Billionaire Elon Musk has said he is forming a new political party in the United States, following a public fallout with President Donald Trump over government spending.
Posting on his social media platform X, Musk wrote: “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” and accused the current system of operating as a “one-party system, not a democracy.”
The announcement comes just one day after President Trump signed into law a major domestic policy bill, which Musk strongly opposed. The legislation, which Trump called his “big beautiful bill”, is expected to add trillions of dollars to the US deficit. Musk, who was previously one of Trump’s top donors and advisers, has been critical of the bill, calling it fiscally irresponsible.
The disagreement over the bill marked a significant shift in the relationship between the two men. Musk had served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency in Trump’s administration and was the largest individual contributor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Although Musk initially deleted critical posts about the president and appeared to walk back his statements, tensions reignited as the bill neared approval.
It is not yet clear whether Musk has begun the legal process of registering the America Party with the Federal Election Commission. As of Saturday, there were no public filings indicating such a move.
Musk said his new party will focus on fiscal conservatism and reducing government spending, though he has shared few details about its full policy platform. He stated the party would aim to support candidates in a limited number of House and Senate races during the 2026 midterm elections.
Despite their recent split, Musk and Trump share similar views on several social issues. However, Musk has warned that Republican economic policies risk increasing national debt and referred to the current trajectory as “debt slavery.”
Efforts to establish a viable third party in the US have historically faced significant challenges. Notably, businessman Ross Perot ran as an independent in 1992 and won nearly 19% of the popular vote, but failed to secure any electoral votes.
Experts say launching a new political party requires navigating complex legal and financial hurdles, and building a broad support base can prove difficult.
President Trump has responded to Musk’s move by suggesting the government might review its contracts with Musk’s businesses. He also referred to the government agency formerly led by Musk as a “monster” that may “go back and eat Elon.”
