Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced the formation of a new political party called “America”, following the results of an online poll he posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account. The poll, which drew over 1.2 million votes, showed 65.4% in favor of creating a new party.
“By a 2-to-1 margin, you said you want a new political party — and now you have one,” Musk wrote. “When our country is being driven to bankruptcy through reckless spending and corruption, what we have is a one-party state, not a democracy. Today, the ‘America’ Party is born — to restore your freedom.”
A Break With Trump
In a sharp shift from his previous alignment with Donald Trump, Musk publicly distanced himself from the former president, citing the nation’s soaring deficit under his influence as the final straw.
“Under Biden, the deficit hit a crazy $2 trillion. Under Trump, it’s on track to hit $2.5 trillion. This will bankrupt the country,” Musk posted on X, responding to a user asking why he had changed his stance on Trump.
Once considered a close Trump ally and even holding an honorary government position as a volunteer advisor on bureaucratic efficiency (DOGE), Musk had been seen as part of the president’s informal inner circle. But tensions reportedly began mounting behind the scenes due to conflicts over business interests and diverging policy views.
Fallout Goes Public
Things boiled over publicly on June 5, when Musk and Trump traded jabs across social media. Musk claimed Trump wouldn’t have won the 2024 election without his backing, criticized the administration’s latest $5 trillion debt ceiling increase proposal, and even voiced support for a renewed impeachment effort.
While Musk’s move to form a new party was dramatic, it reflects growing frustration among voters with both major U.S. parties. The “America” Party, at least for now, remains a digital-born movement with no formal structure or leadership team beyond Musk himself. But the billionaire’s platform of fiscal responsibility, anti-corruption, and civil liberty restoration may resonate in an increasingly polarized political landscape — especially with Musk’s massive online influence.
Whether the party will become a meaningful force in American politics or a symbolic protest against the status quo remains to be seen. One thing is clear: Musk has no intention of staying on the sidelines.