Elon Musk has officially launched a new political movement called the America Party. He announced it on July 6 via X, the platform he owns.
At the same time, Musk declared, “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” He further added, “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”
Musk Aims to Disrupt the Two-Party Order
According to Musk, his goal is to bring liberty back to the American people. Moreover, he intends to challenge the dominance of both Democrats and Republicans, who he believes are equally responsible for financial mismanagement.
His announcement comes at a time of growing disagreement with his former ally, Donald Trump. Specifically, Musk criticized the recent budget bill passed under Trump’s leadership.
From Ally to Critic
Previously, Trump had appointed Musk to lead a unit known as the “Department of Government Efficiency” or Doge. Musk claimed Doge saved $190 billion through aggressive federal budget cuts. However, a review by the Partnership for Public Service said the move actually cost taxpayers $135 billion.
As a result, Musk stepped down in May and began voicing strong opposition to Trump’s fiscal decisions.
Musk Reveals a Focused Strategy
Instead of contesting the 2028 presidential race, Musk plans to focus on the 2026 midterms. In fact, he explained on X, “One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts.”
Furthermore, he claimed this limited strategy could “serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws” and represent the will of the people.
To describe his plan, Musk used a historical reference. He compared his approach to that of Epaminondas, the Theban general who used concentrated force to defeat Sparta. Musk explained, “The way we’re going to crack the uniparty system is by using a variant of how Epaminondas shattered the myth of Spartan invincibility at Leuctra.”
Targeting Tight Margins in Congress
Currently, the House is narrowly controlled by Republicans, while the Senate remains nearly evenly split. In fact, Trump’s controversial budget bill passed the House by just four votes and required Vice President JD Vance to break a 50-50 tie in the Senate.
Therefore, if Musk’s America Party wins just a few key races, it could significantly shift legislative power in Congress.
GOP Could Lose Votes to America Party
Many analysts believe the America Party may end up pulling more support from Republicans than Democrats. Although the new party promotes conservative ideas like fiscal discipline and free speech, it could divide the right-wing vote.
Musk himself confirmed that he plans to begin with the 2026 midterms. When asked if the party would run in 2028 instead, he answered, “We’ll start small, contesting key seats in 2026 to flip the balance, not 2028.”
Trump Fires Back at Musk
Trump reacted harshly to Musk’s political challenge. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head to South Africa.”
Later, speaking in Florida, Trump joked, “We might have to put Doge on Elon. Doge is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”
He dismissed Musk’s efforts entirely. “I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party… Third parties have never worked. So he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous,” Trump told reporters.
Even though Musk donated $277 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, their relationship has clearly soured.
Third Parties Face Tough Odds
Historically, the US political system has blocked third-party success. For example, the Libertarian Party, the largest third party, holds no federal or state-level offices.
The last major third-party win came in 1998 when Jesse Ventura became Minnesota’s governor. However, he soon left the party and became independent.
At present, only two independents — Bernie Sanders and Angus King — serve in Congress, and both support Democrats.
Additionally, creating a national party requires passing state-by-state ballot laws. The America Party hasn’t registered with the Federal Election Commission yet, nor has it started tackling these legal requirements.
Musk Cannot Run for President Himself
Since Musk was born in South Africa and became a U.S. citizen in 2002, he cannot run for president. The Constitution only allows natural-born citizens to hold the office. Consequently, Musk must recruit a different candidate to lead his party.
Musk Uses Independence Day to Test Support
On Independence Day, Musk conducted a public poll asking if Americans wanted a new political party. Over 1.25 million users voted, and more than 65% supported the idea.
He wrote, “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!”
He also shared a meme of a two-headed snake — one head with the Republican symbol, the other with the Democrat — under the word “uniparty.” Musk responded with, “Yes,” to a comment that said, “End the Uniparty.”
Can Musk’s Party Succeed?
For now, the America Party is just getting started. Musk’s wealth and massive social following give him an edge. However, success depends on whether he can turn that support into actual votes.
If the party builds strong infrastructure and gains traction in 2026, it may influence national politics. If not, it may become yet another failed third-party attempt in US history.
