Global (Commonwealth Union) _ The public feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tech Mogul Elon Musk has taken on new heights during the course of the weekend, with the Tesla CEO’s announcement of the formation of a new political party, the America Party, and Trump’s ensuing comment stating that the idea was “ridiculous”.
Speaking before he boarded Air Force One in New Jersey, the president dismissed Musk’s ambitions to form a third party, citing that America had the traditional strength of a two-party system. He also mentioned that historical records indicated the failure of third parties, suggesting that forming a new party would be a waste of Musk’s time. The president also posted on Truth Social, raising concerns regarding the billionaire’s behaviour and stating that he had gone “off the rails”.
The tech guru’s fallout with the president seemingly arose from the new tax and spending bill that Musk argued weeks prior would collapse the nation into bankruptcy. The bill was signed into law on the Fourth of July and reportedly strips away the green energy tax credits from Tesla, proposing a spending increase of $5 trillion, which Musk believes is contradictory to conservative fiscal policies. Musk, who formerly acted as senior advisor to President Trump, responded to the bill’s passing, declaring his intentions of targeting the lawmakers who supported the legislation during the 2026 midterm elections.
Musk was previously known as a major Trump supporter during the 2024 elections, providing heavy funds and holding advisory roles within the party. He also played a role in leading the Department of Government Efficiency for a short period of time, in which he oversaw several cutbacks in federal spending.
The conflict escalated further when Trump raised concerns that Jared Isaacman, being named as a nominee for the head of NASA, was raising concerns regarding conflict of interest, given his close ties with SpaceX, and was later withdrawn as a nominee in May.
Despite the rising tensions, Musk is prepared to go ahead with his plans to form an “America Party”. While the party is still to be filed officially with the Federal Election Commission, Musk claimed his proposal gained strong online support with a 65% positive result in an online poll.
Several figures, such as Mark Cuban and Anthony Scaramucci, have supported Musk’s initiative, suggesting that the movement could have substantial financial momentum behind it. However, whether or not the party will become a viable force in US politics is yet to be determined.
