Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Elon Musk’s announcement of a new political movement, calling the tech billionaire’s “America Party” plan “ridiculous” and warning it would only create chaos in the country’s two-party system.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, Trump dismissed Musk’s attempt to launch a third political force just a day after Musk officially announced the creation of the America Party in response to Trump’s recently passed tax and spending bill.
“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump said. “We already have a very successful Republican Party. The Democrats may be lost, but this country was built around a two-party system. Third parties just confuse voters—they’ve never worked in our history.”
The feud between the two once-close allies has intensified quickly. Shortly after his remarks to the press, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to further ridicule Musk, writing, “It’s sad to watch Elon Musk go completely off the rails. He’s turned into a train wreck over the last five weeks.”
Musk had announced the creation of the America Party as a response to what he described as a disastrous economic move—Trump’s tax-and-spending package, which he says will balloon the U.S. deficit by $5 trillion. In a post on X, Musk slammed the bill and suggested it undermined any serious effort at downsizing government spending.
He also indicated that his party would campaign in next year’s midterm elections to replace Republican lawmakers who supported the measure, often referred to by Trump as his “big, beautiful bill.” The rift marks a dramatic reversal in their relationship, as Musk had previously donated millions to Trump’s re-election campaign and regularly appeared alongside him at the White House.
Trump, in turn, has accused Musk of being upset because the bill cuts green-energy tax credits that benefit Tesla, and he has threatened to cancel government contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
Adding another layer of controversy, Trump acknowledged that his earlier nomination of Jared Isaacman—an ally of Musk and private space explorer—to head NASA was a mistake. Trump had quietly withdrawn Isaacman’s nomination earlier this year without explanation, but now confirms he disapproved of Isaacman’s political ties to Democrats.
“I think it would’ve been inappropriate to appoint someone so closely tied to a company with active NASA contracts,” Trump said. “There’s a clear conflict of interest.”
The deepening conflict between Trump and Musk highlights the growing divisions within the American conservative movement and exposes how personal rivalries are beginning to shape high-level political dynamics. As the 2024 election season heats up, the fallout from this clash could reshape both Republican strategies and voter loyalties.
