Musk Wants to Turn American Politics Against Trump

Elon Musk’s threat to create an alternative political party is not new. Back in early June, during the first wave of his public feud with Donald Trump, the billionaire floated the same idea. At the time, he launched a poll on X asking his followers whether he should found a new party to fill the "centrist" gap between Democrats and Republicans.

On Tuesday, Musk revisited the topic by posting a screenshot of the poll results: allegedly, 80% were in favor. He accompanied the post with the Latin phrase Vox Populi, Vox Dei—"The voice of the people is the voice of God"—suggesting he now feels compelled to follow the will of the majority.

But the voice of the people on X is not the voice of the entire country. "I don’t think this is serious," says Richard Johnson, a lecturer in U.S. politics at Queen Mary University of London. Experts point out that even Musk’s fortune doesn’t guarantee success: "Technically, starting a party is possible, and money helps, but the U.S. system is extremely closed," says Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy, an American politics specialist and author of Les mots de Trump.

Johnson explains that in practice, it’s "very, very difficult." Each jurisdiction has its own rules, and qualifying for the ballot requires collecting thousands of signatures—in every single state. "It’s not just about money. You need to mobilize tens of thousands of people across the country just to get on the ballot. That takes enormous effort and time."

Viala-Gaudefroy doubts Musk could attract enough popular support. He points out that Musk’s favorability ratings are "even lower than Trump’s," and he alienates Democratic voters while lacking strong appeal among independents.

The political platform of a potential America Party is unlikely to attract broad electoral support.

As Richard Johnson notes, Musk’s views are "essentially Silicon Valley with a tilt toward social conservatism," which puts off both Democratic voters and a significant share of Republicans. "His anti-woke stance offends Democrats," he explains.

At the same time, Musk advocates for an influx of highly skilled labor—a cornerstone of California’s tech industry hiring model. "In essence, these are the views of a typical wealthy tech entrepreneur who’s disillusioned with progressive politics but still committed to Silicon Valley’s core interests," Johnson adds.

Put simply, Musk’s economic agenda—including support for green energy (aligned with Tesla’s interests) and protection of high-skilled immigration—is unlikely to inspire Donald Trump’s voter base.

On the other end of the political spectrum, his provocative statements and gestures—such as raising his hand in a way that resembled a Nazi salute—have deeply alienated progressive voters.

The depth of public resentment toward the billionaire was reflected in Tesla’s latest quarterly report: the company posted a 13.5% drop in sales, which analysts attribute in part to the lingering backlash against Musk.

While the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX may overestimate his real-world political appeal, his threat to form a new party is, according to experts, more likely a signal: Musk is willing to go far to damage "Trumpism."

Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy believes the president’s inner circle should worry less about the "new party" rhetoric and more about the billionaire’s vow to use his fortune to "defeat Trumpist candidates" if the spending and tax break bill passes.

As one of the largest donors to the Republican Party, Musk played a key role in Trump’s campaign. Now, the president likely wants to avoid having the world’s richest individual turn his billions against the Trumpist wing in the 2026 congressional elections—or even in the GOP primaries.

"It could seriously shift the dynamics, because the president’s majority in Congress is already on shaky ground. If Musk manages to flip just a few key districts, that could change the balance," Viala-Gaudefroy explains.

That fragility was already on display Tuesday, when the Senate narrowly approved the controversial bill by a margin of 51 to 50. The deciding vote came from Vice President J.D. Vance.

The razor-thin vote revealed deep divisions within the Republican Party over a bill that ultimately lost its high-profile title—"One Big Beautiful Bill." On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer used budgetary procedures to strip the name from the final text.

Trump himself seems keenly aware of the threat Musk poses to his fiscally conservative base. Just before the Senate vote, the president launched a sharp attack on his former ally.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he would consider deporting Musk, a native of South Africa who became a U.S. citizen in 2002.

He also hinted at the possibility of reviewing the multibillion-dollar contracts and subsidies received by Musk’s companies, SpaceX and Starlink, which work closely with the federal government.

"Maybe we’ll have to sic DOGE on him. You know what DOGE is? That monster that could come back and eat Elon," Trump said—referring to the Department of Government Efficiency, a now-defunct agency created during his administration in which Musk once played a visible role.

For now, Democrats can hardly hide their satisfaction as the feud between Musk and Trump flares up once again. Some in the party have even floated the idea of reaching out to the billionaire, given his financial clout. Others, however, caution that aligning with such a polarizing figure could do the Democratic candidate as much harm as good.

According to experts, Musk’s most effective strategy may be to pledge support for any Republicans who challenge "Trump’s people" in the primaries.

While money plays an enormous role in U.S. politics, it’s not everything, says Richard Johnson. "When Barack Obama first ran for the Senate, his main rival was one of the richest men in Illinois," he recalls, referring to the 2004 primary in which Obama defeated multimillionaire Blair Hull, who had poured millions into his campaign. "But Hull had nothing truly compelling to offer voters—and he flopped."

Still, even if Musk’s support proves toxic for Democrats, the internal split he’s provoking among Republicans works to their advantage. "We’re witnessing something like a civil war brewing inside the Republican Party," says Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy. For Democrats, this is close to a perfect scenario: Trump is trying to purge the party of anyone who opposed his budget, while Musk is ready to fund their rebellion against the Trumpist wing.