Elon Musk Launches ‘America Party’ Amid Deepening Rift with Trump

Billionaire Elon Musk on Friday announced the launch of a new political movement—the America Party—just a day after teasing the idea on X (formerly Twitter). The surprise move marks Musk’s most direct entry into U.S. politics and comes amid a rapidly escalating feud with former ally President Donald Trump.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party—and you shall have it!” Musk declared on X. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he was responding to overwhelming public support on social media after he posted a July 4th poll asking whether Americans wanted “independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system.” The poll garnered over 1.2 million votes, with a decisive majority voting yes.

The formation of the America Party marks a dramatic turning point in Musk’s political journey. Once a key Trump ally, Musk had poured hundreds of millions into the former president’s re-election campaign and led the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he championed deep spending cuts and federal downsizing.

But relations between the two powerful figures deteriorated sharply in recent weeks. Musk fiercely opposed Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill, a sweeping tax cut and spending package that passed Congress and was signed into law this week. In response, Musk vowed to use his vast fortune to unseat any lawmaker who backed the legislation.

The feud intensified when Trump, lashing out at Musk’s criticism, threatened to strip federal subsidies from Musk’s companies and even floated the idea of deporting him. “We’ll have to take a look,” Trump said when asked whether he would consider removing Musk—who became a U.S. citizen in 2002—from the country.

Republicans are reportedly concerned that Musk’s high-profile political rebellion could split the conservative vote and jeopardize the GOP’s efforts to maintain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.

As for Musk, he shows no signs of backing down. With the America Party now formally launched, he has signaled a willingness to reshape the American political landscape—potentially fracturing long-held partisan alignments in the process.