Trump calls Musk ‘train wreck’, his American Party launch ‘ridiculous’

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (July 6) slammed Tesla boss Elon Musk’s decision to launch a new political party, calling it “ridiculous” and a potential threat to the traditional two-party structure in the US.

Musk on Saturday (July 5) announced that he is launching the 'America Party' in response to Trump's "big, beautiful bill".

Also Read: Elon Musk launches 'America Party' to give 'freedom' back to Americans

Trump-Musk muddle

The feud between Trump and Musk escalated further after the US president slammed his estranged ally for launching a new political party. His comments marked a sharp escalation in a growing rift between the two once-close allies.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the Tesla CEO has gone completely “off the rails” and that a third political party "never succeeds" in the US, referring to Musk's America Party.

"I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely “off the rails,” essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them. The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!" Trump said in a long post.

Trump also slammed Musk for opposing his "one big beautiful bill", which was signed into law last week. "It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time," Trump said.

EV mandate controversy

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, Trump dismissed Musk’s newly announced “America Party” as unserious and unnecessary.

“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump remarked. “We’ve had tremendous success with the Republican Party. This country was built around a two-party system. Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but it just adds confusion.”

Trump said he has been "strongly" opposing the EV mandate from the "very beginning". Trump has suggested that Musk’s opposition is rooted in the bill’s move to eliminate green-energy credits for electric vehicles, a key incentive for Tesla buyers.

"I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate - It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had. He said he had no problems with that - I was very surprised," he wrote.

Also Read: Ball in Washington's court on India-US trade deal before July 9: Sources

No 'blue-blooded Democrat' in NASA

Trump also addressed the recent withdrawal of Jared Isaacman, Musk’s close associate and private astronaut, from consideration to lead NASA. He slammed Musk for recommending his "blue-blooded Democrat" friend for leading NASA.

In December, President Trump named a billionaire private astronaut, Jared Isaacman, as NASA administrator but withdrew the nomination on May 31, before his Senate confirmation vote and without explanation.

"I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life. My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!" Trump said.

Also Read: ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’: What’s inside 887-page Bill that Trump signed into law?

Musk reacts

Reacting to Trump's post on Truth Social, Musk said he had "never heard" of the US president's social media platform.

Musk unveiled the new political outfit on July 5, citing his opposition to Trump’s latest tax-and-spending legislation. He argued that the sweeping measure, dubbed by Trump as the “big, beautiful bill,” would add $5 trillion to the national debt and lead to long-term economic harm.

In a post on X, Musk, who spent millions of dollars during Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, asked "what the heck was the point" of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) if Trump was "just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion". DOGE is the government downsizing agency that he briefly led.

The Tesla CEO vowed to target Republican lawmakers who supported the bill in the 2026 midterm elections. He said his new party would look to unseat Republican lawmakers in Congress who backed President Trump's bill.