There are limitations to President Trump’s transactional view of the world.

This is evident in his growing tension with Elon Musk, which risks creating political problems that threaten his agenda. Trump usually gets his way through a mix of flattery, favors and intimidation, but Musk is less inclined than most to respond to these techniques.

Musk holds a lot of cards. His Tesla factories employ tens of thousands of American workers. His SpaceX rockets underpin our national aspirations in space. He is also the wealthiest person on the planet, and his wealth facilitates a natural tendency to speak out when his principles are challenged. That was illustrated in late 2023 when he invited advertisers to stay off his social media platform.

It is possible to disagree with everything Musk does and still concede that the man is principled. This is why our less principled President is struggling to understand Musk’s hostility to the tax and spending bill, the oddly named One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so named after an utterance by Trump.

Musk carried out his work at the Department of Government Efficiency without humanity and with childish antics. But if his methods were wrong, his beliefs were real. His opposition to a spending bill that negates his work by increasing federal debt by more than $2 trillion is rooted in deeply held principles.

His life would be easier and his businesses more secure if he had stayed quiet and joined other Republicans in supporting a bill they know leads our nation one step closer to fiscal ruin. Musk is different. He was willing to alienate........

© The Hill