Early on in his days as a billionaire businessman, Elon Musk was relatively quiet about the significant political issues of the day. As the CEO of a company that makes electric vehicles, he was passionate about the environment, but relatively quiet when it came to endorsements.
That changed during Donald Trump’s third run for office. Musk used both his celebrity status and his fortune to prop Trump up as a candidate and even worked with the White House as the leader of DOGE. Now the billionaire is threatening to use his clout to create a third political party.
Musk Says The Party Will Be for the ‘80% in the Middle’
The last time a 3rd party candidate got more than 10% of the presidential vote was when Ross Perot did so in 1992. While Americans often talk about wanting more options, it has been hard for any candidate to break through.
Musk thinks the time is right for a 3rd party to emerge in the country. The billionaire does have some helpful tools at his disposal, including a huge bank account, a prominent social media site and a current of dissatisfaction with both parties running through the country.
The Marriage Between the Two Men Began With Promise
Musk said he voted for Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton and Joe Biden, but his politics turned Conservative after he purchased Twitter. While he first supported Ron DeSantis in his Republican primary, he moved on to Trump after he won the race.
Musk added a jolt of energy and a boost of cash to the Trump campaign and was seen alongside him at several campaign events. Trump went on to again win the White House, and Musk was a major part of that successful effort.
Musk Led DOGE Under Donald Trump
Most people who put in the kind of effort Musk did for a political campaign end up with a cabinet position. But the billionaire was unlikely to be voted through by the Senate. Instead, Trump allowed Musk to run the Department of Government Efficiency for 6 months as a non-appointed official.
Musk went to work firing thousands of people in the federal government to cut costs. His moves seemed to be more motivated by politics than a real effort to cut waste. By the end of his term, there were complaints that he hadn’t done enough.
Trump and Musk Began to Spar Prior to Musk Leaving
Trump and Musk were all smiles and press conferences soon after they won the White House, but as the 130 days came to an end, Musk and Trump began to spar a bit. Trump seemed bothered about the credit Musk was getting, and the Tesla CEO didn’t feel he was getting enough.
The biggest contention concerned Trump’s new tax bill, which he calls the Big Beautiful Bill. Repeals in the bill would do damage to Musk’s businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX, and the billionaire reacted by calling it an abomination.
The Fight Between the Men Got Pretty Ugly
In the span of a month, Elon Musk went from being a staunch supporter of the president to being an incredible detractor. The apex of the anger came when Musk claimed that the White House isn’t releasing the Epstein Files because Trump is mentioned in them.
Musk was also incredibly angry about Trump’s new tax cuts. In addition to the damage that the bill was going to cause to his businesses, Musk was also wildly concerned about the money that the bill was going to add to the deficit.
Trump Responded by Slamming Musk Before Backing Off
Trump didn’t react as angrily as some would expect after Musk’s campaign against him, saying that it would be good for the billionaire to get back to his companies. The president also said that his former friend was disrespectful to the White House, and he didn’t intend to speak with him anytime soon.
The Republican also responded to Musk’s threats that he would support candidates who support the tax bill. Trump said that if he were to do so, the billionaire would face the consequences, though he didn’t elaborate on what that means.
The President is Now Threatening to Look Into Musk’s Immigration Status
Trump has never been shy about using the powers of the White House for his own benefit, and he is also willing to use the powers to punish his enemies. This week, he was asked by reporters if he would look into Musk’s immigration status.
The president responded by saying that it is something that they would be looking into. Trump also threatened to use Musk’s own organization against him by siccing DOGE on Musk’s companies to look into their spending.
The Bill Passed Through the Senate This Week
Trump’s bill was controversial for many reasons other than Musk’s concerns. The GOP holds a narrow majority in the Senate and could only lose a few holdouts. Party leadership, including Donald Trump, worked hard to make sure they had enough votes for the measure to pass.
On Tuesday night, the Republicans finally had the support they needed, as the vote on Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill was passed when Vice President J.D. Vance broke a 50-50 tie. Now, the bill will go to the House of Representatives, where Republicans again will face some hurdles in passing the legislation.
What Will the Future Hold
The Musk and Trump feud had seemingly calmed over the past few months before roaring back into the spotlight this week. There is danger in the feud for both men. Musk can use his fortune and media to promote any candidates he feels would hurt Trump.
On the other hand, Trump has a fiercely loyal group of supporters, and he can now turn them on Musk and his products. The Tesla CEO has already lost the support of many on the left with his antics and could now hurt his brand further by losing those on the right.