Washington [US], July 8 (ANI): Tech billionaire Elon Musk has escalated his feud with US President Donald Trump, announcing the formation of a new political group called the 'America Party' and intensifying criticism over Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, The Hill reported.

The fallout between the two deepened after Republicans passed a major policy bill supported by Trump, prompting Musk to declare his intention to back primary challengers against GOP members who voted for it. In response, Trump dismissed Musk's new party as 'ridiculous' and labeled him a 'train wreck,' criticizing the effort as one doomed to fail in the US political system.

'He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!'

According to The Hill, Musk unveiled the America Party after polling users on his platform X about their desire for 'independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!' He posted, 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.'

Musk also reignited controversy around the Epstein investigation, posting a sarcastic jab on X following a DOJ and FBI memo that concluded there was no Epstein 'client list.' He wrote, 'What's the time? Oh look, it's no-one-has-been-arrested-o'clock again ...' alongside an image titled 'The Official Jeffrey Epstein Pedophile Arrest Counter' showing all zeroes.

Asked broadly about criticism regarding the Epstein case, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, 'The administration wants anyone who has ever committed a crime to be held accountable,' The Hill noted.

Republican strategist Brian Seitchik said, 'This is potentially more problematic for Republicans than it is for Donald Trump. Elon Musk's ability to hurt Donald Trump feels more like hyperbole than reality.' However, he added, 'Should Musk decide to spend his vast resources hurting Republicans in the midterm elections or future elections is the real story here.'

Despite Musk previously pledging to pull back on political spending, his new stance poses a fresh challenge to the GOP ahead of the midterms. He spent at least $250 million through his America PAC on Trump's 2024 election efforts. GOP strategist Alex Conant told The Hill that Musk is 'still waiting for some significant policy wins' despite heavy financial involvement in past elections.

Musk's move to form a third party also drew skepticism from experts and strategists. Claremont McKenna College professor John Pitney said, 'It's very hard to start a political party in this country. You need a base to have a party, and I don't know what the base of an 'American Party' would look like.' He added that 'eventually he's going to figure out that starting a third party is extremely difficult.'

The feud between Musk and Trump marks a major turn in their relationship. Trump had once praised Musk's government cost-cutting efforts and even presented him with a gold key to the White House. During his stint with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk had an office at the White House and appeared prominently in Cabinet meetings, The Hill reported.

But now, Trump has hinted at deporting the South African-born U.S. citizen and potentially turning DOGE against Musk's companies. Pitney remarked, 'A conflict with Trump was inevitable. You can't have two top dogs. If they have one thing in common, it's that neither of them is a forgive-and-forget kind of guy.' (ANI)