Elon Musk donated $15 million to three super PACs supporting Donald Trump and the Republican Party, despite a highly publicized fallout with the president. All three donations came shortly before Musk announced plans to launch his own political movement, the “America Party.” The contributions—$5 million each—were made on June 27 to MAGA Inc., the Senate Leadership Fund, and the House Leadership Fund, as confirmed by Federal Election Commission filings.
Trump and Musk developed a fast-paced, high-profile alliance during the 2024 presidential election. Musk financially backed Trump’s campaign with at least $250 million, contributing significantly to Trump’s victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris. After the election, Trump tapped Musk to head the Department of Government Efficiency, giving him wide authority to investigate wasteful government spending.
But their relationship deteriorated as Musk faced pressure, including declining Tesla performance, partly attributed to his involvement in the administration. He resigned and returned to the private sector, then publicly criticized the administration’s key legislative effort, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which included the rollback of electric vehicle tax incentives. Musk called the bill a disaster and political suicide.
Tensions escalated in June when Musk accused Trump of stalling the release of the Epstein files, implying he had something to hide. Trump responded with threats to pull federal contracts from Musk’s companies. Despite this public feud, Musk appeared to offer an olive branch with his $15 million in donations.
However, just days later, Musk announced his intention to create a new political party. On July 4, he polled followers on X about forming the “America Party,” branding it as a break from what he described as a corrupt and unified political class. The poll received 1.25 million votes, with over 65% in favor. Musk declared the party would aim to win two or three Senate seats and up to 10 House seats to disrupt the existing balance of power.
Musk also made a separate $27 million donation on June 30 to a newly formed America PAC and gave modest contributions to GOP Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Barry Moore. At the same time, he intensified criticism of Trump’s legislative agenda, warning it would balloon the national debt.
Trump, reacting to Musk’s new political venture, warned that third parties sow chaos and rarely succeed in American politics. He dismissed Musk’s shift as erratic and damaging. Still, in a later Truth Social post, Trump struck a more conciliatory tone, saying he wished success for Musk and other American businesses.
Musk, meanwhile, used his platform to once again press Trump on transparency, posting: “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files?” The back-and-forth highlights how two of the most influential figures on the American right have gone from allies to rivals, with potentially significant implications for the 2026 midterms and beyond.
