Musk calls the two-party system broken and vows to shake up U.S. politics with a new party, the “America Party,” aimed at restoring fiscal responsibility and voter independence.
In a bold political move, Elon Musk has officially launched the America Party, saying the U.S. two-party system is broken beyond repair. The announcement came just hours after former President Donald Trump signed a massive $3.3 trillion spending bill, which critics say is bloated with unnecessary expenses and political favors. Musk didn’t name the bill directly, but his timing made the message loud and clear.
On Saturday, the billionaire entrepreneur took to X — the social media platform he owns — to declare the formation of the new party. He framed it as a response to a political system that, in his view, no longer serves the people. “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it,” Musk wrote, referencing a viral July 4th poll he posted earlier in the week.
That poll, answered by over 1.2 million users, asked if Americans wanted independence from the “two-party (some would say uniparty) system.” More than 65% of respondents said yes.
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” Musk posted. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
Musk’s surprise announcement came on the heels of Trump’s signing of what he called a “big, beautiful bill” — a sweeping $3.3 trillion package including tax cuts, infrastructure projects, and economic stimulus. Fiscal conservatives and libertarians have criticized the bill as reckless and inflationary. Musk, who’s spoken out in the past about rising national debt and wasteful spending by both parties, seems to have reached a breaking point.
The America Party, according to Musk’s initial posts, will focus its efforts on a few key Congressional races. The goal is to create a small but influential swing bloc. Rather than trying to win the presidency right away, Musk wants to hold just enough seats to block what he sees as the worst impulses of both Republicans and Democrats.
This isn’t just talk. Musk hinted at funding certain campaigns himself and indicated early support for Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican libertarian known for bucking his own party. Musk called out Massie as one of the few in Congress who stands firm against runaway spending — even as Trump and other conservatives have recently criticized him.
However, not everyone is excited about Musk’s new party. Some conservatives worry that it could split the right-leaning vote and hand more power to Democrats. “Your third party will disproportionately take votes from the right vs the left and give the left an easier path to power,” conservative commentator Shawn Farash warned on X.
Others pushed Musk to work within the GOP instead of creating a new political machine. “Reform the Republican Party from the inside,” suggested Joey Mannarino, a known conservative voice online.
Critics also raised doubts about the legitimacy of Musk’s X poll. It wasn’t limited to U.S. citizens, and many argued that bots or non-voters could have skewed the results.
Historically, third parties have struggled in American politics. The U.S. election system, especially the Electoral College and ballot access laws, makes it hard for new players to break through. Even Ross Perot, who captured nearly 19% of the popular vote in 1992, didn’t win a single state.
Yet Musk isn’t aiming for the presidency—at least not yet. By starting small and targeting swing districts, he’s taking a different approach than past third-party movements. His enormous following and personal wealth give the America Party an edge few outsiders have had before.
Whether this becomes a long-term political shift or a short-lived experiment remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain—Musk has put the two-party system on notice.
In his own words, “You asked for independence. You’re going to get it.”
