Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced on Saturday the formation of a new U.S. political party called the America Party, aiming to disrupt what he described as the country’s entrenched “one-party system”. The move follows a highly publicized falling out with President Donald Trump, particularly over the president’s recently signed tax and spending bill, which Musk has vocally criticized for increasing the federal deficit.
Musk made the announcement on X, the social media platform he owns, declaring,
“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”.
The announcement came a day after Musk polled his followers on X, asking if they supported the idea of a new party. Over 1.2 million votes were cast, with a two-to-one margin in favor of the proposal. Musk cited this result as a mandate to proceed.
Musk indicated that the America Party’s initial strategy would be to target a small number of key races in the 2026 midterm elections, specifically “just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts.” He argued that, given the razor-thin margins in Congress, winning these seats could allow the party to serve as a decisive swing bloc on major legislation. He has not yet specified which districts or states the party will focus on.
Despite his high profile and significant financial resources—Musk was the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign—he has not yet filed official paperwork to register the America Party with the Federal Election Commission as of Saturday evening. Experts note that launching a viable third party in the U.S. faces substantial legal and logistical hurdles, including complex ballot access laws and voter reluctance to back alternatives to the two main parties.
Musk’s break with Trump, once a close political ally, became public after the president’s sweeping budget bill passed Congress. Musk, who previously led the Department of Government Efficiency during Trump’s second term, denounced the legislation as fiscally irresponsible, warning it would “massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit”. The feud between the two has escalated in recent weeks, with Trump reportedly threatening to reconsider government contracts with Musk’s companies.
Musk has framed the America Party as a response to what he calls the “uniparty” system, arguing that both Democrats and Republicans have failed to represent the interests of moderate and independent voters. He has provided few details about the party’s policy platform beyond calls for fiscal responsibility and government reform.
Efforts to establish a major third party in the United States have historically struggled to gain traction. Notable examples include Ross Perot’s independent presidential run in 1992, which captured nearly a fifth of the popular vote but failed to win any states. Musk’s initiative joins a long line of attempts by wealthy individuals to reshape the U.S. political landscape, but faces significant institutional and cultural barriers.
The White House has not commented on Musk’s announcement as of Sunday morning.
