As billionaire Elon Musk teases the launch of his own “America Party” in response to growing frustration with congressional spending and partisanship, the Libertarian Party has a message for him: Don’t build a third party from scratch, join ours.
Libertarian National Committee Chair Steven Nekhaila told that creating a new political party would be a "mistake," and urged Musk to consider leveraging the Libertarian Party’s decades-long infrastructure instead, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
“The Libertarian Party is the most set-up party to be the dissident subversive party,” Nekhaila said Tuesday, pointing to the party’s near-nationwide ballot access and grassroots network. “There’s no way an independent or a new party can actually do this. It takes years and years.”
With a modest annual operating budget of $1–3 million, the Libertarians see Musk’s financial firepower, more than $250 million spent in the 2024 cycle, as a game-changer. “Once the capital is there, the doors get blown wide open,” Nekhaila added.
Musk has not responded directly to the Libertarian outreach but has continued expressing support for Libertarian-aligned Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Musk also slammed the Republican-backed “megabill” this week as “insane,” pledging financial backing for Massie as he faces opposition from Trump’s political machine.
While Musk’s dissatisfaction with both parties fuels third-party speculation, Nekhaila warned that the logistics of launching a viable party, especially with ballot access hurdles, are daunting. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who pursued an independent 2024 campaign, eventually withdrew from several ballots after endorsing Donald Trump.
Still, Musk isn’t without options. The centrist group No Labels is also interested in partnering with the billionaire, citing his broad appeal to independents and disillusioned voters. “We’re trying to find out a way to reach out to him,” said Dan Webb of No Labels. “The country isn’t working right now, and people know it.”
Polling suggests Musk’s instincts may be right: A recent NBC News analysis shows a 9-point rise in independent and unaffiliated voters since 2000. Today, nearly one-third of voters in states that track party registration are not aligned with either major party.
While it's unclear what political role Musk will ultimately play, Libertarians argue he doesn't need to start from zero. As Nekhaila put it: “He made an investment [in politics] and got nothing in return. We already have the vehicle, he just has to step in.”
