Billionaire Elon Musk has unveiled his latest venture—not in technology or space, but in American politics. Declaring the formation of the “America Party,” Musk claims it will offer a serious alternative to the Democratic and Republican duopoly. However, political experts are skeptical of its potential impact.
“You want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk proclaimed in early July, adding that the U.S. is no longer a democracy but a “one-party system” corrupted by waste and greed. “The America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” he announced.
According to Musk, the party intends to field candidates in two to three Senate races and up to ten House districts. With Congress nearly evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, he believes these few seats could wield outsized influence by holding the deciding votes on contentious legislation.
While surveys have consistently shown public appetite for a viable third party, the reality is far more complicated.
Bernard Tamas, a political science professor at Valdosta State University and author of The Demise and Rebirth of American Third Parties, is doubtful. “I see no evidence that another party will win seats in Congress and actually influence government,” he said.
Tamas points out that it’s not just about money. “The Democrats and Republicans have all the infrastructure, professionals, consultants, ad agencies—150 years of built-in political machinery.”
Musk’s party announcement came in the aftermath of a public spat with Donald Trump. And like many ventures born out of emotion, the execution appears rushed. The domain “americaparty.com” is already owned by someone else, now listing it for $6.9 million. On Musk’s own platform, X, the handle @AmericaParty was taken, forcing the party to settle for @AmericaPartyX.
So far, the America Party lacks a clear platform. Aside from opposing the growing national debt and calling out “contentious laws,” Musk hasn’t outlined specific policies or ideologies.
Historically, third parties in the U.S. have rarely succeeded in electoral terms. Instead, their influence has come from applying pressure on mainstream parties to address neglected issues.
“The job of third parties is disruption. It’s to sting like a bee,” said Tamas, citing examples like Wisconsin’s Progressive Party and the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party. These groups managed to shift the policy landscape without winning major national seats.
Despite the current political climate—where the Republican party continues to move further right, and internal dissent is virtually non-existent—Musk’s strategy doesn’t appear to aim for disruption. “This is a perfect opening for a third party,” Tamas noted. “But you’re not going to replace them. You sting them into changing.”
Even other centrist third-party efforts have struggled. The Forward Party, launched by former Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang in 2022, aimed to move beyond traditional partisan lines with the slogan “Not left. Not right. Forward.” Yet, its national impact remains minimal. A recent Independence Day post on Instagram drew fewer than 40 likes.
The Forward Party claimed to transcend ideological labels, which, critics argue, left it directionless. Its most prominent elected affiliates include the former mayor of a small Florida town and a local official overseeing sanitation in a Connecticut borough.
Polls suggest that a significant portion of Americans are open to a new political party. In Musk’s own social media poll, 65% supported the idea, while 34% opposed it. A more formal poll in early July showed that 14% of voters were “very likely” to support the America Party, with another 26% saying they were “somewhat likely.”
Yet significant hurdles remain—not least of which is Musk himself. He has reportedly sought advice from controversial figures such as Curtis Yarvin, a far-right blogger who advocates for a CEO-style dictatorship over democracy. And perhaps more critically, Musk’s personal favorability ratings are underwater: a recent poll found 60% of Americans view him unfavorably, compared to just 32% favorably.
At its core, the America Party faces a question Musk cannot answer alone: is America ready for a third party led by a polarizing billionaire with vague political goals and controversial allies?
Musk may have declared, “America shall have a third party.” But whether the nation wants this kind of party—backed by this kind of leadership—remains an open question.