Elon Musk, the country’s largest Republican donor, has threatened to form a new political party—the “America Party”—if President Trump’s domestic spending bill passes through Congress. In a series of posts to his 220 million followers on X, Musk condemned the legislation as fiscally reckless and accused both major parties of failing to represent the public. His rhetoric marks a sharp escalation in his criticism of the GOP, a party he only began supporting in 2022.

Musk’s threat to back primary challengers against nearly every Republican in Congress is ambitious, if not implausible. Despite internal dissent, most GOP lawmakers support some version of the bill, which extends tax cuts and slashes social programs. Musk singled out Representatives Andy Harris and Chip Roy—members of the House Freedom Caucus—for abandoning their budget-cutting principles, and voiced support for Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the few holdouts.

While Musk’s political influence is undeniable—he donated nearly $300 million to Republicans in 2024—his call for a third party faces steep structural hurdles. The U.S. electoral system is notoriously resistant to new parties, and Musk has yet to take concrete steps toward building one. His recent pivot from donor to agitator reflects growing frustration with Trump and the GOP’s legislative direction, particularly after their public fallout in June.

Ultimately, Musk’s declarations may be more symbolic than strategic, but they underscore a broader dissatisfaction with partisan politics and signal potential turbulence ahead for Republican leadership. Whether his threats materialize or not, they add pressure to an already contentious legislative moment.