 "Elon Musk announces new 'America Party', but can he be US president?")
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the formation of a new political outfit—the America Party—with a mission to challenge what he described as a 'one-party system' in the United States. The move, declared on his platform X on July 6, follows a very public split with former ally and US President Donald Trump.
“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk posted on X. “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”
The announcement has fuelled speculation over Musk’s political ambitions, with many pondering whether he intends to contest the 2028 US presidential election. But the question remains - can he?
Elon Musk hints at electoral push
Responding to a user on X who asked whether he would run in the midterms or in 2028, Musk replied, “Next year.”
While the comment triggered fresh discussion about a possible electoral foray, Musk remains constitutionally barred from seeking the presidency.
As per Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution, only natural-born citizens of the US are eligible for the presidency. Musk, born in South Africa, acknowledged this limitation in 2024, stating, “I cannot be president because of my African birth.”
Despite these constraints, Musk’s political rhetoric and public polling suggest he is keen on influencing the American political landscape from outside the traditional Democratic and Republican structures.
Elon Musk's fallout with Trump
Musk’s political move comes after a dramatic fallout with Donald Trump. He was once a close adviser and even led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the initial few months of the Trump administration. Musk also emerged as the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
However, the relationship soured over disagreements on Trump’s tax and spending bill, which Musk criticised for adding trillions to the federal deficit. The rift culminated in Musk’s exit from the DOGE and a series of public jabs between the two.
Trump reportedly threatened to review federal contracts awarded to Musk’s companies and labelled DOGE “a monster that may go back and eat Elon".
Poll-driven launch for party
Musk’s decision to float a new party was preceded by a poll posted on July 4 on X, asking users if they wanted “independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system.” Over 1.2 million users responded, with a 2-to-1 majority in favour.
“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk posted on X following the poll.
He also shared a meme of a two-headed snake captioned “End the Uniparty”, suggesting bipartisan collusion between Republicans and Democrats in misgovernance.
No formal registration yet
As of now, there is no formal record of the America Party’s registration with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), according to recent filings cited by CNN. Musk has also not revealed where or how the party will be officially registered.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said the America Party would initially focus on a limited number of House and Senate races in the 2026 midterm elections. He offered few details about its policy platform, apart from describing it as fiscally conservative.
Despite the legal bar on his own candidacy, Musk has stated in the past, “I actually don’t want to be president. I want to build rockets and cars.” Still, he indicated he would be willing to assist in governance reform, especially if Trump were re-elected, saying in 2024: “I’ll work hard on the Department of Government Efficiency.”