Despite the promise of a leaner, smarter government under President Donald J. Trump’s second-term agenda, some conservative House Republicans are raising red flags over what they view as a glaring omission in the “Big Beautiful Bill”: the absence of DOGE-recommended spending cuts.

The DOGE (Deficit Optimization & Government Efficiency) initiative, led by tech titan Elon Musk, has become a pillar of Trump’s second-term economic strategy — focused on cutting waste, fraud, and abuse across federal agencies. But the latest House-passed legislation, which advances many of Trump’s bold tax priorities, is under fire from fiscal hawks for not going far enough on slashing spending.

“I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” Musk told CBS Sunday Morning, voicing concern over the bill’s deficit implications.

His frustration is being echoed across the conservative movement, both on and off Capitol Hill.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis didn’t hold back, blasting congressional Republicans in a post on X for abandoning their fiscal promises:

“To see Republicans in Congress cast aside any meaningful spending reductions (and, in fact, fully fund things like USAID) is demoralizing and represents a betrayal of the voters who elected them.”

DeSantis also praised Musk’s leadership on DOGE, noting the intense political and personal attacks Musk has faced in taking on the D.C. spending machine.

Meanwhile, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller offered clarification on the legislative process, pointing out that the “Big Beautiful Bill” is not the proper vehicle to execute the DOGE cuts.

“DOGE cuts would have to be done through what is known as a rescissions package or an appropriations bill,” Miller explained on X. “The Big Beautiful Bill is NOT an annual budget bill and does not fund the departments of government.”

That explanation has done little to quiet the chorus of conservatives demanding faster, firmer action.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) issued a stark warning about the consequences of inaction:

“Personally I want to pass DOGE cuts every single week until the bloated out of control government is reigned back in… Our future literally is in peril.”

Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) echoed the urgency, tweeting:

“Every DOGE cut targets waste, fraud, and abuse. Congress MUST codify them quickly. What’s the holdup?!”

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has gone a step further, vowing to oppose the bill altogether unless it’s aligned with DOGE’s fiscally responsible recommendations:

“@ElonMusk is right. The House’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill would explode the debt by $4 trillion, undermining all the cuts @DOGE has made. There’s nothing beautiful about that.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) acknowledged the concerns and reiterated that the DOGE reforms are not being ignored, but instead are being reserved for the appropriate legislative vehicles. He emphasized that the GOP-led House remains fully committed to enacting Trump’s 2026 budget through the appropriations process.

“We’re eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings,” Johnson said. “This legislation builds on DOGE’s success — and we intend to swiftly implement President Trump’s vision.”

Still, the split within the GOP raises questions about how unified Republicans remain on the fiscal front — and whether some establishment elements are quietly trying to delay spending reform until after the 2026 midterms. Such a move would risk squandering the current window of opportunity — and potentially leave President Trump hamstrung in the final years of his historic second term.