Readers of this column know that for the past nine years or so, if Donald Trump said it, I was for it. It’s hard to argue with the success of a multi-billionaire who’s risked life and limb to stand up to the Democratic Party and their state-run media in an effort to halt America’s drift toward socialism and big government.

That is until now.

Lately, I’ve been busy publishing books, writing newsletters, and trying to keep my golf game from sliding completely off the rails. I haven’t been paying as close attention to national politics as I once did. That includes the new “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which recently squeaked through the House and is now winding its way through the Senate.

But when I saw that President Trump and Elon Musk were at odds over the bill, I decided it was time to dig into the details. As a fiscally conservative grandfather worried about the future we’re leaving our kids and grandkids, I’m not so sure Trump is right this time. And it is making me nervous.

I understood Trump adding $7.5 trillion to the debt during his first term. COVID-19 was raging, the country was teetering, and Democrats were demanding lockdowns. Those were extreme measures for an extreme time. Then came the Biden years, where sycophants spent like drunken sailors while the president seemed asleep at the switch, adding another $4.8 trillion in unnecessary debt.

But now? We’re rapidly approaching $37 trillion in national debt. With rising interest rates, that level of borrowing is simply not sustainable. The buck should be stopping at Trump’s desk, but suddenly, it doesn’t seem so. Just 40 years ago, our national debt was under $1 trillion. Today, projections say we’ll top $54 trillion within a decade, and the interest alone could balloon to $5.4 trillion annually – more than we spend on Social Security, Medicare, and all other mandatory programs combined.

As Elon Musk recently warned, “This immense level of overspending will drive America into debt slavery.” He’s right. Just the interest on our current debt already consumes 25% of all government revenue. If that trend continues, there won’t be enough left for defense, healthcare, or Social Security.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill before the July 4th holiday, but it’s facing pushback from lockstep Democrats and even some GOP voices like Rand Paul. Suddenly, Democrats are screaming about the cost of Trump’s bill, even though they didn’t flinch when Biden’s handlers were auto-penning trillions into law with barely a blink.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will add $2.4 trillion to the national debt. It includes $3.75 trillion in tax cuts, plus increased funding for the military and border security. Trump argues that the CBO’s math fails to account for the economic growth those tax cuts will spark, claiming it will reduce federal spending by $1.6 trillion through increased revenue from a stronger economy.

Maybe. Maybe not.

The truth is, Congress – on both sides – treats taxpayer money like a personal slush fund. Every bill is also excessively weighed down with pork. Every program becomes a sacred cow. This has gone on for far too long, and it has to stop. The waste buried in these bills is staggering and shameful.

Over a decade ago, Warren Buffett was quoted as saying, “I could end the deficit in five minutes…by passing a law that says that any time there’s a deficit of more than three percent of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.” At the time, he said it with a chuckle, but there’s nothing humorous about this plan as there is sound logic to what he said.

It’s disheartening to see Trump pushing more spending at a time when the country can least afford it. We shouldn’t be gambling on optimistic growth projections or political continuity to justify adding trillions more to our deficit. Any new “Big Beautiful Bills” should be focused on cutting costs and slashing pork only – not chancing to add more.

So, with all due respect, Mr. President, I’m with Elon on this one.