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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has warned Elon Musk against forming a third political party, arguing that it could boost Democratic victories.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, Elon Musk recently announced that he would move forward with creating a new political group called the America Party, positioning it as an alternative to what he described as a corrupt and ineffective two-party system. Musk said the party was formed in direct response to President Trump’s signing of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a tax and spending package projected to add trillions to the national deficit—something Musk has fiercely opposed. He claims the America Party will not function like traditional parties but instead act as a disruptive force by targeting just 2 to 3 Senate races and 8 to 10 key House districts, aiming to become a swing bloc in Congress capable of tipping the balance on major legislation. According to Musk, this strategy is designed to “serve the true will of the people” by breaking the grip of what he called a “uniparty” system.
What’s going on now: During a press conference in Jacksonville, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned Musk against moving forward with his third party. He said, “I think Washington needs to be overhauled 100%, but I just don’t think a third party is going to do it.” He warned that Musk’s backing of alternative candidates could tip the balance in tightly contested races: “If he funds Senate candidates and House candidates in competitive races, that would likely end up meaning the Democrats would win all the competitive Senate and House races.”
While he praised Musk as “one of the most innovative entrepreneurs … probably in world history,” he urged the billionaire to channel his efforts into structural reforms rather than party politics. “If you’re concerned about the debt … I don’t think just electing a few better people is going to change the trajectory,” DeSantis argued. Instead, he encouraged Musk to back efforts to pass constitutional amendments on a balanced budget and term limits through an Article V convention of states, noting, “You can do it through Article V and do it through the states … that would have a huge impact on the trajectory of the country.”
DeSantis also criticized the Republican Party’s own shortcomings, particularly on fiscal discipline. “We do have a problem in the Republican Party with these D.C. congressmen,” he said. “They always run saying there’s out-of-control spending, and they’re going to spend less, and they never do it.” Despite these frustrations, he maintained that reform should come from within the GOP: “The way you do that is expose that in a primary and show that there’s another way forward.”
This comes as President Trump has downplayed concerns related to Elon Musk’s formation of a third party, suggesting it could actually work in his favor. “I think it will help us,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “Third parties have always been good for me. I don’t know about Republicans, but for me.”
