AUSTIN, Texas — Tech billionaire Elon Musk, once a key ally and major political donor to US President Donald Trump, announced on Saturday the formation of a new political party in the United States, which he has named the “America Party.”
Musk, the world’s richest person, stated his intention to challenge what he described as the country’s “one-party system.”
Musk’s announcement follows a bitter public falling out with President Trump. The rift intensified after Musk, who had led the Republican administration’s efforts to slash spending and cut federal jobs as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), voiced fierce opposition to President Trump’s massive domestic spending plan, arguing it would explode the US national debt.
He had previously vowed to do everything in his power to defeat lawmakers who voted for it. Now, through the “America Party,” he aims to achieve that objective.
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” the Space X and Tesla chief posted on X, the social media platform he owns. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
Musk cited the results of a poll he uploaded on Friday, US Independence Day, in which he asked whether respondents “want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system” that has dominated US politics for approximately two centuries. The yes-or-no survey garnered over 1.2 million responses.
“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” he posted on Saturday. Musk further underscored his stance by sharing a meme depicting a two-headed snake with the caption “End the Uniparty.”
The potential impact of this new party on the 2026 mid-term elections or the presidential vote two years later remains uncertain. The Trump-Musk feud dramatically reignited late last month when President Trump pushed Republicans in Congress to approve his expansive domestic agenda, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Musk vehemently opposed the legislation, scathingly criticizing its Republican supporters for backing what he termed “debt slavery.” He had previously pledged to launch a new political party to challenge lawmakers who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill, which experts project will add an extra $3.4 trillion to the US deficit over the next decade.
“They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk had declared earlier this week.
Following Musk’s strong criticism of the flagship spending bill — which ultimately passed Congress and was signed into law — President Trump threatened to deport the tech tycoon and strip federal funds from his businesses.
Also Read: Trump vs Musk: Inside the billionaire fallout over America’s spending bill
“We’ll have to take a look,” the president told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa and obtained US citizenship in 2002.
On Friday, after posting his poll, Musk outlined a potential political battle plan focusing on picking off vulnerable House and Senate seats to become “the deciding vote” on key legislation.
“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” Musk posted on X.
All 435 US House seats are contested every two years, while approximately one-third of the Senate’s 100 members, who serve six-year terms, are elected biennially.
Some observers were quick to draw parallels to historical third-party campaigns that have split the vote, notably businessman Ross Perot’s independent presidential run in 1992, which many believe contributed to George H.W. Bush’s re-election defeat and ultimately Bill Clinton’s victory.
“You are pulling a Ross Perot, and I don’t like it,” one X user commented in response to Musk’s announcement.
