Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is offering Elon Musk serious political advice following Musk’s announcement of the “America Party,” warning the tech mogul that a third-party bid could hand victories to Democrats while failing to move the needle in Washington.
Speaking at a Monday press conference, DeSantis praised Musk as “one of the most innovative entrepreneurs” in world history and credited him for helping in the 2024 election and for launching the Department of Government Efficiency, which DeSantis adopted in Florida to reduce spending.
DeSantis, a self-described “big fan” of Musk’s cost-cutting mindset, warned that Musk’s third-party efforts could do more harm than good by splitting the conservative vote. “As it is now, even if somehow a third party could elect some people that were so-called fiscal conservatives, I don’t think it would even move the needle even if they got elected,” DeSantis said. “You’re either just taking votes away from one side or the other.”
He emphasized the GOP’s ongoing struggle with candidates who promise to rein in federal spending but fail to deliver once in office, adding that electing “a few better people” will not fix America’s financial crisis.
Instead, DeSantis offered Musk a clear mission: push for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution using the states. The governor explained this could be achieved without congressional approval through Article Five, noting that 28 states have already approved the measure, with four or five more considering it. Once 34 states are on board, an amendment can be written and ratified by the states.
“You need to do a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” DeSantis said, adding that pushing for term limits in Congress should also be part of Musk’s strategy. The governor argued that these structural changes, not third-party candidates, would secure the lasting change needed to protect America’s financial future.
DeSantis expressed confidence that Musk has the influence and resources to get it done. “If somebody as significant as Elon wants to get in the game on that, he will have a, I think, very consequential impact on that, and I think would be just the type that could bring this across the finish line,” he said.
The comments come as Musk ramps up his feud with President Trump and establishment Republicans by claiming the “Republican/Democrat Uniparty” is failing America and needs to be replaced. But DeSantis’ message was clear: real impact comes from forcing permanent accountability on Washington, not from splitting votes.
Conservatives should watch closely to see if Musk, who has shown he is unafraid to challenge the system, will take DeSantis’ advice to focus on measures that could truly cripple DC’s spending addiction and restore fiscal sanity to the nation.
