Donald Trump, Elon Musk Feud: J.D. Vance Reportedly Intervened to End 'America Party' Threat

Few political dramas in recent years have carried the mix of ego, power and technology quite like the feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

Behind closed doors, it nearly prompted the billionaire tycoon to launch a new political movement, one that could have splintered the American right. But according to The Washington Post, it was Vice President J.D. Vance who quietly stepped in to stop Musk from doing just that.

The Hidden Battle to Stop 'The America Party'

As the Post revealed on Monday, 29 December, Vance and his aides intervened over the summer when the 54-year-old SpaceX founder began privately plotting the creation of what he called 'The America Party'. Musk, furious over what he perceived as betrayal from the Trump administration, was reportedly ready to lead his own third-party charge until Vance persuaded him otherwise.

The Ohio-born vice president, 41, is said to have lobbied fiercely behind the scenes, courting MAGA-aligned lawmakers to appease Musk. His key concession came in the form of backing Jared Isaacman, a close Musk ally, for the role of NASA administrator, a move that ultimately helped cool tensions.

When Billionaires and Presidents Collide

The rift began in May, when President Trump, now 79, abruptly withdrew Isaacman's nomination for the NASA post. The decision was met with rage across Musk's inner circle and reportedly prompted the tech mogul to resign from his own position in the Department of Government Efficiency, a symbolic role he had held under Trump's administration.

By June, Musk was publicly attacking the president's economic agenda. He blasted Trump's so-called 'One, Big Beautiful Bill Act', denouncing it on social media as a 'disgusting abomination' and a 'political suicide note'. The posts marked a breaking point for two men who only months earlier had been political allies.

Then came the claim that truly antagonised Trump. Musk declared on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been instrumental in Trump's re-election bid. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election,' he wrote on 5 June, adding that Democrats would now control both the House and Senate had he not intervened.

Trump Strikes Back

The president hit back within hours. In a Truth Social post, Trump insisted he had 'fired' Musk, describing the billionaire as having gone 'completely off the rails'. The following month, he doubled down, telling followers he was 'saddened' to watch Musk become a 'train wreck', accusing him of arrogance and political disloyalty.

The once-chummy alliance that had symbolised the merging of populist politics and Silicon Valley ambition was now in tatters, with Musk threatening to fracture Trump's movement even further. Without Vance's intervention, insiders suggest the billionaire might have led a major third-party revolt capable of splitting conservative votes wide open ahead of the 2028 election cycle.

The Quiet Reconciliation

By late autumn, however, the ice between the two men began to thaw. The confirmation of Jared Isaacman as NASA chief in August appeared to mark a turning point. Photographs soon surfaced of Musk shaking hands with Trump at the funeral of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, a handshake many interpreted as a truce.

In November, the Tesla boss was spotted again at a White House dinner alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, a sign that Musk was once more welcomed into Republican power circles.

Elon Musk's Role in Vance's Political Future

While Musk's brief flirtation with rebellion is now history, his political ambitions may not be. According to The Washington Post, the billionaire could soon pivot to supporting Vance in his own potential White House run in 2028. Sources close to Turning Point USA claim that Musk's backing could prove decisive, building on his vast tech influence and deep political reach.

If that happens, it would mark a full-circle moment for both men—the vice president who saved Musk from a disastrous political split, and the billionaire who could yet return the favour by helping propel him to the presidency.