The once-celebrated relationship between President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly and explosively ended, marked by Trump's scathing criticism of Musk and his newly formed 'America Party'. In a series of Truth Social posts, President Trump referred to Musk as a "TRAIN WRECK" who has gone "completely 'off the rails'" over the past five weeks, primarily due to Musk's decision to launch a third political party.

Trump emphatically dismissed the viability of a third political party in the United States, stating that "The System seems not designed for them" and that they "have never succeeded." He argued that a third party would lead to "Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS," contrasting it with the Republican Party, which he described as a "smooth running 'machine'" that successfully passed his "One Big Beautiful Bill."

The catalyst for this public condemnation appears to be multiple factors, including Musk's criticism of Trump's signature domestic policy legislation, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law on July 4th. Musk, who had previously served on a government efficiency task force for the Trump administration, publicly criticized the bill for its "insane spending" and its record increase in the debt ceiling, mockingly labeling the U.S. as a "PORKY PIG PARTY" country. This bill notably included provisions to eliminate a $7,500 tax break for new electric vehicle (EV) purchases and $4,000 for used ones, effective September 30th.

Trump's posts reveal a personal sense of betrayal, suggesting Musk's opposition and new party venture stemmed from the elimination of the EV mandate. He recounted a private conversation where he expressed surprise that Musk had offered his "total and unquestioned Endorsement" despite knowing Trump's firm stance on terminating the EV mandate. Trump also shared an anecdote about Musk's request to appoint a "close friend" to lead NASA, a "blue blooded Democrat" who had never contributed to a Republican, which Trump found inappropriate given Musk's involvement in the space business.

Elon Musk officially announced the formation of his 'America Party' on Saturday, following a poll on X (formerly Twitter) where over 65% of 1.2 million votes supported the idea. Musk stated his vision for the 'America Party' was to "serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws," given the "razor-thin legislative margins" in Congress, and that it would focus on winning a few key Senate and House districts.

Trump's skepticism regarding the success of a third political party is supported by historical precedent. Billionaire Ross Perot's independent presidential bids in 1992 and 1996 serve as notable examples. In 1992, Perot secured nearly 19% of the popular vote but failed to gain any electoral college votes. His second attempt in 1996, running under the Reform Party (which he founded), saw his popular vote share drop to around 8%, again without electoral college success. Although a Reform Party candidate, Jesse Ventura, won the Minnesota gubernatorial election in 1998, he left the party a year into his term. These historical instances underscore the significant challenges third parties face in the established U.S. political system.