Fueled by fury over Trump's 'big and beautiful bill,' Musk launches 'America Party'

The tattered bromance between U.S. President Donald Trump and his former campaign megadonor Elon Musk took a dramatic new turn on Saturday, as the billionaire entrepreneur launched a new political party – a move he framed as a direct response to the Republican president's tax-cut and spending bill, also known as the "big and beautiful bill," which he warned would drive America into bankruptcy.

"Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom," Musk declared in a post on Saturday.

His announcement follows a poll he launched on U.S. Independence Day, July 4, in which he asked his 180 million followers on his X platform whether he should start a new political party. Out of over 1.2 million responses, approximately 65 percent voted in favor. 

"By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!" he wrote in a follow-up post after the poll.

When asked by users whether the "America Party" would contest the 2026 midterms or the 2028 presidential election, the tech mogul gave a two-word reply: "Next year."

Despite the bold proclamation, it remains unclear whether the "America Party" has begun the necessary legal processes to be formally recognized under U.S. election law. Official party recognition involves a series of steps in the U.S., including holding a convention, electing interim officers, and filing paperwork with election authorities. Musk has yet to reveal the party's leadership, platform, or organizational structure.

Musk's political pivot comes amid a sharp and public rupture with President Donald Trump. Once considered a close ally, Musk donated nearly $300 million to Trump's campaign efforts and briefly served as the head of the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) during Trump's administration, a department aimed at slashing federal spending.

But in May, Musk abruptly resigned from DOGE and launched a barrage of criticism against Trump's much-touted "big and beautiful bill," describing it as "Utterly insane and destructive," and accusing Republican lawmakers of promoting "debt slavery."

The tensions escalated further this week when Trump threatened to revoke Musk's U.S. residency and strip Tesla and SpaceX of federal funding.

"You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon," Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. "He's upset that he's losing his EV mandate and … he's very upset about things, but he can lose a lot more than that."

Musk responded defiantly with a post on X. "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now," he said, referring to federal subsidies.

Speaking at the World Peace Forum on Thursday, Thomas Fingar, a fellow at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University, noted that the tax legislation itself contains numerous flaws and long-term risks. He also suggested that the escalating feud between Musk and Trump resembles more of a reality TV show than a substantive policy debate.