

Several weeks after announcing his withdrawal from politics, American billionaire Musk seems to be considering a "comeback."
According to Xinhua News Agency, on June 30 local time, Musk posted dozens of messages on social media, once again launching a fierce attack on President Trump's "Big and Beautiful" tax and spending bill. He threatened that if the bill passes, he will establish the "American Party" the next day and vowed to defeat the lawmakers who support the bill in the upcoming midterm elections.
The public pointed out that this is one of the most severe and targeted political threats from Musk since he left the White House advisor position.
Why Oppose the "Big and Beautiful"
On that day, the "Big and Beautiful" bill, as the main agenda of the Republican Party, was still struggling to pass through the Senate, and the final vote had not yet taken place.
Musk unleashed a series of attacks on social media, sharply criticizing the bill's "excessive spending," which would push the debt ceiling up by $5 trillion, using derogatory terms to describe both the Republican and Democratic parties, and threatening to use his personal wealth to counter the lawmakers who supported the bill, making them lose their intra-party primary elections in the midterms.
"All members of Congress who have called for cutting government spending in their campaigns but then immediately voted for the largest increase in national debt should feel ashamed! Even if I have to fight until my last breath, I will make them lose in the intra-party primary elections next year," Musk said.
He claimed it was time to establish a "new party that truly cares about the people," setting the timeline for the establishment of the party after the bill passed. "If this crazy spending bill is passed, the 'American Party' will be established the next day."
This criticism and threat is not unfamiliar.
Since the Republican Party introduced the "Big and Beautiful" bill, Musk has consistently opposed it, once describing it as a "disgusting act." His relationship with Trump has also experienced several significant changes.
In late May, due to his opposition to this bill, Musk publicly clashed with Trump shortly after resigning from his White House advisory position, causing market turmoil. Tesla's stock price fluctuated, and its market value dropped by about $150 billion.
In early June, the online exchanges between the two escalated into an open argument. Musk accused Trump of ingratitude and made other controversial accusations, for the first time proposing to form a new political party. Trump, in turn, threatened to revoke federal contracts for Musk's companies.
However, a few days later, as Musk publicly apologized, the tension between the two eased.
Experts believe that Musk's negative attitude towards this massive bill mainly stems from two points: increasing the national debt by tens of billions of dollars and possibly weakening the renewable energy industry.
Trump previously hinted that the bill's proposed cuts to electric vehicle subsidies caused Musk's dissatisfaction. However, Musk denied this claim. He emphasized that his opposition to the bill was not because it eliminated electric vehicle and solar subsidies and incentives, but because the latter "subsidizes dying industries while severely harming emerging industries."
According to JPMorgan, gradually phasing out electric vehicle tax credits could cost Tesla $1.2 billion.
Forming a New Party Is Easier Said Than Done?
Now, as the Republicans intensify their legislative efforts and the Senate is set to hold the final vote on the bill this week, Musk has once again launched a dramatic campaign.
He not only reiterated the idea of forming a third party, but also threatened to "punish" the lawmakers who supported the bill. This is seen as one of the most severe and specific political threats Musk has issued since leaving the White House, indicating that this billionaire, who spent over $250 million last year to help Trump's campaign, may be planning to return to politics and potentially challenge Trump's influence.
Regarding Musk's latest statements, Mike Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security policy advisor, responded on social media, stating that the delusions of liberals are that they think there are a large number of voters supporting their ideology. In fact, such a mass base does not exist at all.
Trump, on the other hand, retaliated fiercely on social media at 1:00 am on July 1, stating that Tesla benefits from the federal electric vehicle tax credit, and that Musk's subsidies may far exceed those of any individual in history. He suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency "conduct a thorough investigation" into how Musk obtained government subsidies.
Experts believe that forming a new party is easier said than done.
For a long time, American politics has been dominated by two major parties. Although the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit the formation of a new party, people have long called for new parties to revitalize politics. However, the structure of the U.S. political system strongly favors the two-party system, making it difficult for smaller or emerging parties to gain sustainable development space.
Nevertheless, Musk's "power" cannot be underestimated.
It remains unclear how serious Musk's idea of forming a new party is, nor can it be determined whether current legislators will lose funding support in the 2026 midterm election intra-party primaries for supporting the bill, and how Musk will support the challengers in the primaries.
But one thing is certain: his financial power, influence, and targeted investment may disrupt the existing electoral balance, throwing the fragile party system into chaos and weakening Trump's control over the Republican Party.
At the final stage of the midterm election, Musk can generate greater political influence with relatively little investment. He just needs to fund third-party candidates in a few key swing states and districts, which could shake up the entire election landscape. Since 1992, the control of the White House and both chambers of Congress has been constantly shifting between the two parties, and election results have become increasingly close.
Some commenters say that from a practical perspective, the political style Musk advocates—techno-liberalism, anti-establishment, futurism, geek culture—can attract only a small number of voters. Even if Musk really forms a new party, he himself cannot run for president. According to the U.S. Constitution, presidential candidates must be "natural-born citizens" born in the United States. Musk was born in South Africa, which disqualifies him from running for president.
However, Musk's influence may continue. Last month, he addressed hesitant Republican lawmakers on social media, saying, "Trump has another three and a half years of presidency, but I will still be around for more than forty years."
(Editor's email: ylq@jfdaily.com)
Original Title: "Threatening to Establish a Party, Overthrowing Legislators, 'Anti-Trump'... Is Musk Re-entering the Political Arena in the US?"
Column Editor: Yang Liqun Text Editor: Yang Liqun
Source: Author: Jiefang Daily An Zheng
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522078743330882088/
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