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Thursday, June 05, 2025

Elon Musk And Donald Trump: The Feud

The Tesla Of Political Parties

 


As of June 5, 2025, tensions between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have escalated into a public feud, primarily over disagreements regarding Trump's signature tax and spending bill. Here’s a summary of key developments reported today:

  • Public Criticism: The rift exploded into public view, with Trump expressing that he was "very disappointed" and "surprised" by Musk's criticisms of the Republican-backed budget bill, often referred to as the "big, beautiful bill." Trump suggested Musk's opposition stemmed from the removal of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits and mandates, which could impact Tesla, stating, “Elon’s upset because we took the EV mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles and they’re having a hard time.”
  • Musk's Response: Elon Musk fired back on X, accusing Trump of "ingratitude" and claiming, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election.” Musk has been vocal in his opposition, calling the bill a "disgusting abomination" and alleging it would increase the U.S. budget deficit by trillions, with estimates ranging from $2.4 trillion to $5 trillion over a decade, depending on the analysis and whether temporary tax cuts are extended.
  • Threats and Retorts: Trump suggested cutting billions in federal contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX, stating on Truth Social, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.” He also claimed he had asked Musk to leave the administration and called him “CRAZY” for his reaction to the EV mandate removal. Musk, in turn, escalated the feud by alleging without evidence that Trump’s name is in the unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files, a claim that has stirred controversy.
  • Context of the Rift: The two had previously shared a close relationship, with Musk spending over $270 million to support Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 election and serving as a key adviser and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until his term as a special government employee ended recently. However, Musk’s aggressive campaign against the bill, including posts on X urging followers to “KILL the BILL,” has strained ties.
  • Impact: Tesla shares dropped 14% on June 5 amid the spat, reflecting investor concerns. The feud has also complicated Trump’s legislative agenda, with Musk’s criticism emboldening some Republican senators like Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Ron Johnson to demand deeper spending cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, noted he had texted Musk and planned to speak with him, calling him a “good friend.”
This public clash marks a significant break from their earlier alliance, with both sides trading sharp barbs in real time via social media and public statements. The situation remains fluid, with no clear resolution as of 3:19 PM CDT on June 5, 2025.





The Tesla Of Political Parties

 


What we are envisioning is a new kind of political force—a data-driven, AI-powered, post-ideological movement that restores democratic ideals, breaks corporate capture, leverages exponential technologies for economic abundance, and does it fast.

Below is a realistic yet ambitious roadmap for founding and scaling this party, leading to it becoming the largest force in U.S. politics by the 2026 midterms.


🎯 THE VISION: The Forward Democracy Party (FDP)

  • Ideology-Agnostic: Not left or right, but forward. Policy based on data and outcomes.

  • Tech-Native Governance: AI for policymaking. Blockchain for transparency. Voting and party participation via secure app.

  • Radical Democracy: One person, one vote, one voice. Liquid democracy and deliberative polling at scale.

  • Anti-Corporate Capture: Ban on lobbyist funding. Full transparency of finances. Repeal Citizens United.

  • Fiscally Responsible, Economically Bold: Enable 10% GDP growth with robotics, AI, infrastructure.

  • Human-Centered Capitalism: UBI transitioning into Universal High Income (UHI) via productivity dividends.

  • Foreign Policy: End the forever wars. Pivot to peacebuilding, AI-powered diplomacy, and economic cooperation.


🛠️ PHASE 1 (JUNE 2025 – SEPT 2025): FORMATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

1. Founding Coalition

  • Founders: Technologists, military vets, disillusioned centrists, Gen Z and Millennial organizers.

  • Elon Musk’s billion-dollar seed gives initial credibility, tech stack, and media magnetism.

2. Brand Identity

  • Name: Forward Democracy Party

  • Slogan: “One Person. One Vote. One Voice.”

  • Visual Identity: clean, tech-optimistic, open-source feel.

3. Tech Stack Development

  • Secure party participation app: voting, polling, contribution tracking, citizen proposals.

  • GPT-based local campaign builder, robo-campaigners, and community organizing assistant.

  • Blockchain-based member rolls, donations, and party constitution edits.

4. Legal Formation

  • Register with FEC as a national political party.

  • Form 50 state chapters by Labor Day 2025.

  • Recruit 200 core staff and 5,000 volunteer digital organizers.


🌱 PHASE 2 (OCT 2025 – JAN 2026): NATIONAL LAUNCH & GROUND GAME

1. Soft Launch

  • Digital town halls in all 435 congressional districts.

  • Livestreamed “Founding Convention” with Musk keynote.

  • Release The Forward Contract: 10 planks for 10% growth.

2. Data-Driven District Targeting

  • Use AI to identify ~150 House races with high volatility or low turnout.

  • Recruit citizen candidates in those races from military, educators, STEM workers, healthcare, etc.

  • Use predictive analytics to personalize outreach.

3. Membership Drive

  • Goal: 20 million app downloads / verified members by Jan 2026.

  • Referral gamification: members earn badges, local influence, micro-rewards.

  • Local “democracy pods”: 5-10 people per zip code to do voter registration and organizing.

4. Policy & Platform Crowdbuilding

  • Continuous polling of members for live policy refinement.

  • Weekly deliberative votes on policy priorities.

  • All white papers made with transparent GPT-5+ co-piloting.


🗳️ PHASE 3 (FEB 2026 – OCT 2026): ELECTION SEASON & WAVE STRATEGY

1. AI-Augmented Campaigns

  • Auto-generated messaging based on district-level voter concerns.

  • Robo-doorknockers, GPT canvassing scripts, SMS campaigns scaled with LLMs.

  • Local “digital twins” of candidates for on-demand Q&A.

2. Media Strategy

  • TikTok-native storytelling with voter testimonials.

  • Long-form podcasts with in-house AI interviewers.

  • National debate demands from candidates in every contested district.

3. Break Corporate Lock on Power

  • Name and shame top 100 corrupt defense, pharma, tech, and banking donors.

  • Open-source map of money-to-policy pipelines.

  • “Break the Lock” pledge: every FDP candidate commits to full donor transparency and no PACs.

4. UBI to UHI Vision Campaign

  • Make economics exciting: Show how AI and robots fund Universal High Income via productivity-based dividends.

  • Weekly livestreams showing GDP modeling, simulations, success stories.

  • Partner with mayors for pilot rollouts in 10 cities.


🧠 PHASE 4 (NOV 2026): WIN THE HOUSE

1. Electoral Goals

  • Win at least 120–150 seats in the House.

  • Become the single largest party (though not necessarily majority).

  • Form post-election legislative coalition with independents and reformist Democrats.

2. First 100 Days Agenda (draft)

  • Ban corporate PACs and dark money.

  • National AI task force for job creation and ethics.

  • Pilot federal UBI in 20 districts.

  • Launch National AI Productivity Dividend Fund (precursor to UHI).

  • Declassify all non-sensitive defense procurement records.


🔮 KEY STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES

  • Macron-style Momentum: New party fatigue + tech-fueled optimism.

  • App-as-Party Model: Reduces need for legacy infrastructure.

  • AI-native Strategy: Hyper-targeted campaigns, real-time policy response.

  • Grassroots Scale: Every member is an organizer via the app.

  • Big Tent by Design: Appeals to independents, moderates, tech workers, working class, youth, veterans.


🚧 RISKS TO MANAGE

  • Legal barriers to third-party ballot access (must start now, state-by-state).

  • Media attacks from entrenched interests.

  • AI fears and Luddite backlash (need education campaigns).

  • Platform capture by grifters or extremists (need strong moderation and democratic guardrails).


✊ IN CONCLUSION

This is the Tesla of political parties—disruptive, fast, data-driven, and powered by exponential technology. The 2026 midterms are a unique moment where voter frustration with both major parties, paired with economic anxiety and AI acceleration, opens the door for a new people-powered, algorithmically competent democratic movement.

It can happen.

And if done right—it will.


Emmanuel Macron's rapid ascent to the French presidency and his party's subsequent parliamentary dominance in 2017 offer a compelling case study in modern political movement-building. Here's an overview of how Macron's party was formed and achieved electoral success:


🚀 Formation of En Marche!

  • Launch and Vision: In April 2016, while serving as France's Economy Minister, Emmanuel Macron founded En Marche! ("Forward!") in his hometown of Amiens. He positioned it as a centrist movement, aiming to transcend traditional left-right political divisions and rejuvenate France's political landscape .(theguardian.com)

  • Grassroots Engagement: The movement emphasized citizen involvement. Volunteers conducted door-to-door surveys, engaging with approximately 100,000 individuals to gather insights on public concerns. This data-driven approach informed the party's platform, ensuring it resonated with the electorate .(en.wikipedia.org)

  • Inclusive Membership: En Marche! adopted an open membership model, allowing individuals from various political backgrounds to join without a mandatory financial contribution. This inclusivity facilitated rapid growth, with the establishment of over 2,600 local committees by December 2016 .(en.wikipedia.org)


🗳️ Electoral Success in 2017

  • Presidential Election: In May 2017, Macron won the French presidency, securing 66.1% of the vote in the runoff against Marine Le Pen of the National Front. His victory was notable not only for the margin but also because he had never held elected office and his party was just a year old .(en.wikipedia.org)

  • Legislative Elections: Following the presidential win, En Marche! (renamed La République En Marche!, or LREM) achieved a significant majority in the National Assembly. In the June 2017 legislative elections, LREM and its centrist ally MoDem secured 350 out of 577 seats, enabling Macron to implement his agenda effectively .(en.wikipedia.org)


🔑 Factors Behind the Sweep

  1. Public Disillusionment with Traditional Parties: The established Socialist and Republican parties faced declining support due to scandals and perceived ineffectiveness, creating an opening for a new political force .

  2. Innovative Campaigning: En Marche! leveraged technology and data analytics to tailor its messaging and mobilize supporters efficiently. The use of grassroots volunteers and local committees fostered a sense of ownership among members .

  3. Candidate Selection: LREM prioritized diversity and renewal in its candidate selection, with over half of its legislative candidates coming from civil society and many being political newcomers. This approach appealed to voters seeking change .(en.wikipedia.org)

  4. Macron's Centrist Appeal: Positioning himself as a pro-European centrist, Macron attracted voters from both the left and right who were dissatisfied with traditional party offerings .


Macron's strategic formation of En Marche! and its swift rise to power underscore the potential for new political movements to disrupt established systems, especially when they harness grassroots energy, data-driven strategies, and inclusive platforms.