U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has been a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump‘s “big beautiful bill,” is supporting Elon Musk in his ongoing feud-heard-round-the-world with Trump.
After leaving his job as a “special government employee” and “breaking up” with Trump, Musk –the world’s richest man — famously voiced his own opposition to the “big beautiful bill”, writing on X: “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.”
(Massie was one of only two House Republicans to vote against the bill, which Speaker Mike Johnson helped squeak through by a single vote. The other GOP naysayer was Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio.)
Massie defended Musk and his take on the legislation, saying: “I choose math. The math always wins over the words. And I trust the math from the guy that lands rockets backwards over the politician’s math.”
The Congressman also said of the SpaceX and Tesla boss: “You don’t land rockets backwards or get cars to drive themselves by suffering fools gladly.”
The falling out was inevitable. You don’t land rockets backwards or get cars to drive themselves by suffering fools gladly. This interview with @SharylAttkisson was taped on March 27th. pic.twitter.com/ZcrxE0IFmN
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 5, 2025
Massie’s former House colleague and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) inserted himself into the conversation to promote his own interests at the intersection of policy and tech.
McCarthy wrote on X: “Policymakers don’t build rockets or fly jets. But they do build launchpads — the regulatory kind. And when those foundations are solid, innovation takes off. Here’s how a bill that passed 10 years ago let supersonic start flying again.”
McCarthy provided a link to his ALFA Institute, which invests in aerospace innovation. The former Speaker’s claim illuminates just how intertwined the federal government and big business are, offering a hint at the vast potential impact of Musk’s government work on his business interests.
Policymakers don’t build rockets or fly jets. But they do build launchpads — the regulatory kind. And when those foundations are solid, innovation takes off.
Here’s how a bill that passed 10 years ago let supersonic start flying again
https://t.co/ahNpO1mvqm
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) June 9, 2025
In 2015, McCarthy wrote and helped pass the Space Act Bill, which according to ALFA “streamlined licensing for satellites, space tourism, and experimental flights. It gave entrepreneurs a clear, more predictable framework to build inside of. And it clarified that private companies could own the resources they extract in space.”
Note: President Trump signed an executive order last week directing the FAA to “repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight,” which McCarthy suggests would not have been possible without his SPACE Act of 2015.