The
tech entrepreneur’s political shift follows a public feud with the US President
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and
SpaceX, has proposed creating the “America Party,” marking a sharp shift in
political strategy.
The move comes after a public
falling out with US President Donald Trump, whom Musk strongly supported during
last year’s election. Musk set up and funded a pro-Trump political group,
donating over $260 million, and was appointed by Trump in January to co-lead
the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with
reducing federal bureaucracy and wasteful spending.
In response to the growing
political divide, Musk conducted a poll on X this week, asking his 220 million
followers whether it was time to launch a new political party representing the
“80% in the middle.”
The poll drew more than 5.6
million responses, with around 80% expressing support. Musk declared, “The
people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America,” and
proposed the name “America Party.”
The rift between Musk and Trump
deepened after Musk condemned Trump’s $2.4 trillion tax and spending bill,
calling it a “disgusting abomination.” Trump retaliated by threatening
to cancel federal contracts with Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Tesla.
The conflict spilled onto social
media, where Musk accused Trump of ties to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and
called for his impeachment. Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender,
was arrested in 2019 on charges of trafficking minors. He died in jail under
disputed circumstances, sparking ongoing scrutiny of his connections to
high-profile figures.
Some Democratic lawmakers have
suggested that Musk might pivot politically. Others, however, welcomed the
falling out. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “These two huge egos were not
longed for being together in this world as friends,” calling the split “long
overdue.” The feud has also rippled through financial markets.
Tesla shares dropped 14%, while
Trump Media stock fell 8% on Thursday, recovering some of its losses the next
day.
Former Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev humorously offered to mediate a “peace deal” between Trump and
Musk. “We are ready to facilitate the conclusion of a peace deal between D
and E for a reasonable fee and to accept Starlink shares as payment. Don’t
fight, guys,” Medvedev wrote in a post on X.
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