Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that making the Jeffrey Epstein files public will be a top priority for his newly launched political party, the America Party. Musk questioned how the public could trust former President Donald Trump if he refuses to release the files linked to Epstein, a disgraced financier. Posting on X, Musk asked, “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won't release the Epstein files?”

In response to a user who asked whether exposing these files would be high on the America Party’s agenda, Musk confirmed it is indeed a top priority. Epstein died in 2019 in a New York jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Earlier in the day, Musk criticized Trump by posting a mock image on X showing a counter titled “The Official Jeffrey Epstein Pedophile Arrest Counter,” with the number reading “0000.” Alongside the image, Musk commented, “What’s the time? Oh look, it’s no-one-has-been-arrested-o'clock again.” According to The Hill, Musk’s criticism of Trump escalated after congressional Republicans passed a major policy bill backed by Trump. In response, Musk said he would support primary challengers against GOP lawmakers who voted for it.

Trump dismissed Musk’s political efforts, calling the America Party “ridiculous” and referring to Musk as a “train wreck.” He criticized third parties in general, claiming they only cause disruption and have no chance of success within the current U.S. political structure. On Truth Social, Trump wrote that third parties create "complete and total disruption and chaos," and argued the country already has enough of that from the “Radical Left Democrats.”

Musk announced the America Party after conducting a poll on X, asking users if they wanted an alternative to what he called a two-party—or even “uniparty”—system. He claimed that waste and corruption have turned the U.S. into a one-party state and said the America Party aims to restore freedom to the people.

The rift between Musk and Trump marks a dramatic shift in their relationship. Trump had previously praised Musk for his efforts to reduce government spending and had even given him a symbolic “gold key” to the White House. Musk was once a part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he had an office in the White House and attended high-level meetings. Now, Trump has reportedly floated the idea of deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa, and hinted at using DOGE to target Musk’s business operations.