(Reuters) -Tesla CEO Elon Musk last week announced on social media the formation of a new political party in the United States called the “America Party” after heavy criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill. Musk had been a close ally of the president before a falling-out that began earlier this year.
Musk wouldn’t be the first executive who has either tried to form a third party or run for office without previous political experience.
Here are a list of other top U.S. executives who have shifted to politics:
DONALD TRUMP
The real estate mogul and former head of the Trump Organization ran for and won the 2016 presidential election, campaigning on the slogan of “Make America Great Again” geared around the issues of border security and immigration.
After losing his re-election to Democratic nominee Joseph Biden in 2020, Trump returned to the White House four years later, campaigning on issues similar to his previous run.
ELON MUSK
The automotive and space billionaire last week announced the formation of the “America Party” after Trump’s tax bill was signed into law. Prior to their public falling out, Musk was a large political donor to the president, contributing over a quarter of a billion dollars to help get Trump elected.
ROSS PEROT
The tech billionaire and founder of Electronic Data Systems ran as an independent candidate during the 1992 presidential race, campaigning on addressing the federal budget deficit and fiscal responsibility. He received nearly 19% of the popular vote but lost the election to Democrat Bill Clinton.
In 1996, he started the Reform Party and ran again for the White House, this time capturing 8% of the popular vote.
MEG WHITMAN
The former eBay CEO ran for the governor of California in 2010 and poured millions of dollars into her campaign but lost to Jerry Brown.
CARLY FIORINA
The former CEO of Hewlett Packard unsuccessfully ran for a spot in the U.S. Senate and then ran for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination but dropped out of the race.
MITT ROMNEY
The former CEO of Bain & Company and co-founder of private equity firm Bain Capital had multiple runs for office through his political career.
Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2003, ran for the Republican nomination for president in 2008, won the Republican nomination in 2012 but lost the general election to Barack Obama and also served as a U.S. senator from Utah.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY
A Trump ally and former Republican presidential candidate, Ramaswamy has never held elected office, but has said he will run for governor of Ohio in 2026. The founder and former CEO of biotechnology company Roivant Sciences was also named co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency in late 2024, but left to run for elected office.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
Media mogul Michael Bloomberg, the co‑founder and majority owner of financial data and media company Bloomberg LP, was elected mayor of New York City in 2001 as a Republican and served three terms, later becoming an independent. He entered the 2020 presidential race as a Democrat, but did not gain traction and later endorsed then-nominee Biden.
(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
