Elon Musk launched recently the America Party after a bitter months long feud with President Donald Trump over the latter’s Big Beautiful Bill which has left most of his concerns out on spending cuts and raising revenues to plug the budgetary deficit of $3.4 trillion and pushing the debt to $5 trillion over a decade from now.
The tech billionaire left the Department of Government Efficiency – DOGE- after he found the $750 billion, he saved for President Trump was squandered away with huge tax cuts for the billionaires benefits on the average each some $20,000 to $200,000 dollars a year from those earning upwards of $4 million a year. There were no measures in the BBB to show how these gaps were sought to be filled.
Trump, who once called Musk, First buddy, called his decision a Ridiculous Idea and said Musk had gone off the rails and he had become a train wreck in recent months. They publicly argued over spending cuts and a government accused of risking bankruptcy through deficits and debt.
Yet, a confident Trump remained unfazed and said the United States had been a two-party system and past efforts to launch a third front had failed miserably. Neither the Greens made it, nor the Libertarians survived the popples verdict in favour of two-party system.
So can Musk change the scenario of the past and usher in a change reflecting the aspirations of the people who voted Trump into White House in 2024, who now feel betrayed as grocery prices are still high, gas prices fluctuate, egg prices notched an all-time high of $9 a dozen against $2 to $3 a dozen. There is now new frustration as Trump cuts Medicaid to save $one trillion eliminates 11.8 million from the health care net besides cuts on food subsidies – under the supplemental nutritional assistance program aka SNAP (Food Stamps) that will hit the low-income groups badly.
Musk’s new party, yet to be registered, only talks about effecting spending cuts and curtailing the deficit and keeping govt debt under control – no measures have been outlined yet , a party manifesto is yet to come out – yet a Yes or No vote on if people wanted a government that would reflect the peoples aspirations conducted on his X platform elicited a whopping 1.2 million responses saying they wanted a change from the two party system – Democrats and the Republicans — The demos are labelled as socialists or communists for their social welfare programmes and taxing the rich to subsidizing the poor , and GOP is swinging ultra far right to make the affluent richer and saying America is a land of opportunity, if you want to live well, show enterprise and grow your wealth.
Sandwiched between the two is the American population of which 340 million are registered voters with the West Coast and the East Coast being dominated by the democrats and the mid-west and south being engineered by the republicans. GOP finds popularity with the farmers, college dropouts, uneducated, extremely affluent and deeply religious blocks. The democrats derive strength from the highly educated, college degree holders, middleclass African Americans, Hispanics, Arabs, Indians and Asians.
So, United States is moving to a third-party system as rest of the world of multiple political parties in its 250th year of independence celebrations
On the one side you have a highly disgruntled immigration population who feel let down by Trump and his policies, another section of middle classes on prices, yet another on cuts to health care and food subsidies – Musk cannot win them over , and that’s the point of it all , splitting Republican votes is the only objective , then he has a point, but GOP is led by Trump, how many will be bold enough to cross the Red Line?
Musk is not too much concerned about 11.8 million being pushed out of the health care net by slashes in Medicaid, SNAP – Food Credits, by saving $ one trillion, still not enough to plug the hole in the budget deficit. He is concerned his efforts at DOGE at curbing government expenditure (his target $ one trillion – achievement $750 billion) cutting govt.jobs considered irrelevant, went waste.
Let’s analyse if America is ready for a three-party system because the people have no clue as to what the third party, also based on the republican ideals and model of favouring the rich, is going to do for the most affected populations of the middle classes, who remain muddled in between the democrats who are not fighting strong enough for their rights and Republicans who are out to only favour the rich.
Potential Impact on American Politics (Three-Party System):
What is the potential to disrupt the two-party system: While third parties traditionally struggle in the US, Musk’s financial resources and visibility could give his party a platform to challenge the dominance of the Democrats and Republicans. Now that is easier said than done, because it has taken 250 years for the two parties to win the election cycles alternately. third parties before having fallen by the wayside. The greens never had it. The libertines never made it.
Focus on key races: The America Party could focus on a select number of Senate and House seats to act as a “deciding vote” on key legislation, impacting the balance of power in Congress.
Potential Impact on the Republican Party in 2026 Midterms:
Splitting the Republican vote: Some experts suggest that the America Party could attract voters who might otherwise support Republican candidates, potentially leading to Democrats winning seats. But it all depends on whether democratic vote banks fooled by Trump voted him in 2024 on promises of lower prices and healthy economy and more jobs and relief for the middle classes will shift to the democratic vote base again or split with one half going for the Musk party and the other for the democratic traditional strongholds.
Targeting specific Republican incumbents: In 2025 Trump has established that the GOP IS LED BY HIM AND ANYONE CROSSING THE THIN RED LINE IS OUT. It’s not the 2017 GOP election cycle where the Republicans led Trump into White House.
Musk has indicated he may support primary challenges against Republican lawmakers who supported the recently passed tax-cut and spending bill. But that’s not enough to get votes, he must win the democratic stronghold outs which are threatening to return home in the 2026 November mid-terms – The house elects’ representatives once in two years and the senate re-elects its members every two years though they enjoy a six-year term.
If Musk splits the republicans’ votes,
First scenario: he makes democrats win; that’s not his objective.
Second Scenario: if he gets enough seats leaving both parties without the requisite numbers to form the majority in the House, then he has enough bargaining power with Trump to get what he wants.
But what if Trump promises again to remain on paper only and he gets betrayed once again. So, his aim would be to oust Trump, who cannot get a third term under the constitution.
Ultimately, the America Party’s success will depend on factors like its ability to build a strong base of support, the specific policies it advocates, and Musk’s commitment to the project over the long term.
On the one side you have a highly disgruntled immigration population who feel let down by Trump and his policies, another section of middle classes on prices, yet another on cuts to health care and food subsidies – Musk cannot win them over , and that’s the point of it all , splitting Republican votes is the only objective , then he has a point, but GOP is led by Trump, how many will be bold enough to cross the Red Line?
Do the math’s: House Republicans enjoy wafer thin majority 220 to 215 and Senate GOP enjoys 53-47 majority.
Musk will seek to upset this apple cart by winning those five to six seats in the house to reduce the Republican majority and win seven to eight senate seats to disrupt GOP majority. Which he is capable of with money to spend on the elections and getting disgruntled and retiring GOP members re-elected, who are bound to lose their seats in
The November mid-terms in 2026 , then Musk has arrived with his America Party enough power to disrupt legislative proceedings with any of the two parties needing his support to pass each and every legislation in the house and the senate.
He can grow his party eventually from there.
Exploiting close elections: With tight margins in many congressional races, even a small number of votes drawn away by the America Party could swing outcomes in favour of the Democrats.
However, it is important to consider some challenges:
Difficulty of establishing a third party: Building a successful national third party in the US is a challenging endeavour, with a history of past attempts failing to gain significant traction.
Musk’s past political involvement: While Musk supported Donald Trump financially in the 2024 election, his political views and public persona have evolved, creating some uncertainty about the America Party’s direction and appeal.
Possible co-option by major parties: If the America Party gains traction, either the Republican or Democratic party might try to adopt its platform to attract its supporters.
Ultimately, the America Party’s success will depend on factors like its ability to build a strong base of support, the specific policies it advocates, and Musk’s commitment to the project over the long term.
Contributor, IANS - Washington DC/New York
Executive Editor, Corporate Tycoons - Pune, India
Executive Editor, The Flag Post - Bengaluru, India
Contributor, The Statesman, Hindu Business Line, Sarkaritel.com, Diplomacyindia.com
Former Economics Editor, PTI - New Delhi, India
Former Communications Advisor,
Alstom Group of Companies, SA - France/Belgium
