Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
08 July 2025 | 14:28 CAT

📸 Musk’s Political Power Play: Billionaire Eyes Third-Party Disruption After Trump Fallout.

Tech mogul Elon Musk has once again ignited political controversy, this time, not with rockets or artificial intelligence, but with a bold declaration: he’s starting his own political party in the United States.

The announcement follows a dramatic fallout with former President Donald Trump, who Musk once openly supported. But with tensions flaring and loyalties shifting, Musk is now looking to challenge America’s entrenched two-party system.

In conversation with Radio Islam International, Dr Ashton a media and U.S. politics expert. highlighted the deeply embedded barriers that make it nearly impossible for third parties to gain traction in U.S. politics. “From ballot access to funding, the system is rigged for a two-horse race,” he explained. “Unless people believe you can win, voting for a third party is often seen as a wasted vote.”

While Musk certainly has the money and media clout to field a campaign, history is not on his side. “Even billionaires like Ross Perot in the 1990s struggled to break the Republican-Democrat stronghold,” said Ashton.

Still, Musk may find an advantage in today’s media-saturated political climate. “He can’t tell people what to think, but he can tell them what to think about,” noted Ashton, drawing comparisons to Donald Trump’s successful use of social media to elevate immigration to a top campaign issue in 2016.

Musk has hinted at making the U.S. national debt, now pushing $37 trillion, a focal point of his campaign. “That’s going to make life uncomfortable for a lot of Republicans and Democrats,” Ashton warned.

Despite the buzz, Musk faces one immutable barrier: he’s not U.S.-born. “It’s in the Constitution. You must be born in the U.S. to become president,” clarified the host, echoing debates once stoked by the Obama birth certificate controversy.

Whether Musk’s party will be a serious political movement or a short-lived disruption remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: with money, media, and ambition, Musk is not done rattling America’s political cage.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany Dr Mathew Mokhefi Ashton, a media and U.S. politics expert.