Tesla shares sink as Musk launches political party

Shares in Elon Musk's Tesla have reversed sharply over renewed concerns about his focus on the company's recovery as he plots against Donald Trump.

Shares in the electric car firm plunged by more than 7% at the start of trading on Wall Street - taking about $71bn (£52bn) off its market value. The stock has often come under pressure since Musk started his association with the president, latterly helping bring down federal government costs through a new department known as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).

Money latest: Call centre worker's tips for getting discounts But it is now suffering as their political relationship has soured. Musk has publicly opposed the so-called "big, beautiful bill" - Mr Trump's flagship tax cut and spending plans that received Congressional approval last week - since he left his DOGE role.

Musk wrote in a post on his X platform on 30 June: "It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country - the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" Once the bill was passed, he created a poll on X, asking people if they would want him to launch the America Party. He wrote on 4 July: "Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!" The vote ended with 65.4% in favour of creating the party.

The formation of the America Party was announced the following day. "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country withwaste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy." "Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom," Musk posted.

Trump responded on his Truth Social account: "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. "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 has previously threatened to go after Tesla's government subsidies and contracts through the DOGE department to save "big" as their relationship deteriorated.

Such threats have also pressured the share price at Tesla. It has suffered throughout Trump 2.0 and, in fact, has trended lower since last December - shortly after Mr Trump's election win was confirmed.

Read more: The Trump-Musk bust-up that everyone knew was comingMusk hits out at Tesla succession claim The possibility of tariff hits to the business, followed by actual tariff disruption, along with a consumer and investor backlash against Musk's previous DOGE role have contributed to a 35% decline on the December peak. The very absence of Tesla's CEO dragged on the shares.

Tesla sales suffered globally as the trade war ramped up due to the imposition of tariffs by a government he supported, until the public row between him and the president began in early June. Musk had only just renewed his 100% focus on Tesla and his other business interests by that time.

Tesla sales were down during the presidential election campaign last year and continued to decline, on a quarterly basis, during the first half of 2025. Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets, said of the company's share price woes: "Investors are worried about two things - one is more Trump ire affecting subsidies and the other more importantly is a distracted Musk.

"Investors had cheered Musk stepping back from frontline politics but are now worried he's going to sucked back in and take his eye off Tesla.".