “We’re not touching anything. All I want is one thing — three words, we don’t want any waste, fraud or abuse … Other than that, we’re leaving it.”
Heading over to Capitol Hill this morning, Trump is set to speak at the House Republican Conference meeting where GOP lawmakers are hashing out details of the budget reconciliation package that includes the Trump administration’s priorities. The legislation aims to continue Trump’s tax cuts, ramp up spending for the military and border enforcement, and slash Medicaid and clean energy spending. However, some conservative holdouts are balking at the package due to concerns about increasing the budget deficit. On another front, Rep. Jared Golden from Maine announced his decision to seek re-election, emphasizing his commitment to restoring balance in Congress by prioritizing working-class families. Golden, who narrowly clinched re-election in 2024 in a district won by Trump in all three cycles he ran, has been known to break ranks with his party on certain issues, including supporting aspects of Trump’s tariff agenda.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has thrown her hat into the ring for the governorship of Georgia. Bottoms, who served in prominent roles at the Democratic National Committee and in President Biden’s White House and 2024 campaign, launched her campaign with a video on social media highlighting her upbringing, family values, and taking shots at Trump. She criticized Trump’s handling of the economy and accused him of jeopardizing Medicare and Social Security. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has brought charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver from New Jersey, alleging that she assaulted law enforcement at an ICE facility in Newark earlier this month. McIver defended herself, calling the charges “purely political” and expressing her anticipation for the truth to come out in court. She recounted a visit to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in her district, which she claimed should have been peaceful but turned confrontational when ICE agents arrested Mayor Baraka.
