Former U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed Elon Musk’s newly announced political party as “ridiculous,” arguing that America’s political system functions best with just two dominant parties.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey—following a visit to his nearby golf club—Trump criticized Musk’s decision to launch a third party, which came amid escalating tensions between the two.
“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump said. “We’ve had tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but the system has always worked best with two parties. Starting a third just creates confusion.”
He added bluntly, “Third parties have never worked. He can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”
Musk announced the formation of the “America Party” on Saturday, claiming it was a response to Trump’s recent tax cut and spending bill—a measure Musk warned could financially devastate the country.
The fallout was immediate. Investment firm Azoria Partners, which had been preparing to launch a fund linked to Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla, announced it would delay the project, citing concerns that Musk’s political ambitions conflicted with his CEO responsibilities.
Musk, who briefly served as an adviser to Trump early in his presidency on matters of government reform, stated that the America Party plans to challenge Republican incumbents in next year’s midterm elections—specifically those who supported what he referred to as the “big, beautiful bill.”
