- Trump threatens Musk’s federal contracts as feud over $3.3 trillion bill escalates into political showdown
- Weibo erupts with support as Chinese netizens rally behind Musk’s call for a new American political movement
- Tech mogul vows to launch ‘America Party’ after slamming Trump’s spending bill as a betrayal of fiscal responsibility
New Delhi: Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and US President Donald Trump have intensified their feud, with Musk threatening to establish a new political party to contest elections in response to Trump’s budget bill. The row over a spending package approved by the US Senate last week has dominated Chinese social media, with many expressing support for Musk.
The Senate voted on it last week, and it seems the bill will increase the national debt by 3.3 trillion in 10 years, as it was reported by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. One of the critics of the bill, Musk went to his X social platform and vented his dislike for the bill by using terminologies like ‘insane’ and ‘disgusting abomination’. He claimed that it would saddle future generations with debt and dismantle electric vehicle and clean energy subsidies, among other provisions. Musk went on to announce that he would establish a political party known as the “America Party” the day after the bill’s approval, with the aim of challenging the “Democrat-Republican uniparty” and giving a voice to everyday Americans.
“I will be launching the America Party on Wednesday (the day after the vote on the Big Beautiful Bill). Our nation needs a political movement representing normal citizens outside of the Democrat-Republican uniparty,” Musk wrote on X. “It’s time to hold government accountable for its spending habits and rein in the deficits to sustainable levels. To do that, we need fresh, energetic participation from regular Americans in the political process. The America Party will deliver that.”
Musk’s statement was widely shared on Chinese social media, with the hashtag #MuskWantsToBuildAnAmericaParty garnering over 37 million views on Weibo. Many Chinese internet users lauded Musk’s technological and scientific approach to politics, with one user writing, “His vision could shake up politics and bring fresh energy.” Another user said, “Musk has the backing of over a billion people here!”
In China, Musk has a large fan base due to Tesla being the only major Western carmaker that directly competes with domestic brands, as well as his personal connections with Chinese leaders. Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, is also a celebrity in China, with her biography being a bestseller in the country.
Trump, for his part, has retaliated by accusing Musk of hypocrisy and threatened to target the billionaire’s federal contracts using a cost-cutting program that Musk previously led at the White House. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted that without subsidies, Elon Musk would be forced to close his business and return to South Africa. The DOE will scrutinise all his federal contracts. The DOE is the only federal agency from which he cannot escape scrutiny. The Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, will be scrutinised closely.
Unperturbed by Trump’s attack, Musk fired back on X, saying, “I’m literally saying cut all subsidies. Do it now.”
The feud, which started when Musk called the bill “political suicide” for Republicans, has deepened the divide within the party. Musk, who contributed more than $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, accused politicians who supported the bill of reneging on their promises to rein in government spending. He also threatened to bankroll primary challenges against them in the 2026 midterms, rattling Republican strategists who see the bill as a necessary compromise.
While some analysts have downplayed the billionaire’s threat to form a new party, others are taking it more seriously. “It’s easy to dismiss Elon Musk as some sort of madman, but he has shown he has the wealth and influence to make a difference,” Bill Schneider, professor of public policy at George Mason University, told the BBC. “Even so, forming a viable third party in the US is a monumental challenge.”
Still, the row has sparked widespread interest in China, with many speculating about the future of the Musk-Trump bromance and its implications for US politics.