The world’s richest man has sent shockwaves of politics flying through Washington by announcing that he will form a brand new political party named the “America Party” to continue his bitter feud with President Donald Trump, in a move that could change the politics of America. Elon Musk’s pronouncement comes as the tech billionaire changes from Trump ally to critic when it comes to the president’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill” legislation, one of the most historic political breakups in contemporary American politics.
The genesis of the America Party threat
Musk originally suggested launching a new political party in June 2025 and asked his 220 million X followers in a poll whether it was “time to build a new political party in America that actually speaks for the 80% in the middle.” When 80% of the electorate voted in support of it, Musk called it “fate” and supported one of his followers’ proposals that it be called the “America Party.”
The threat was realized on Monday, July 1, 2025, when Musk made his threat: “If this out-of-control spending bill passes, the America Party will be created tomorrow” and that “Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so the people actually have a VOICE”.
It was no accident that the timing. Musk issued the announcement as the Senate battled through Trump’s broad domestic policy legislation in tense all-night negotiations, with the billionaire raising the stakes by vowing lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill that they would “lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
The Trump-Musk relationship breakdown
The danger posed by the America Party is the glittering implosion of what was once a formidable political coalition. Musk, who had spent more than $270 million to support Trump’s 2024 campaign and emerged as the nation’s largest Republican donor, had been at the forefront of the Trump team as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Their friendship took a sharp turn after Musk quit his White House position in May 2025 once he hit his 130-day mark as a special government employee. The confrontation escalated over Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Musk called an “insane spending bill” adding $5 trillion in debt to America as detailed in this article, A “disgusting abomination”: Elon Musk lashes out at President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
The battle of words hit a fever pitch as Trump ramped up the war of words on July 1, 2025, suggesting he would deport Musk even though the billionaire had been a U.S. citizen since 2002. Trump addressed the press saying “We’ll have to take a look” when asked about deportation, then joked that “DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
What the America Party represents
Though little has been written by Musk concerning the America Party’s explicit platform, his statements indicate that it would represent a third option to what he views as the “Democrat-Republican uniparty.” The prospective party seems to appeal to furious voters who are dissatisfied with the conventional two-party system, that is, those whom Musk refers to as the “80% in the middle.”
America Party’s name is eerily similar to America PAC, Musk’s political action committee through which he proceeded to create his first vehicle for spending $239 million to get Trump and other Republicans elected in 2024. It implies the new party may be riding on pre-existing infrastructure and contributor networks Musk has established.
Musk’s politics changed over the years. He was initially a Democrat but afterward denounced both parties while calling for government efficiency, lower spending, and fiscal conservativism. His DOGE experience, which purportedly saved taxpayers $130 billion up to March 2025, is proof of his activism to halve federal spending.
The monumental challenges of third-party formation
Despite Musk’s sheer fortunes — $406.5 billion as of July 2025 — establishing a viable third party would be almost impossible. CBS News had election lawyer Brett Kappel explain that “Only the richest person on the planet could make a genuine effort at founding a new American political party,” but even Musk’s fortunes may prove inadequate.
The chief obstacle is ballot access. While the Democratic and Republican parties have acquired ballot access in almost all the states, the new parties are required to fight “a thicket of complex state laws, time-consuming ballot access requirements and intense litigation”. There are different ballot access rules in each state, and therefore it is a maze of rules to traverse that takes “years and years and years” to navigate.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 presidential campaign is a warning case. With unlimited resources, Kennedy had ballot-access problems and eventually removed his name from nearly all the ballots after supporting Trump. It took “loads of time and resources” even for a deep-pocketed candidate with a famous name.
Read more: Good news for Airbus: China considers order of 300 planes from European aviation manufacturer
Read more: What was Silk Road? Remembering when Trump pardoned dark web market guru Ross Ulbricht
