MORRISTOWN: Former US President Donald Trump has dismissed Elon Musk’s newly formed political party as “ridiculous,“ reigniting tensions between the once-allied billionaires. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Trump criticised the idea of a third party, calling it unnecessary in America’s long-standing two-party system.
“Third parties have never worked. So he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous,“ Trump said. The remarks follow Musk’s announcement of the “America Party,“ aimed at challenging what he described as the US’s “one-party system.” The Tesla and SpaceX CEO had previously supported Trump’s 2024 campaign before their relationship soured over policy disagreements.
Trump later took to Truth Social, accusing Musk of going “off the rails” and becoming “a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.” He warned that a third party would cause “Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS.” The former president suggested Musk’s opposition stemmed from spending cuts affecting electric vehicle subsidies, a claim Musk denies, citing concerns over US debt instead.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also weighed in, advising Musk to focus on his businesses rather than politics. “I imagine that those board of directors did not like this announcement yesterday and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities,“ Bessent told CNN.
Musk’s brief stint in Trump’s administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ended in May, with Tesla’s performance reportedly suffering during his political involvement. – AFP
