U.S. JD Vance Urges Musk to Stick with GOP

(MENAFN) US Vice President JD Vance issued a strong warning to billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday, urging him to remain loyal to the Republican Party and cautioning that launching a third political party would only diminish his political clout.

Speaking to media, Vance said, "My advice to Elon would be to try to fix the Republican Party. Try to push it in your own way. Disagree with me all you want, disagree with the president of the United States, but don't pretend that you can make a big difference with a third party."

He further emphasized, "I think Elon would make a much bigger difference if he stayed loyal to President (Donald) Trump's Republican Party, and if he had disagreements, express those disagreements from the inside as opposed from the outside."

Vance’s remarks come after a media report revealed Musk has paused efforts to launch a new political movement called the America Party—a project Musk unveiled in July on his social media platform, X, as a means to restore "freedom" to Americans.

Musk has openly criticized the entrenched US two-party system, declaring, "When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy."

Earlier in the year, Musk faced backlash for his cost-cutting measures during his involvement with the Trump administration, with critics labeling his approach to eliminating “waste” as indiscriminate and reckless.

Vance also warned Musk about his political standing, stating, "You believe in law and order, you believe in closed borders, you believe in economic growth and prosperity, you believe in making things in the United States of America. The idea that Elon is ever going to go back to being sort of in the middle, where Democrats and Republicans both like him, that's just not going to happen. He is perceived as being on the American right."

Amid speculation about Musk’s potential support for a 2028 presidential run, Vance denied any discussions with the entrepreneur or his donors on this topic.

Since ramping up his political involvement last year, Musk has largely stepped back from his Trump administration role, especially as his companies faced mounting challenges and pressure to refocus. This retreat was followed by a very public feud in which Musk became a vocal critic of Trump.

Despite his flirtation with forming a third party, Musk continues to financially back Republican candidates, maintaining his status as one of Trump’s largest donors.

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