Trump Calls Elon Musk’s New America Party ‘Ridiculous’ as Feud Grows
U.S. President Donald Trump has called Elon Musk’s plan to launch a new U.S. political party “ridiculous,” deepening a public feud between the two high-profile figures.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday before boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, Donald Trump dismissed Musk’s newly announced “America Party,” saying the United States’ long history as a two-party system makes it impossible for a third party to succeed.
“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party. We have tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system,” Trump said. “Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”
Later on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump went further, saying he is “saddened” to watch Musk go “off the rails” and become a “train wreck” in recent weeks.
Why Did Musk Start a New Party?
The clash comes after Musk announced the creation of the America Party on Saturday. Musk said he made the move in response to Donald Trump’s new tax cut and spending bill, which Musk claims will bankrupt the country by adding $5 trillion to the federal deficit.
Musk criticized the massive spending plan and hinted he would target Republican lawmakers in next year’s midterm elections who supported what he mockingly called the “big, beautiful bill.”
The feud is surprising because Musk previously spent millions to support Trump’s 2024 re-election and often visited him at the White House. But their relationship soured over disagreements about government spending and the removal of green energy credits that affect Tesla.
Trump has pushed back, saying Musk is upset because the new law cuts government incentives for Tesla’s electric cars and threatens billions in contracts for Musk’s companies Tesla and SpaceX.
NASA Pick Pulled Back
Trump also explained why he withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator. Isaacman is a billionaire astronaut and a close ally of Musk. Trump admitted he felt it was inappropriate to appoint someone so closely tied to Musk’s space businesses to lead NASA, which works heavily with SpaceX.
“My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!” Trump said on Truth Social.
Trouble for Musk’s Other Plans
Musk’s new political party is already causing problems for his other business ventures. Azoria Partners, which was planning to launch a new Tesla ETF (stock fund) this week, delayed its plans after Musk’s party announcement.
Azoria’s CEO, James Fishback, asked Tesla’s board to check if Musk’s political ambitions clash with his main job as Tesla CEO. Fishback publicly supported Trump and criticized Musk’s decision to jump into politics while running big companies.
What’s Next?
Musk says the America Party will try to unseat Republican lawmakers who backed Trump’s massive spending bill. But Trump is brushing it off, saying the new party will fail.
For now, the feud shows how quickly political friendships can turn into rivalries — especially when billions of dollars and the future of major companies like Tesla and SpaceX are involved.
