Billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday announced the formation of a new political organization called the “America Party,” declaring it a movement to “give Americans back your freedom” and break what he described as a corrupt, single-party system in Washington.
The announcement came a day after Musk ran a poll on his platform, X, in which he claimed a 2-to-1 majority of users backed the creation of the new party.
“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk wrote on X Saturday, formalizing a move he has been hinting at for months amid escalating tensions with President Donald Trump and mounting frustration over the direction of national policy.
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The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who was the largest political donor of the 2024 election cycle—contributing more than $280 million, most of it to Trump and Republican congressional candidates—now appears poised to become a disruptive force in the 2026 midterms. His announcement follows weeks of public criticism of Trump’s sweeping domestic policy agenda and an acrimonious online feud that has seen the once-allied moguls turn on each other.
A Rift Between Former Allies
Musk’s launch of a political party marks a dramatic break with Trump, who once counted him as a close ally and tapped him to lead a controversial initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The office, established early in Trump’s second term to streamline federal spending and dismantle government agencies, was driven in part by Musk’s libertarian leanings and push for bureaucratic overhaul.
But that partnership soured after Musk stepped down from his DOGE post in May, just as Trump was rallying Republican lawmakers to pass his mammoth budget bill—legislation Musk sharply opposed.
“It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS, that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” Musk fumed on X earlier this week, criticizing both Republicans and Democrats for what he called “unrestrained greed.”
While Musk’s new “America Party” has not yet been registered with the Federal Election Commission, he laid out an aggressive preliminary vision on Friday: targeting 2–3 Senate seats and 8–10 House districts to act as a swing bloc in Congress.
“Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people,” Musk said.
Musk added that the America Party would caucus independently and negotiate legislation with both Republicans and Democrats. He has yet to provide a clear policy platform but has repeatedly emphasized fiscal restraint, civil liberties, and opposition to “big government” in recent posts.
His involvement in competitive congressional races could have an outsized impact. In 2024, Musk’s donations helped propel several Republican candidates in key swing states. Now, with his vast resources and influence—especially on digital platforms—he could become a kingmaker or spoiler, depending on how the new party fields candidates.
Although Musk has not said whether he intends to run for office himself or merely back others, the creation of the party may signal a broader political realignment, particularly among independents and libertarian-leaning conservatives disillusioned with Trump’s hardline populism and Democrats’ progressive spending priorities.
How Realistic Is The American Party?
Neither Trump nor the Republican National Committee has formally commented on Musk’s announcement, though sources close to the Trump campaign said the president viewed Musk’s move as “irrelevant theatrics.” Some GOP lawmakers have downplayed the impact, suggesting Musk’s break may end up benefiting Democrats by siphoning off right-leaning voters.
Democrats, meanwhile, reacted cautiously. While Musk’s opposition to the new budget law aligns with their criticism of its massive tax cuts and steep cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, his history of inflammatory posts and alignment with Trump’s early agenda have made him a polarizing figure on the left.
Political strategists are watching closely to see whether the America Party becomes a formal political force or fizzles out like other third-party efforts in U.S. history. Musk’s vast wealth, cultural influence, and command of the digital media ecosystem give him advantages that past independent candidates lacked. But the risks of ballot access restrictions, institutional opposition, and voter skepticism remain high.
However, Musk’s declaration signals a deepening fracture in Trump-era conservatism and suggests that the fallout from the president’s domestic agenda may not be limited to Democrats.
“Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” Musk wrote this week.