In a dramatic escalation of his political ambitions and ongoing fallout with former ally Donald Trump, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced the formation of a new political outfit—The America Party. The declaration came via a post on Musk’s social media platform X, where he positioned the new group as a direct alternative to the traditional Republican and Democratic parties.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and a central figure in several of America’s most high-profile industries, framed the move as a response to what he called a “one-party system” driving the country toward fiscal ruin. “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk posted, referencing a poll he had earlier conducted on X. “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
Despite the fanfare, it remains unclear whether the America Party has been officially registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). As of Saturday, no formal filings for the party were visible on the FEC website. Moreover, Musk—who was born in South Africa and is therefore constitutionally barred from running for US president—has not revealed who would lead the party or whether it would field candidates in upcoming elections.
The announcement comes just weeks after Musk’s very public and very bitter split from Donald Trump. Once a key supporter and political backer of Trump—having donated $250 million to his campaign and even served in his administration—Musk dramatically resigned from his position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in May. He cited disagreements over the president’s sweeping new tax-and-spend bill, which was signed into law this week despite fierce criticism over its $3 trillion projected impact on the federal deficit.
The legislation—hailed by Trump as his “big, beautiful bill”—does not prioritize green energy investments or subsidies for electric vehicles, a key concern for Musk given Tesla’s business model. This snub appears to have deepened the rift. “Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history,” Trump posted on Truth Social earlier this week, “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”
Trump also suggested that DOGE would now scrutinize Musk’s business empire, which includes not only Tesla but also SpaceX, a major federal contractor, and Starlink, which provides satellite services to military clients in the US and Europe.
Musk’s bold step into the political arena mirrors past attempts by third-party figures in the US to disrupt the entrenched two-party system—efforts that have historically struggled to gain traction on a national scale. In last year’s presidential race, contenders from the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the People’s Party all failed to make significant electoral inroads against the dominant Democratic and Republican candidates.
While Musk’s star power and vast financial resources could provide his new political endeavor with an initial platform, its long-term viability remains to be seen. For now, the America Party remains more a vision than a fully-formed political force.
