Trump criticizes Musk's 'America Party' as a disastrous move for the Republican Party
In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk, the renowned entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has quietly dropped plans to form the America Party for the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. This decision comes as Musk seeks to maintain good relations with Vice President J.D. Vance, whom he may support for a potential 2028 presidential run [1][2].
The America Party, announced in early July 2025, was Musk's response to a public clash with former President Donald Trump and his criticisms of the two-party system. A poll conducted by Musk showed over 80% support among 5.6 million respondents for a new centrist party representing the political "middle" [3]. Initially, the America Party was intended to compete in next year's midterms for House and Senate seats [1].
However, by August 2025, Musk decided to put the America Party on hold to focus on his business ventures and to keep strategic ties with influential Republican figures, notably Vice President Vance [1][2]. Despite this pause, Musk has not completely ruled out reviving the party before the 2026 elections, so the political dynamics could still shift [1][2].
The America Party, intended to challenge both Democrats and Republicans, aims to "give back freedom" to voters and challenge the "uniparty" system. Its core goals include reducing national debt, responsible spending, modernizing the military with AI, accelerating AI adoption, less regulation (especially in energy), free speech, pro-natalist policies, and generally centrist policies [4]. Musk's America Party plans to "laser-focus" on 2-3 Senate seats and 8-10 House districts, rather than launching a presidential campaign [4].
Critics, including Donald Trump, have dismissed the idea of a third party as unrealistic and unlikely to succeed [2]. The historical difficulties third parties face in U.S. elections, coupled with Musk’s current de-emphasis on the party, suggest that the chances of significant success for the America Party in 2026 are low at this time [1][2].
The clash between Trump and Musk largely centers around the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a piece of legislation estimated to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt [5]. Musk has been vocal in his criticism of the bill, vowing to oust any GOP lawmaker who supports it [5].
The future of the America Party remains uncertain, with its current inactivity and the strategic calculations of its founder, Elon Musk, shaping the political landscape. If Musk were to revive the party, it could potentially divide conservative voters and hand electoral wins to Democrats in tightly contested districts.
- The Verge
- CNN
- TechCrunch
- Bloomberg
- Politico
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