Elon Musk sparked fresh speculation about his political ambitions Thursday by suggesting the creation of a new political party just as tensions with President Trump reached a boiling point.
In a post to his 200 million-plus followers on X, the platform he owns, Musk floated the idea: “Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?” He followed the question with a simple poll, offering users the chance to vote “yes” or “no.”
The post landed just hours after Trump publicly voiced his “disappointment” in Musk over sharp criticism the billionaire leveled against the administration’s flagship spending legislation, known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Musk has repeatedly blasted the bill as bloated and fiscally reckless, referring to it as a pile of “pork” in earlier posts.
Tensions escalated further when Musk responded directly to Trump’s remarks by claiming that, without his support, Trump would have lost the 2024 election. “Such ingratitude,” Musk added, accusing the president of forgetting who helped him win.
Musk was a central figure in Trump’s 2024 campaign, contributing millions of dollars and serving as a prominent surrogate in the final months leading up to the election. He also briefly led the Department of Government Efficiency after the win, promoting aggressive cost-cutting and administrative reform goals he now says are undermined by Trump’s current legislative agenda.
The suggestion of a third party adds a new layer of uncertainty to an already strained alliance. With Musk increasingly at odds with the Trump White House, and now openly questioning the two-party system, political observers are watching closely to see whether this is a rhetorical flourish or the beginning of something bigger.
Either way, Musk’s post drew immediate attention across political circles and lit up social media, further fueling speculation that he may be eyeing a more independent political path and pulling a large share of public opinion with him.