By News18
New York, Jul 7 (PTI) US President Donald Trump slammed Elon Musk after he formed a new political party, terming the move as 鈥渞idiculous鈥 and saying the tech billionaire has gone 鈥渃ompletely off the rails鈥.
Musk, Trump鈥檚 one-time ally, said in a post on X Saturday that he had set up the 鈥淎merican Party鈥 to compete against the Republican and Democratic parties.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 ridiculous to start a third party,鈥 said Trump, speaking to reporters on Sunday before boarding Air Force One. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to the confusion.鈥 In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said, 鈥淚 am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 鈥榦ff the rails,鈥 essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.鈥 Musk even wants to start a third political party despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States, the US President said.
鈥淭he one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS,鈥 Trump added.
He claimed that the Tesla CEO was motivated by discontent over his plan to end subsidies to promote the purchase of electric vehicles.
Trump also accused Musk of seeking improper influence by asking him to nominate his friend, Jared Isaacman, to be NASA administrator.
After Musk left his role as a special government employee in the Trump administration, Isaacman鈥檚 nomination was also withdrawn.
鈥淚 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鈥檚 corporate life,鈥 Trump wrote.
Musk, the largest individual donor to Trump鈥檚 2024 presidential campaign, was a close adviser to Trump until recently.
Musk, who spearheaded the Trump administration鈥檚 push to cut government waste, had criticised Trump鈥檚 鈥渂ig beautiful鈥 tax and spending bill because of estimates that it would add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.
The legislation was narrowly passed by Congress and signed into law by the president this week.
Musk鈥檚 criticism of the bill was the catalyst for a major falling out between the two men last month.
The world鈥檚 richest man has indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending, but has offered few other details about what the party鈥檚 platform would be.
The two-party system in the United States has long been criticised by both registered Democrats and registered Republicans, but efforts in the last century to form a third party have shown little success. PTI NSA NSA