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President Donald Trump called former ally turned rival Elon Musk's teasing of a new political party "ridiculous" while speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday (July 6).
“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party. We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion,” Trump said before leaving Morristown, New Jersey, to return to Washington, D.C. “It really seems to have been developed for two parties. Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”
The president then shared further comments on his Truth Social account.
"I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them," he wrote. "The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds! Republicans, on the other hand, are a smooth running “machine,” that just passed the biggest Bill of its kind in the History of our Country. It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time. I have been strongly opposed to that from the very beginning. People are now allowed to buy whatever they want - Gasoline Powered, Hybrids (which are doing very well), or New Technologies as they come about - No more EV Mandate. I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate - It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had. He said he had no problems with that - I was very surprised! Additionally, Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before. Elon probably was, also. I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life. My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!"
Musk teased the launch of an "American Party" on his X account after asking his followers if they were in favor of the concept.
“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom," Musk wrote.
Musk's fallout with Trump stems from his disagreement with the president's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' which passed on Thursday (July 3). The Tesla CEO responded "Me" to another X user's post claiming they donated to re-election campaign of Rep. Thomas Massie, one of Trump's biggest Republican foes, and asked "Who's next?" on July 1.
Trump, on the other hand, has pledged to support whichever Republican candidate challenges Massie in the primary, calling the politician a "loser" and "Third Rate Congressman" in an online tirade last week after Massie called for his impeachment over airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Musk's post on X was shared less than an hour after Trump threatened to use his brainchild, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), against him and warned that it could result in the billionaire having "to close up shop and head back home to South Africa."
"Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account early Tuesday morning. "It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one. Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!"
The posts followed other incidents in the fallout between Trump and Musk, who was one of his biggest supporters and financial donors during his reelection campaign. Philip Low, a neuroscientist who founded NeuroVigil and had previously had his own fallout with Musk, claimed that the Tesla CEO doesn't move on from feuds and predicted he was "going to do everything to damage" while speaking to Politico.
“I’ve had my share of blowouts with Elon over the years,” Low said. “Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think he’s going to do everything to damage the president.”
Musk issued an apparent public apology to Trump last month, claiming he "went too far" in some of his viral posts directed at the president.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week,” Musk wrote on X, the social media app he purchased in 2022. "They went too far."
The billionaire's temporary change of heart came after Trump publicly wished him well -- "very well, actually" and Musk responded with a heart emoji. The Tesla CEO didn't specify which posts he specifically regretted, though he specifically deleted one suggesting that Trump should be impeached and another accusing the president of being in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
"Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" Musk wrote.
Musk's claim came shortly after Trump addressed their recent split amid their disagreement over the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.'
"Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore," Trump told reporters on Thursday via ABC News.
Musk, who previously led Trump's newly launched Department of Government Efficiency, responded in a post shared on his X account claiming Trump was showing "such ingratitude" after he spent more than $270 million backing his presidential campaign in 2024.