Trump vs Musk: The Clash Over the Rise of the ‘American Party’

A New Political Rift Shakes U.S. Power Circles

A political firestorm has ignited between two of America’s most powerful and polarizing figures: Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The former U.S. President has taken to Truth Social to sharply criticize Musk’s creation of a new political faction called the American Party, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of veering “off the rails” and sowing political chaos.

In a blistering post, Trump expressed deep frustration and disappointment with Musk’s recent decisions, particularly his push for a third political party — a concept Trump believes is doomed to fail within the structure of the American electoral system. According to Trump, third parties in the U.S. serve only one purpose: to create “complete and total disruption & chaos.”

At the heart of this dispute lies Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4. The legislation eliminates the Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, a policy Musk had previously championed. Trump asserts that Musk had endorsed him unequivocally, even knowing about the bill’s intent to kill the EV mandate — a point Trump claims was widely publicized during his campaign.

Trump was taken aback by Musk’s subsequent political move, suggesting that Musk’s dissatisfaction with the bill may have motivated him to launch his own political party. Trump also recounted a request Musk made to have one of his friends appointed as NASA’s head — a request Trump declined, noting the candidate’s Democratic affiliations and potential conflict of interest, given Musk’s deep involvement in the aerospace industry.

The post closes with Trump reasserting his commitment to protecting the American public from both misguided policies and politically entangled influence. His message is clear: while Musk’s influence in business is undeniable, his political ambitions are now crossing a line that Trump believes threatens the conservative unity he claims to lead.

What Undercode Say:

The friction between Donald Trump and Elon Musk marks a significant shift in the balance of conservative power in the U.S. Until recently, the two figures seemed aligned — united by anti-Biden sentiment, deregulation rhetoric, and a shared fondness for disruption. However, Musk’s creation of the American Party could be seen as a threat not just to Democrats, but to Trump’s dominance over the Republican base.

Musk’s pivot may signal deeper dissatisfaction among libertarian-leaning technocrats and business elites who see Trump’s approach as increasingly authoritarian or out of touch with innovation goals. The EV Mandate repeal is particularly symbolic — Musk has built his empire around electric vehicles. To see such a policy struck down under the leadership of someone he once endorsed may feel like a betrayal of future-forward capitalism.

From a political strategy standpoint, Trump is not wrong about the historical failure of third parties in America. The U.S. electoral structure — especially the first-past-the-post system — makes it nearly impossible for third parties to gain traction without acting as spoilers. Yet Musk’s massive media influence, combined with growing disenchantment among younger and independent voters, could allow the American Party to serve as a pressure force, even if not a direct contender for executive office.

On the branding front, the term “American Party” carries nationalistic resonance that might siphon off voters from the Republican base, especially if Trump’s platform continues leaning toward culture war theatrics rather than technological and economic modernization. Musk’s base — tech-savvy, market-oriented, and data-driven — is very different from Trump’s core populist supporters.

This development also exposes an ideological fault line in the American right: freedom-oriented futurism vs. traditionalist nationalism. Musk embodies the former, with his drive toward AI, Mars colonization, and sustainable tech. Trump channels the latter, focused on oil, steel, borders, and legacy industrialism. In a post-2024 landscape, these visions may be increasingly incompatible.

In short, Trump sees Musk’s move as an attack on conservative unity. But Musk may see it as a necessary evolution — not chaos, but creative destruction.

🔍 Fact Checker Results:

✅ Trump did sign a bill on July 4 eliminating the EV mandate.
✅ Elon Musk has expressed interest in political independence and party formation in the past.
❌ There’s no formal filing yet for an “American Party” recognized by the FEC as of this writing.

📊 Prediction:

If Elon Musk formally launches the American Party and backs it with his financial, technological, and media resources, it won’t win the presidency — but it will reshape the 2026 midterms and 2028 election discourse. Expect Republicans to move techward or fracture, and Democrats to target libertarian-minded swing voters more aggressively.