US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized his former ally, Elon Musk, for launching a new political party, deepening their ongoing feud.
Trump labeled the SpaceX and Tesla CEO a “TRAIN WRECK” who has gone “off the rails” after Musk announced his intention to challenge the current US political system.
Musk, once a close associate of Trump and head of the cost-cutting “Department of Government Efficiency,” had a public falling out with the president over his administration’s major tax and spending bill.
“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. He argued that the US has always operated on a two-party system and that third parties only create “confusion” and have “never worked.”
Musk, the South African-born billionaire, had announced on Saturday his plan to create the “America Party” to confront what he called the United States’ “one-party system.”
He contends that Trump’s substantial domestic spending plan will inflate the US debt and has vowed to oppose lawmakers who voted for it.
Musk, who previously led efforts to slash federal spending and jobs, even equated Trump’s Republicans with rival Democrats concerning domestic spending.
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” Musk posted on X, his social media platform.
While Musk provided few details and it remains unclear if the party is officially registered, his move could pose challenges for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections and beyond.
Trump’s response highlights the sensitivity of the issue. He continued his attack on Musk via his Truth Social network while still aboard Air Force One, posting, “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.”
He added that “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.”
In a lengthy online tirade, Trump reiterated his earlier claim that Musk’s opposition was due to the spending bill cutting subsidies for electric vehicles, which he linked to Tesla. Musk, however, has maintained that his primary objection is the bill’s impact on the US fiscal deficit and sovereign debt.
Earlier on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also weighed in, subtly advising Musk to focus on his businesses.
When asked by CNN if Musk’s political foray troubled the Trump administration, Bessent commented, “I believe that the boards of directors at his various companies wanted him to come back and run those companies, which he is better at than anyone.”
He suggested that these boards would likely encourage Musk to prioritize his business activities over political ones.
Musk had left his role as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) boss in May to concentrate fully on his corporate responsibilities, as Tesla’s sales and image reportedly suffered from his brief involvement in Trump’s inner circle.
Their initial fallout occurred days after a highly publicized Oval Office send-off where Trump presented Musk with a golden key to the White House, only for them to engage in bitter social media exchanges over the spending bill.
Trump declined to comment when asked if he would ask Musk to return the golden key.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
