Libertarian Party wants to seduce Elon Musk: ‘You don’t need to build from zero’

Against a backdrop of political tensions and disagreements between tycoon Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, the Libertarian Party has extended a direct invitation to the owner of Tesla and SpaceX to join its ranks, rather than undertake the titanic task of founding a new political party.

The proposal, led by Steven Nekhaila, chairman of the Libertarian National Committee, seeks to capitalize on Musk's dissatisfaction with the two-party system and the recent launch of the America Party.

The backdrop for this offer stems from Musk's recent criticism of the Republican Party (and the Democrats) and, in particular, what he has called the "insane" mega-bill pushed by Trump and the Republicans, known as the Big Beautiful Bill.

Musk, who invested more than $250 million in the 2024 election to support Trump, has expressed frustration that he did not get the expected political return.

On Independence Day, July 4, Musk posted on his X account: “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?”

The message sparked a debate over the possibility of a third party in the polarized political landscape.

The Libertarian Party's offer

Steven Nekhaila, in a statement to Score on Tuesday, was clear in warning that creating a third party from scratch would be a "mistake." According to Nekhaila, the Libertarian Party already has the infrastructure and ballot access in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, an accomplishment that no new party could quickly achieve, noting that election laws in states such as Georgia, Virginia, New York and Oklahoma impose complex requirements, such as signature thresholds representing up to 5% of voter turnout and costly legal battles that can stretch for years.

Later, in a direct message to Musk on his X account, Nekhaila reinforced this idea: “Elon, building a new party isn’t the shortcut you think, it’s a multi-decade slog. The Libertarian Party is already on the ballot in all 50 states + DC, something no new party can immediately claim.”

He further added that the party has maintained ballot access since 1980, overcoming numerous court battles, and has a consolidated statewide infrastructure after decades of grassroots work.

“You don’t need to build from zero. Join the existing vehicle that can actually drive change, today,” he concluded.

For its part, the Libertarian Party's official X account also joined the persuasion effort: “Elon, you don’t need to build a new party from scratch. The Libertarian Party already exists, with 50-state ballot access, decades of infrastructure, and the spine to take on the uniparty. We’ve been fighting the surveillance state, endless wars, and reckless spending since day one. You want independence from the duopoly? We’ve been living it. Join us. Let’s finish what they’re afraid we’ll start.”

President Donald Trump's response

The president, Donald Trump, has used his Truth Social account to express his disappointment with Elon Musk by calling him "off the rails" for his behavior over the past five weeks and criticizing his intention to found a third political party, the "America Party."

Trump argued that third parties have never succeeded in the United States because of a system that is not designed for them, and that they only generate "disruption and chaos," something that, according to him, the country does not need in the face of the problems caused by the Democrats.

Trump highlighted the recent success of the Republican Party in passing what he described as the largest bill of its kind in the country's history, the Big Beautiful Bill. This bill eliminates the Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, a policy that Trump said would have forced consumers to buy electric cars.

In that regard, he said he always opposed this mandate, promoting, instead, freedom of choice for consumers to opt for gasoline vehicles, hybrids or new technologies. Trump noted that Musk, who gave him his “unquestioned Endorsement,” was aware of his stance against the mandate, which makes his current opposition surprising.

In addition, the Republican leader revealed that Musk proposed a close friend, described as a “blue blooded Democrat” to head NASA, a request Trump deemed inappropriate due to Musk's interests in the space sector and his responsibility to protect the American people.

For now, Musk has not publicly responded to the Libertarian Party's invitation. However, he has not failed to demonstrate his growing disenchantment with the current political system and his willingness to challenge the Republican Administration.