Why Elon Musk Can Never Become US President Despite Creating His New ‘America Party’ To Challenge Donald Trump?

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has officially announced the launch of a new political party, marking a dramatic escalation of his feud with Republican President Donald Trump.

While Musk’s announcement sent shockwaves through political and financial circles, it has also sparked a widespread question: Is Musk planning to run for president? The simple answer is no, and more importantly, he cannot run under US law.

Below, we explain exactly what happened, why Musk is challenging Trump, and why the Constitution bars him from the presidency.

Why can't Elon Musk run for president?

Despite speculation that Musk’s America Party is a prelude to a personal White House bid, there is one inescapable fact: Elon Musk is constitutionally barred from becoming US president.

The US Constitution is very clear. Article II, Section 1 states, “No person except a natural-born citizen…shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

This requirement means that only someone who was a US citizen from birth—either born on American soil or born abroad to US citizen parents—is considered eligible.

Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971. While he later became a US citizen, he is classified as a naturalised citizen, not a natural-born one. That alone permanently disqualifies him from holding the presidency, regardless of how popular or wealthy he becomes.

Musk has been candid about this barrier. When asked about it, he has said plainly, “I cannot be president because of my African birth.”

Other famous figures barred from the White House

Musk is not the first high-profile public figure to face this limit. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, born in Austria, was also prohibited from seeking the presidency despite massive popularity. Similar restrictions applied to former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, born in Germany, and Madeleine Albright, born in Czechoslovakia.

Also Read: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Floats 'America Party' Amid Feud With Donald Trump

Elon Musk vs Donald Trump

Elon Musk and Donald Trump were once strong allies, with Musk spending hundreds of millions to help Trump get re-elected and even leading the Department of Government Efficiency during Trump’s second term to try to cut government spending.

However, their relationship fell apart after Trump signed what he called his “big, beautiful” tax-cut and spending bill, which Musk fiercely opposed. Musk warned that “increasing the deficit from an already insane $2T under Biden to $2.5T” would “bankrupt the country.”

In response, Trump threatened to cut off the billions in federal subsidies supporting Musk’s companies. The feud escalated when Musk posted a poll asking Americans if they wanted to break away from the “two-party (some would say uniparty) system,” and after more than 60% voted yes, he declared, “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Can Musk succeed with his wealth?

Musk’s wealth is virtually unmatched. He was the largest donor in the 2023–2024 election cycle, giving over $291 million to Republican campaigns. According to donations watchdog OpenSecrets, nearly $16 billion was spent across the 2024 presidential and congressional races—an amount Musk could potentially match or exceed in future elections.

However, money alone does not guarantee victory. In April, Musk spent more than $25 million backing conservative candidates in a high-profile race for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. Even with those enormous sums, Democratic-backed Susan Crawford won the seat.