Elon Musk proposes forming new political party amid tensions with Trump

US billionaire Elon Musk floated the idea of launching a new political party this week, potentially intensifying his ongoing feud with former ally President Donald Trump.

Amid his ongoing criticism of Trump, Musk posted a poll on X asking his 220 million followers whether it is "time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle."

Highlighting that 80% of those who responded to his poll supported the idea, the Tesla CEO said in a post on Friday evening: "This is fate."

Musk later backed a supporter's suggestion to name the new party the “America Party,” a title similar to America PAC (Political Action Committee) he launched last year, which spent $239 million supporting Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 elections.

Launching a new political party in the US is a major challenge. While Democrats, Republicans, and some established third parties already enjoy widespread ballot access, any new party aiming to compete must overcome complex, state-specific requirements to get its candidates listed.

Musk also appeared to consider a post proposing to reform one of the major parties "from the inside out" rather than founding a third party, replying with "Hmm."

It remains unclear how committed Musk is to the idea of leaving the Republican Party.