Musk proposes new political party after break with Trump
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has proposed creating the 'America Party,' marking a sharp shift in political strategy. The move comes after a public falling out with US President Donald Trump, whom Musk strongly supported during last year's election. Musk set up and funded a pro-Trump political group, donating over $260 million, and was appointed by Trump in January to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reducing federal bureaucracy and wasteful spending. In response to the growing political divide, Musk conducted a poll on X this week, asking his 220 million followers whether it was time to launch a new political party representing the '80% in the middle.' The poll drew more than 5.6 million responses, with around 80% expressing support. Musk declared, 'The people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America,' and proposed the name 'America Party.' The rift between Musk and Trump deepened after Musk condemned Trump's $2.4 trillion tax and spending bill, calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' Trump retaliated by threatening to cancel federal contracts with Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla. The conflict spilled onto social media, where Musk accused Trump of ties to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and called for his impeachment. Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was arrested in 2019 on charges of trafficking minors. He died in jail under disputed circumstances, sparking ongoing scrutiny of his connections to high-profile figures.
Some Democratic lawmakers have suggested that Musk might pivot politically. Others, however, welcomed the falling out. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, 'These two huge egos were not longed for being together in this world as friends,' calling the split 'long overdue.' The feud has also rippled through financial markets. Tesla shares dropped 14%, while Trump Media stock fell 8% on Thursday, recovering some of its losses the next day. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev humorously offered to mediate a 'peace deal' between Trump and Musk. 'We are ready to facilitate the conclusion of a peace deal between D and E for a reasonable fee and to accept Starlink shares as payment. Don't fight, guys,' Medvedev wrote in a post on X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
20 minutes ago
- Russia Today
‘Bone-crushing' Russia sanctions bill could crush US trade
The passage of a new US sanctions package on Russia could disrupt America's relationships with its biggest trade partners and isolate it from the world's leading economies, Politico reported on Saturday. The proposed bill includes a steep 500% tariff on imports from any country that continues to buy oil, gas, uranium, or other key commodities from Moscow. Among those most affected would be India and China, which together account for approximately 70% of Russian energy exports. Several other nations that import Russian energy and uranium could also be subject to the bill's penalties. Imposing 500% tariffs on Chinese-made imports would likely trigger a surge in consumer prices, severely disrupt supply chains, and potentially push US unemployment to levels associated with a recession, Politico noted. The sanctions could be described as targeting the US itself since the country continues to rely on enriched uranium imports from Russia for its nuclear power sector. And it could effectively isolate the US from many of the world's leading economies, including its European allies, the article says. US Senator Rand Paul wrote in the publication Responsible Statecraft that the bill 'essentially amounts to an embargo' and could trigger 'economic calamity on a scale never before seen in our country.' He added that such punitive measures are unlikely to change Moscow's core strategic goals and only further entrench the US in a 'failing' foreign policy approach. The sanctions bill was introduced in early April by a bipartisan group of senators led by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. In addition to 500% tariffs, the measure includes secondary sanctions targeting countries that maintain commercial ties with Moscow. Graham recently proposed amendments to exempt countries providing military aid to Ukraine from the tariffs. The change would shield the EU, which continues to import gas from Russia. The senator described the bill as 'one of the most draconian sanctions bills ever written' and the sanctions as 'bone-crushing.' Russia has consistently criticized Western sanctions, calling them illegal, and maintains that they have failed to inflict lasting economic damage. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a total of 28,595 sanctions had been imposed on Russian companies and individuals in recent years – more than the total number on all other countries combined. According to the president, the West sought to eliminate Russia as a competitor, but its economy has only grown more resilient under pressure.
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
Musk deletes Trump-Epstein post
Elon Musk has deleted an X post claiming that US President Donald Trump's name was in the sealed Jeffrey Epstein files, suggesting that this is the real reason they remain classified. On Thursday, Musk wrote: 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' He added: 'Have a nice day, DJT! Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.' In another inflammatory post no longer visible in the entrepreneur's X account, Musk responded 'yes' to a message that said 'Trump should be impeached' and Vice President JD Vance 'should replace him.' The businessman has not commented on the issue yet. Both posts became part of a public feud between Trump and Musk. During last year's election, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX set up and funded a pro-Trump political group, donating over $260 million, and was appointed in January to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reducing federal bureaucracy and wasteful spending. Musk stepped down last week. The rift started after the billionaire condemned Trump's massive tax-cut bill, which is estimated to add $2.4 trillion to the $36.2-trillion US debt over 10 years, calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' The US president then threatened to cancel federal contracts with Musk's companies. The clash then escalated into a series of jabs on social media. Musk accused the president of 'ingratitude' and threatened to paralyze the US space program by decommissioning the Dragon spacecraft. Trump, for his part, said that the tech billionaire had gone 'crazy' and claimed that Musk was actually upset because he 'took away his EV Mandate.' Following the feud, Tesla's shares dropped by about 14.2% on Thursday at market close, wiping roughly $152 billion off the value of the company. Trump Media stock also fell 8%. Trump had previously pledged to declassify the Epstein files, and in February, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the release of the 'first phase' of documents. However, key materials – including flight logs, client names, and contact lists – have remained under seal, fueling speculation about who could be implicated. Epstein, an investment banker with deep connections to political and business elites, was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He died the following month in a New York jail in what was officially ruled a suicide, though his death instantly sparked widespread controversy and conspiracy theories.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Russia Today
Musk proposes new political party after break with Trump
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has proposed creating the 'America Party,' marking a sharp shift in political strategy. The move comes after a public falling out with US President Donald Trump, whom Musk strongly supported during last year's election. Musk set up and funded a pro-Trump political group, donating over $260 million, and was appointed by Trump in January to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reducing federal bureaucracy and wasteful spending. In response to the growing political divide, Musk conducted a poll on X this week, asking his 220 million followers whether it was time to launch a new political party representing the '80% in the middle.' The poll drew more than 5.6 million responses, with around 80% expressing support. Musk declared, 'The people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America,' and proposed the name 'America Party.' The rift between Musk and Trump deepened after Musk condemned Trump's $2.4 trillion tax and spending bill, calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' Trump retaliated by threatening to cancel federal contracts with Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla. The conflict spilled onto social media, where Musk accused Trump of ties to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and called for his impeachment. Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was arrested in 2019 on charges of trafficking minors. He died in jail under disputed circumstances, sparking ongoing scrutiny of his connections to high-profile figures. Some Democratic lawmakers have suggested that Musk might pivot politically. Others, however, welcomed the falling out. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, 'These two huge egos were not longed for being together in this world as friends,' calling the split 'long overdue.' The feud has also rippled through financial markets. Tesla shares dropped 14%, while Trump Media stock fell 8% on Thursday, recovering some of its losses the next day. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev humorously offered to mediate a 'peace deal' between Trump and Musk. 'We are ready to facilitate the conclusion of a peace deal between D and E for a reasonable fee and to accept Starlink shares as payment. Don't fight, guys,' Medvedev wrote in a post on X.
