【Text by Observers Network, Wang Yi】 The "American Party" launched amid criticism from Democrats and Republicans has quietly gone silent. According to the U.S. "Wall Street Journal," citing informed sources, billionaire Elon Musk is quietly "slowing down" his plan to establish a new political party, and told his allies he wants to focus more on his companies, unwilling to alienate influential figures within the party, such as U.S. Vice President Vance, by forming another third-party party that might draw Republican votes.

This contrasts sharply with his strong stance against Trump earlier this month. At that time, Musk announced the formation of a new party called the "American Party" to represent voters dissatisfied with both the Democratic and Republican parties, and planned to compete in the upcoming midterm elections.

However, practical considerations ultimately prevailed. Directly involved individuals revealed that Musk and his team canceled a scheduled phone call in late July, which was supposed to be held with an organization specializing in third-party operations. Participants were informed that the meeting was canceled because Musk wanted to focus on business matters. The commercial pressures facing Musk's companies have become increasingly severe this year; Tesla's stock has fallen over 18% this year, and the latest financial report shows the largest quarterly sales drop in over a decade.

The "Wall Street Journal" said that the key factor behind Musk's change may be his relationship with Vance. Vance is seen by the outside world as a potential successor to Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement. Informed sources said that Musk has been in contact with Vance in recent weeks and admitted to colleagues that if he insisted on forming a party, it might damage his relationship with Vance.

In December 2024, Musk attended an event with Trump and Vance. "Wall Street Journal"

Some informed sources revealed that Musk and his deputy even told people around them that if Vance decides to run for president in 2028, he would consider using his vast wealth to support him, just as he spent nearly $3 billion supporting Trump and other Republicans in 2024.

Reuters in the UK reported that Vance called for a truce after Musk's public disagreement with Trump, and he reiterated his position this month, stating that he had asked Musk to return to the Republican Party. Vance told the conservative right-wing website "Gateway Pundit" that breaking away from Trump and the conservative movement would be a mistake, "so I hope that by the midterm elections, he (Musk) can return to the camp."

The "Wall Street Journal" analyzed that historically, third parties often play the role of "disruptors," siphoning votes from major parties. For Vance, having Musk on his side could be crucial to his presidential ambitions.

Musk's public split with Trump happened earlier this year. In late May, after leaving the government efficiency department responsible for the Trump administration, he publicly criticized Trump's "Big and Beautiful" tax and spending bill, even threatening to challenge Republican lawmakers who supported the bill in primary elections. On July 5, he announced on the social media platform X to his more than 200 million followers that he would form the "American Party."

Trump once threatened to terminate contracts with Musk's companies, but upon review, it was found that most of SpaceX's contracts are crucial for the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.

However, recent signs indicate that Musk and Trump's relationship is beginning to ease. The two have stopped attacking each other on social media, and Musk has not posted any further criticisms of Trump or Republicans recently.

Trump even posted on his own social media platform "Truth Social" at the end of July, expressing hope that Musk and his companies "prosper," emphasizing that it would be beneficial for the United States. Last week, Trump signed an executive order to relax rocket launch permit approvals, which is considered favorable for SpaceX.

Musk's allies said he has not formally ruled out the possibility of creating a new party, but may change his mind as the midterm elections approach.

The "Wall Street Journal" said that Musk and his team have not yet contacted many well-known individuals who expressed support for the new party, nor have they used their resources to get the new party off the ground.

In the 2020 U.S. election, Democratic candidate Andrew Yang had previously contacted Musk's team about the idea of a third-party party, but details were not disclosed. Another billionaire, Mark Cuban, who openly supported Musk in forming a party, also stated that he has not had any communication with Musk's team on this matter to date.

The American Liberty Party has been trying to attract Musk, claiming that it can use its existing resources and experience to help Musk obtain ballot access in key states. However, the party's national committee chairman Steven Nekhaila said that he has not received any contact from Musk at any level, and it seems that Musk has taken no action, calling it "a strange silence".

Senior figures in Republican campaign activities also analyzed that Musk will find it difficult to rehire the Republican advisory team who helped him in the 2024 election, because if these advisors work for him, it may permanently damage their relationships with Trump and his allies.

The U.S. electoral system itself presents structural barriers for third-party parties. Grant Davis Riche, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, said that there are several structural obstacles to creating and maintaining a viable third-party party. In addition to some exceptions at the local level, the legislative bodies and administrative elections in the U.S. use geographically defined districts, represented by one person, where the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of the proportion of votes. This means that parties that cannot compete for first place have "almost nothing to offer voters," and "it is difficult to maintain themselves after establishment."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7540590005144551976/

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