 "Is Elon Musk serious about starting a third political party in the US?")
Elon Musk is threatening to form a third political party in the United States.
His outburst came as a direct response to US President Donald Trump’s massive domestic spending proposal — nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill” — which Musk has denounced in a series of strongly worded social media posts.
With tensions between the two men escalating publicly, Musk has proposed forming the “America Party,” a new political outfit he claims will give ordinary citizens a genuine voice, in contrast to what he refers to as the existing “uniparty” structure of Democrats and Republicans.
On his social media platform X, Musk wrote, “If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day. Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE.”
How did Musk fallout with Trump?
The idea of launching a new political party comes amid a major falling out between Musk and Trump. Once considered close allies, the two figures have recently clashed, particularly over policy and fiscal matters.
Musk, who previously advised the administration through the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), has been vocal in his disdain for the bill, which he believes reverses efforts made by Doge to curtail public spending.
Criticising the bill’s financial impact, Musk asserted that it would increase the national deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next decade, based on projections from the Congressional Budget Office for the Senate version.
The House version is expected to raise the deficit by $2.4 trillion.
Musk did not hold back, stating, “Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
His remarks singled out specific Republican lawmakers like US Representatives Andy Harris and Chip Roy — both known for advocating fiscal restraint — as well as US Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.
Despite GOP divisions, most Republican legislators have supported some version of the bill.
Why is Musk feeling betrayed?
Musk’s break with Trump has also been deeply personal. He previously touted DOGE’s success in saving $190 billion for the federal government through sharp cutbacks in various sectors.
However, critics, including the non-partisan Partnership for Public Service, argue these actions may have cost taxpayers an estimated $135 billion.
DOGE was central to Trump and Musk’s shared mission to reduce social welfare programmes, foreign aid and environmental protections. Yet Musk now argues that the new bill undercuts those efforts.
Beyond the broader fiscal impact, he is particularly aggrieved by cuts to clean energy and electric vehicle subsidies — areas central to his businesses.
According to Musk, the legislation supports “industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.” He further labelled the spending initiative a “disgusting abomination.”
Their feud became more public early June when Musk posted that Trump had failed to acknowledge his role in the 2024 election victory, stating, “Without me, [Donald] Trump would have lost the election.”
The US president responded on his platform, Truth Social, suggesting the government could slash expenses by eliminating federal subsidies and contracts granted to Musk’s ventures: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
Musk’s America Party: Will he get the support?
Musk’s proposal to create a new political party is not entirely new.
Earlier last month, he conducted a poll on X asking users whether it was time to form a party that represents the “80% in the middle.”
The response was overwhelming — over 80 per cent of respondents agreed, a result Musk framed as proof of widespread disillusionment with the two-party system.
He wrote, “The people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America to represent the 80% in the middle! And exactly 80% of people agree. This is fate.”
The people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America to represent the 80% in the middle!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2025
And exactly 80% of people agree 😂
This is fate. https://t.co/JkeOlG7Kl4
He later sarcastically referred to the existing political landscape as the “PORKY PIG PARTY,” highlighting the absence of meaningful opposition between Democrats and Republicans. “Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” he added.
Despite these declarations, Musk had previously indicated he would reduce his political spending in the next election cycle. In May, he stated he would contribute “a lot less” in 2026.
Nevertheless, he is now pledging to back primary challengers to almost every Republican who supports Trump’s bill. His commitment is noteworthy: he had already donated close to $300 million to Republican candidates in the 2024 election.
So far, Musk has voiced direct support for US Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has stood firmly against the bill. Massie, known for his libertarian-leaning positions, is one of the few Republicans to openly challenge the legislation.
Can a party actually breach the two-party hierarchy in the US?
Historical precedent shows the difficulty of breaking through America’s entrenched two-party system. Ballot access requirements, lack of political infrastructure and limited institutional support have stalled or sunk similar efforts in the past.
Moreover, public opinion appears to show limited enthusiasm for Musk himself as a political alternative to Trump.
A YouGov poll conducted in June found that while 28 per cent of respondents would choose Trump in a head-to-head contest, only 8 per cent favoured Musk. A majority — 52 per cent — stated they would support neither candidate.
Further polling conducted before the public fallout between Musk and Trump revealed parallel approval ratings among the American public.
An April poll from the University of California–Riverside found Musk had an 80 per cent approval rating among Republicans, just 7 per cent among Democrats, and 33 per cent among independents.
Trump scored similarly, with 84 per cent support from Republicans, 7 per cent from Democrats, and 36 per cent among independents.
These figures suggest that while Musk holds sway among conservative voters, his appeal beyond that demographic remains limited.
With inputs from agencies
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