ELON Musk has hinted at launching a new political party amid a spectacular public falling-out with Donald Trump.
As the friendship between the tech billionaire and the president abruptly ended, Musk took to social media to ask his 220 million followers if it was “time to create a new political party”.
By Friday, after 80 per cent of 5.6million responders backed the idea, Musk declared: “This is fate.”
He later endorsed a supporter’s suggestion to name it “The America Party”.
It echoes the name of Musk’s PAC, the vehicle he used to pour $239million into backing Trump and Republican Party candidates in 2024.
The former allies have been locked in an escalating war of words for days – throwing insults at each other in an explosive dispute.
When Trump was asked about a possible call with Musk to calm tensions, he told ABC News: “You mean the man who has lost his mind?”
“Not particularly,” he added when pressed on whether he planned to speak to the billionaire.
The rift appears rooted in Trump’s prized One Big Beautiful Bill Ac – a domestic spending package Musk has branded as a “disgusting abomination”.
The president hit back – reportedly threatening to strip Musk’s companies of federal subsidies.
Musk also called for Trump’s impeachment earlier this week as the pair’s relationship crashed and burned.
And he added fuel to the feud by promoting baseless claims linking the president to the Jeffrey Epstein case — claims GOP lawmakers quickly rejected.
If the Tesla chief is serious about launching a new political party, it would require navigating complex state-by-state ballot access laws.
And unlike his super PAC, direct party donations are capped under federal election rules.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the split is spreading – and it has forced lawmakers to take sides.
House Speaker Mike Johnson — a key Trump ally — waved off Musk’s criticism and threw his support behind the bill that triggered the clash.
“The American people are concerned about things that really matter,” Johnson said Thursday.
“That is making their taxes low, making their economy work, making the border secure, making energy dominance a big thing again.”
Vice President JD Vance dismissed claims of Trump being reckless, labeling such assertions as “ridiculous,” while other supporters quickly defended the president against Musk’s Epstein accusations.
Tesla out, Mars off-limits
The bromance breakup has even reached the White House garage.
Trump, who bought a red Tesla Model S in March in a show of support for Musk, now plans to sell or give it away, administration officials said.
Republican lawmakers and influencers appear divided.
Some, like Rep. Thomas Massie, acknowledged Musk’s frustrations but urged caution.
Others, including members of Trump’s youth advisory board, declared their loyalty firmly with the president.
Meanwhile, Musk’s allies hinted at deeper tensions, with MAGA influencers joking that Trump’s “not invited to Mars anymore.”
Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman called for reconciliation, but hopes of a peace deal faded quickly as Trump doubled down Friday morning.
Musk, for his part, says he’ll be around for “40+ years.”
Whether that includes a third-party bid or a return to GOP primaries remains unclear.
How did Musk and Trump’s relationship crumble?
ELON Musk and Donald Trump spent Thursday launching insults on social media as their relationship quickly went sour.
The Tesla CEO called for Trump’s impeachment just as the president retaliated, cautioning that the government could terminate all federal contracts with Musk’s companies. Here’s what transpired:
- On Tuesday, Musk tweeted that Trump’s signature “big beautiful” spending bill was a “disgusting abomination” that would add billions to the federal deficit
- On Thursday in the Oval Office, Trump addressed Musk’s criticism of the bill and accused Musk of trying to kill it because the bill ends federal subsidies for electric vehicles
- Musk responded by live-posting on X as Trump spoke, initially shrugging off the president’s assessment with an unbothered “Whatever,” before tearing into the bill’s other spending provisions
- Trump escalated the feud after the Oval Office meeting with multiple posts on Truth Social, saying he told Musk to leave the White House instead of continuing to work with Doge and threatening to dump Musk’s federal contracts, which are worth billions
- Musk fired back on X by saying he was “decommissioning” the Dragon spacecraft made by SpaceX that brought the stranded Nasa astronauts back from the International Space Station in March
- Musk also escalated the war of words by reposting and replying “Yes” to a tweet claiming that Trump should be impeached and replaced by Vice President JD Vance
- Musk further fanned the flames by claiming that Trump is named in the infamous “Epstein files” and making unfounded accusations that its the reason they haven’t been released to the public.
