Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced the launch of a new political organization, named the “America Party”. This marks a dramatic rupture in his relationship with President Donald Trump. The move comes in direct response to Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending bill, which Musk has sharply condemned as fiscally reckless.
Once a close political ally of the president, Musk had served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency born out of Trump’s push to slash bureaucracy. But the alliance fractured as the administration’s latest legislation advanced through Congress. Prior to its passage, Musk had publicly warned that if “this insane spending bill passes,” he would launch a rival political force.
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” Musk posted Saturday on X, the social media platform he owns. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
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The legislation was signed into law Friday, and by Saturday morning, Musk had made good on his threat. His declaration lit up political circles and social media, fueling speculation about the billionaire’s next steps and how seriously to take his third-party ambitions.
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President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters Sunday afternoon from New Jersey before returning to Washington, dismissed Musk’s new venture. Calling the idea “ridiculous,” Trump doubled down on his party’s political strength and legacy. “The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system,” he said in an AP report. “And I think starting a third party just adds to confusion. It really seems to have been developed for two parties.”
Third parties in the U.S. have historically faced uphill battles and rarely gain traction at the national level. Still, Musk’s massive personal wealth, reportedly north of $250 billion, and his recent $250 million in financial support for Trump’s 2024 campaign, suggest that his involvement in the 2026 midterms could shake up the political landscape.
In fact, Musk has already begun soliciting feedback from his followers on X, hinting that the America Party will field candidates in key congressional races. Last month, he threatened to campaign against every sitting lawmaker who backed Trump’s controversial bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” and warning it would balloon the federal deficit.
“The Republican Party has a clean sweep of the executive, legislative and judicial branches and STILL had the nerve to massively increase the size of government, expanding the national debt by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS,” Musk said Sunday on X.
READ ALSO: Elon Musk slams GOP tax bill as job-killer, warns of ‘strategic harm’
Despite the noise surrounding the announcement, it remains unclear whether Musk has formally taken steps to establish the party with the Federal Election Commission. No official filings had been confirmed by his political action committee, America PAC, and neither Musk’s team nor the PAC responded to requests for comment on Sunday.
Still, the FEC database reflected a flurry of activity in the wake of Musk’s post, with several new entries featuring variations of “America Party,” “DOGE,” or “X” in the name, along with dubious or fake contact information, including anonymous ProtonMail accounts and joke email addresses like “wentsnowboarding@yahoo.com.”
Adding to the fallout, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had frequently clashed with Elon Musk during his tenure at DOGE, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union to downplay the announcement. He acknowledged that DOGE’s core principles resonated with some voters but questioned Musk’s personal appeal. “If you look at the polling, Elon was not,” Bessent said. He speculated that Tesla’s board of directors likely disapproved of the political move, adding, “I imagine that those board of directors did not like this announcement yesterday and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities, not his political activities.”
Musk’s reentry into politics marks a sharp reversal from statements made just two months ago, when he claimed he would spend “a lot less” on political causes. With a renewed feud with Trump, an aggressive new message, and vast financial firepower, Musk’s America Party could test just how much disruption one individual can bring to the two-party system he now openly rejects.
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