Elon Musk is signaling a major political shift ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, indicating that he plans to bankroll Republican candidates after months of tension with President Donald Trump and public flirtation with launching a third political party.
The world’s richest man posted a stark warning on X on New Year’s Day, declaring that the country would be “toast” if Democrats regain control of Congress.
“America is toast if the radical left wins,” Musk wrote. “They will open the floodgates to illegal immigration and fraud. Won’t be America anymore.”
The post came in response to a conservative influencer claiming Musk was “going all-in” to help Republicans secure full control of Congress in November.
While Musk did not explicitly deny the claim, multiple reports suggest he has already begun making sizable donations to GOP candidates in competitive 2026 races.
According to Axios, Musk has quietly resumed funding Republican campaigns, though the full scope of his spending will not be publicly known until federal campaign finance filings are released later this month.
In the 2024 election cycle, Musk spent more than $290 million on political causes, making him the single largest donor in the country by a wide margin.
Musk’s renewed support for Republicans comes after a highly publicized fallout with Trump earlier this year.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO briefly served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before clashing with the president over Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
At the height of the dispute, Musk threatened to form a new political party called the America Party and floated the idea of running third-party candidates against Republicans who supported the spending package.
That plan now appears to be on hold.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Musk backed away from launching a third party due to concerns it would damage his relationship with Vice President J.D. Vance, who Musk is said to view as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
Allies of the tech billionaire say he has not ruled out reviving the idea entirely, but is waiting to see how the 2026 midterms unfold.
Musk’s New Year’s post also included a clip of Trump patting him on the arm during a White House appearance in November, signaling a possible thaw in their relationship, per the New York Post.
Despite the earlier feud, Musk has continued to frame the upcoming election as an existential battle over the country’s future.
Musk has repeatedly warned that Democratic control would accelerate illegal immigration, expand government fraud, and permanently alter the nation’s political identity.
His language mirrors the increasingly apocalyptic tone dominating the 2026 midterm narrative as Republicans fight to protect their congressional majority.
Whether Musk ultimately sticks with the GOP or revives his third-party ambitions, his financial influence remains impossible to ignore.
With hundreds of millions already spent and more likely on the way, Musk is positioning himself once again as one of the most powerful political players in America.
And this time, he appears determined to keep Democrats far from the levers of power.
