Elon Musk has quietly shelved his plans to launch the “America Party,” a third political party he announced in July 2025, according to multiple reports citing sources familiar with his plans. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is instead focusing on his business ventures and maintaining relationships with key Republican figures, particularly Vice President JD Vance.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on August 20, 2025, that Musk told associates he wants to avoid starting a party that could siphon voters from the Republican Party. Sources indicate the billionaire is reluctant to alienate powerful Republicans and damage his relationship with Vance, who is widely considered the heir apparent to the MAGA movement.
Musk initially proposed the America Party on July 4, 2025, during his public feud with President Donald Trump over the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he criticized as wasteful government spending. He conducted polls on his X social media platform asking followers whether they wanted a new political party to represent what he called “the 80 percent in the middle.”
On July 5, 2025, after 65.4 percent of poll respondents voted in favor, Musk announced: “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.” However, this represented a significant decrease from a similar poll conducted in June, where 80.4 percent had supported the idea of a new political party.
The tech mogul’s political ambitions emerged after his departure from the Trump administration on May 30, 2025. Musk had been leading the Department of Government Efficiency, a cost-cutting initiative, before leaving to focus on his companies. Almost immediately after his departure, he began publicly criticizing Trump administration policies, particularly the spending bill he called a “disgusting abomination.”
Sources close to Musk told the Journal that he initially planned to target two or three Senate seats and eight to 10 House districts in the 2026 midterm elections. He expressed interest in supporting primary challengers against Republicans who supported the spending legislation he opposed. Trump responded by threatening to terminate Musk’s federal contracts as their feud escalated.
Vice President Vance has been working to bring Musk back into the Republican fold. In an interview with the Gateway Pundit, Vance indicated he believed it would be a mistake for Musk to break from the president and expressed hope that the billionaire would return by the midterm elections. Vance acknowledged that Musk helped significantly in getting Trump elected in 2024.
Musk spent over $250 million supporting Trump and other Republican campaigns during the 2024 election cycle, becoming one of the largest individual political donors. According to sources, he has expressed interest in financially backing Vance for a potential 2028 presidential run, viewing the vice president as Trump’s likely successor in leading the MAGA movement.
The America Party concept gained attention from other high-profile figures, including billionaire Mark Cuban, who initially supported the idea. However, sources indicate Cuban has not spoken to Musk about the party in months, and Musk’s political advisors have also ceased discussions about the venture.
Despite shelving immediate plans, Musk’s allies suggest he has not formally ruled out launching the America Party and could revisit the idea as the 2026 midterm elections approach. The decision appears driven by strategic considerations rather than a complete abandonment of third-party politics.
Democratic strategist Denny Salas previously told Newsweek that while there exists enough anger within the American electorate to enable a third party like the America Party to recruit candidates and gain voter support, the sustainability and genuineness of Musk’s effort remained questionable. Salas noted that political parties succeed through grassroots organizing rather than simply because billionaires decide to start them.
Third-party candidates historically face significant challenges in federal elections, often serving as spoilers for the two major parties rather than achieving electoral success. The constitutional requirement for candidates to gather sufficient signatures in each state to appear on ballots presents additional logistical hurdles.
Musk responded to the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on August 20, 2025, dismissing the publication’s credibility. Writing on his X platform, he stated that “Nothing The Journal says should ever be thought of as true,” though he did not provide specific details contradicting the report’s claims about his political party plans.
The apparent reconciliation between Trump and Musk suggests their summer feud may be subsiding. Musk has refrained from recent criticism of the president or other Republican politicians, focusing instead on his business operations at Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures.
