Musk puts the brakes on the America Party and bets on JD Vance for 2028
According to the Wall Street Journal, the entrepreneur chooses the path of pragmatism: less revolution, more influence behind the scenes of the American system
3' min read
Key points
3' min read
He promised a political earthquake, announcing the birth of the America Party to restore freedom to Americans and challenge Donald Trump's hated tax law. But not even two months after the announcement, Elon Musk already seems to have taken his foot off the accelerator. According to the Wall Street Journal, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX has reportedly decided to suspend plans for his party: too many risks, too much resistance and above all the fear of burning bridges with the Republican leadership, which could come in handy. Starting with vice-president JD Vance, whom Musk - sources close to him tell us - would be ready to shower with hundreds of millions for his 2028 run for the White House. In the meantime, while waiting to turn into kingmaker - again - better focus your energies on your own companies.
A strategic about-face
.The volcanic South African businessman has certainly not shelved the idea of his own political project, but has put it on hold, choosing a more cautious line. He has cancelled meetings with movement organisers and distanced himself from supporters such as Andrew Yang and Mark Cuban. According to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal, his political teams have stopped actively working on the project.
Today, the patron of Tesla and SpaceX seems more inclined to support - even with substantial resources - a possible presidential candidacy of JD Vance in 2028. And it would certainly not be a debut, since in 2024 he had already invested some USD 300 million in favour of Donald Trump and other Republicans through his America PAC. The strategy is always the same: not to directly challenge the two-party system, but move within it to expand its influence.
Why founding a third party is (almost) impossible
On the other hand,founding a third party in the United States is almost impossible. Each state imposes different rules for ballot access, often involving high costs, massive signature gathering and possible legal battles. In some cases, even the name chosen can create obstacles: in New York, for example, the use of the word 'America' risks being banned. On the electoral level, moreover, the numbers are not encouraging. While 58% of Americans say they want a third political force, only a minority - between 5% and 17% - say they are ready to support Musk's America Party. Recent history confirms the difficulties: even Ross Perot, who obtained almost 19% of the vote in 1992, failed to win a single large voter.
The knot of political credibility
Then there is the question of political credibility. Musk, although a billionaire and famous, remains a divisive figure andhas never presented a clear ideological platform. Without a structured programme, the whole operation appears unsound. There is also a lack of organisational foundations: similar experiences, such as Andrew Yang's Forward Party or No Labels, have already shown how difficult it is to build a national party from scratch, even with recognisable leaders and defined ideas.
