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In a flurry of posts on his social media platform on Wednesday

“This bill should not be passed,” Musk posted Wednesday morning, responding to a post by Vivek Ramaswamy, co-head of President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency Advisory Group.

“Have you ever seen a bigger piece of pork?” Musk casually posted a photo of a printed copy of the bill, known as a standing resolution.

In more than two dozen posts, Musk criticized the bill on various counts, calling it “criminal” because it earmarked money for the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, an agency tasked with combating foreign propaganda and misinformation, which Musk referred to as a “censorship action”.

The public battle is testing Musk and Ramaswamy’s political power as they seek to cut government spending, including at least $2 trillion in federal programs, a figure experts say is unrealistic.

Musk, the world’s richest person, also mocked a pay raise for members of Congress in the bill, pinning the post to the top of his X-profile. Musk also appeared to make an election threat to members of Congress who voted for the bill, writing: “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in two years!” he demanded also called on his followers to call on their representatives to “stop the theft of your tax dollars.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has defended the bill, calling it a necessary stopgap measure until the party takes control of Congress next year. Johnson said on Fox News Wednesday morning that he had texted with Musk and Ramaswamy to explain the background to the bill.

“Remember, folks, we still only have a razor-thin Republican margin, so any bill must have the Democratic vote. You understand the situation. They said, ‘This isn’t directed at you, Mr. Speaker, but we don’t like the spending.’ I said, ‘Guess what, guys, I don’t either,'” Johnson said.

Several Republican members of Congress have also spoken out against the bill, with Musk amplifying many of their comments on his social platform.

South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman said any member who supports the DOGE effort – led by Musk and Ramaswamy – should oppose the stopgap bill.

“Any member who claims to support DOGE should not support this ‘CR of inefficiency’ that has no compensation!! Don’t get weak in the knees before we even get started!” posted Norman.

To pass the spending measure, Johnson will need about 90 members of his own conference to support it.

House Republicans acknowledged that Musk’s pressure campaign is having an impact on the conference, but not everyone is bowing to the pressure – for now. But while several Republican lawmakers made calls after Musk unleashed his millions of followers on their offices, the most important voice in the conversation, Trump, remained silent.

“We will see the new power of Elon,” Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, who opposes the budget bill and hopes Musk’s pressure campaign will influence his colleagues, told CNN.

House Speaker Tom Cole said “people place a lot of value on what Musk has to say” but downplayed the impact it has on his colleagues.

The new vice chair of the House GOP caucus, Rep. Lisa McClain, told CNN: “He’s not a member of Congress, but I think he’s, you know, a successful business owner, and he’s in the DOGE caucus .” So you know it’s starting. It cuts both ways.”

A moderate Republican lawmaker, Don Bacon, who supports the package, told CNN that Musk was “premature” to come out against it so quickly, even though there were many Republican “victories.”

“He should have known the facts,” Bacon added.

But outgoing GOP Rep. Debbie Lesko, who is voting against the package, said she “absolutely” hopes Musk’s public game will encourage more of her colleagues to step up.

CNN’s Haley Talbot contributed.