Latest news with #Tesla
West Australian
44 minutes ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Elon Musk launches ‘America Party' after dramatic fallout with Trump over US spending bill
Billionaire Elon Musk says he is launching a new political party, dubbed the America Party, in a direct response to what he describes as the failure of both major US parties to curb reckless government spending. 'By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party, and you shall have it!' Mr Musk wrote on Saturday on his social media platform X, referring to a poll he conducted among his followers. Sixty-five per cent of respondents voted in favour of forming a new party. 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,' Mr Musk said. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' The Tesla and SpaceX CEO did not provide further details on the structure, platform, or leadership of the new party, nor did he indicate whether he intended to run for office himself. The announcement follows a weeks-long public feud between Mr Musk and US President Donald Trump, centred on the passage of a controversial tax and spending bill, reported. The nearly 900-page legislation was narrowly approved by the Senate on Thursday and signed into law by Mr Trump on Friday, coinciding with the July 4 Independence Day holiday. Mr Musk had previously lobbied Republican lawmakers to vote against the bill, describing it as 'utterly insane and destructive.' The legislation is expected to add an estimated $US3.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. 'This is debt slavery,' Mr Musk wrote last week, warning that Republican members who supported the bill would face primary challenges, with his financial and political backing. 'They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,' he posted. 'Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people.' On Friday, ahead of the vote, Mr Musk posed a question to his 180 million followers on X: 'Should we create the America Party?' The poll drew millions of responses, with a significant majority in favour. He suggested the party could initially focus its efforts on two or three Senate races and up to ten House districts. 'Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people,' he wrote. While Mr Musk's political ambitions have long been a topic of speculation, this marks his most explicit move toward forming an organised political movement. He previously served briefly in Trump's Administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), before exiting in May. In response to Mr Musk's criticism of the bill and his threat to launch a competing political party, Mr Trump suggested that the billionaire could face personal consequences. Asked whether he would consider deporting Mr Musk, who was born in South Africa and became a US citizen in 2002. Mr Trump said, 'We'll have to take a look.' He also hinted that federal funding for Mr Musk's companies could come under review. The announcement of the America Party adds a new wildcard to the 2026 midterm election landscape and comes at a time of growing voter dissatisfaction with the traditional two-party system.
Mint
an hour ago
- Business
- Mint
Elon Musk launches ‘America Party': Can he run for President? Who are likely to lead the party? 5 key questions answered
After US President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill passed Congress, Tesla CEO and tech mogul Elon Musk took to X to state about formation of his new political venture called "America Party". This follows his idea which he teased a day prior, asking whether he should create it. To which, he received a 'yes' answer from the poll he began as he thought Independence Day was 'the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!' Earlier, he floated the idea of bringing a third party to compete the Democrats and the Republicans in the US politics. Later, he said, 'By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' No, Elon Musk can't run for president in 2028 US election as he is ineligible considering US Constitution (Article II, Section 1) which mandates candidates to be native-born citizens. The former Trump advisor and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief was born in South Africa, and in 2002, he received his US citizenship. 'I cannot be president because of my African birth," he confirmed in 2024. As the richest person worldwide, with an estimated net worth of $405.2 billion according to Forbes, Musk is expected to be the main financial backer of his new party. His political action committee, America PAC, which spent approximately $40.5 million supporting Trump's 2024 campaign, might be redirected to support the American Party, although no official funding details for 2025 have been disclosed, according to HT. Due to federal restrictions under the McCain-Feingold Act, which limit individual contributions to political parties to $450,000, Musk would need to bring in additional donors or rely on a super PAC to make unlimited independent expenditures. Apart from Musk, no official leaders have been confirmed at this stage. However, speculation has emerged on social media suggesting that Representative Thomas Massie, who recently broke ranks with his party on the Big Beautiful Bill vote, could become involved in the Musk's new political initiative. One social media user, @WeKnow_1234, proposed Ron DeSantis as a potential leader, though there is no concrete evidence linking him to the effort. Meanwhile, Andrew Yang, co-founder of the Forward Party, has expressed a willingness to collaborate with Musk, pointing to their shared discontent with the current two-party system. According to Trump's close ally Laura Loomer, 'Tucker Carlson, MTG and Thomas Massie" are expected to lead Musk's America Party. Musk answered a user's question 'Midterms or 2028'? The SpaceX founder responded 'next year', confirming that the America Party will start contesting elections in the 2026 midterm cycle, focussing November 2026 for House and Senate races.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Elon Musk launches 'The America Party': Social media explodes and triggers digital firestorm
Elon Musk just dropped the bomb: he has launched a brand-new political outfit called the America Party. And this isn't just Musk being Musk. It's a full-on political pivot that signals some serious drama in the making. Over the July 4 weekend, Musk rolled out an X poll asking, 'Do you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system?' Out of ~1.2 million votes, a whopping 65% yelled 'Yes!' That gave Musk the green light, and boom—'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' This wasn't just for show. A day earlier, President Trump had signed the blockbuster 'Big, Beautiful Bill'—a massive $3–4 trillion tax and spending package. Musk flipped, calling it reckless and reckless 'waste & graft,' and warned that this could bankrupt America. Musk isn't planning to run a full-frontal assault on Biden or Trump right away. Instead, he's talking about strategic hits—'laser-focus' on a few congressional seats, like 2‑3 Senate races and 8‑10 House districts. The idea? Be the swing vote in a divided Congress. He even dropped history vibes, referencing Epaminondas at Leuctra: crush the dominant force with targeted precision. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo His plan? Hit key battlegrounds during the 2026 midterms. Social media reactions "This man could put an end to all of this… All he has to do is tell the truth about the election." "Hey @elonmusk, the entire world will love you if you take down Trump. You do realize that." "The tattered bromance between Donald Trump and his main campaign financier Elon Musk took another fractious turn when the billionaire announced the formation of a new political party." Trump vs Musk: Round two? Remember, Musk was a major Trump donor—hundreds of millions funneling into the 2024 campaign, plus co-leading Trump's DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative. But now? Their bromance is toast. Trump retaliated, threatening to yank subsidies from Musk's Tesla and SpaceX. And (as usual) Tesla's stock is a rollercoaster, swinging with every headline. Launching a third party in the U.S. is like climbing Everest with flip‑flops. But let's be honest, this rollout feels part power move, part flex. Even if the America Party doesn't win seats, it could shake things up by pulling votes—or maybe just highlight Musk's vision for a 'freer' system.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Musk likens America Party to ‘Epaminondas' in Sparta scenario; reveals when his party will contest
Elon Musk, soon after launching his America Party on Saturday, announced that his party will contest in the 2026 mid-terms. The Tesla CEO further revealed the ideology behind his party's formation using the Epaminondas vs Spartans scenario. This comes amid the billionaire's feud with President Donald Trump over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Elon Musk on Saturday announced that he has formed the America Party(AFP) 'The way we're going to crack the uniparty system is by using a variant of how Epaminondas shattered the myth of Spartan invincibility at Leuctra: Extremely concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield,' Musk noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. An X user asked Musk when he plans to contest elections. 'Next year,' the tech billionaire responded. Read More: America Party launched: Is Musk running for president in 2028? Who's funding? Any other leaders? 'The future strategy should certainly evolve, but it is worth noting that Thebes did actually dominate Greece for a decade following Leuctra,' Elon Musk further stated. Epaminondas defeated Sparta by using an unorthodox oblique order tactic at Leuctra, concentrating forces to break the stronger Spartan right wing. In this case, Musk framed the Republican-Democrat uni-party as Sparta, a dominant but flawed system, and his party as Thebes, a smaller force aiming to disrupt the political establishment. The 54-year-old's plan likely avoids a broad national challenge, focusing on 6–8 House seats and 4 Senate seats in competitive 2026 midterms, particularly in swing districts, to influence Congress. When will Musk's America Party contest elections? Musk confirmed the American Party will begin contesting elections in the 2026 midterm cycle, targeting November 2026 for House and Senate races. 'We'll start small, contesting key seats in 2026 to flip the balance, not 2028,' he said. Earlier in the day, Musk announced that the America Party is formed. "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!" he said in a post on X. "Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." The announcement from Musk comes after President Donald Trump signed a tax-cut and spending bill into law on Friday, which the billionaire chief executive officer of Tesla fiercely opposed. Trump earlier this week threatened to cut off the billions of dollars in subsidies that Musk's companies receive from the federal government. Musk said previously that he would start a new political party and spend money to unseat lawmakers who supported the bill. (With inputs from Reuters)
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Elon Musk launches new America Party
Multibillionaire tech CEO Elon Musk says he has launched a new US political party called the America Party. "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," he posted on X, the social media platform he owns, on Saturday. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO floated the idea of forming a new political party after a public and bitter falling-out with President Donald Trump. Musk a vocal opponent of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' Musk spent hundreds of millions of dollars to support Trump's re-election and led the so-called Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE in the Trump administration, which aimed to cut government spending, before their disagreements spilled into the open. He revived the idea of a new political party this week as US lawmakers approved Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill. Musk was among the legislation's most vocal critics and has pledged to establish a new party to oppose Republicans who supported the bill. On Friday, he posted a poll asking whether users "want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system," drawing over 1.2 million responses, with more than 60% in favor of a new party. Musk faces a difficult legacy of third-party challenges A truly competitive third party could disrupt over a century of Democratic and Republican dominance at all levels of government. But Musk would not be the first person trying to establish a party to challenge their dominance. Former President Theodore Roosevelt came the closest in 1912, after splitting from the Republican party. He ran as Progressive Party candidate and won 27% of the popular vote and 88 electoral votes. More recently, Ross Perot, another billionaire, won 19% of the popular vote but no electoral votes in the 1992 presidential campaign as an independent and later formed the Reform Party. Musk's billions meet ballot reality Musk has already indicated that he is not aiming for an all-out win. Instead, his America Party would focus on flipping a couple of House and Senate seats by applying, "extremely concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield."
