The federal paperwork for Elon Musk’s “America Party” vanished from the Federal Election Commission’s public database amid a swirl of controversy about the document’s contents and authenticity.
On July 5, Musk publicly announced the formation of the party, claiming it was backed “by a factor of 2 to 1” by users on his X platform and aimed at opposing runaway federal spending. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk wrote.
However, within 72 hours, the FEC filing was removed, and Musk claimed it was a fabrication.
As of July 8, The Dallas Express confirmed that the America Party’s Form 1 Statement of Organization had been removed from the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC’s) public search tool, though direct links to the original filing remained active.
The deletion followed a post by Musk on X, where he claimed the filing was false.
This filing is false and has been reported as such to the FEC
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2025
Musk’s X post offers no further explanation as to what made the FEC filings “false.” Whether Musk meant that the filing had been made fraudulently by someone else or that he had changed his mind and was distancing himself remains ambiguous.
The Dallas Express has reached out to the FEC for comment on the unusual removal of the committee registration and whether it is under investigation for potential fraudulent misrepresentation. As of the time of publication, DX had not received a response.
According to filings reviewed by DX prior to their removal, the America Party was established as a political committee with longtime Musk associate and Tesla executive Vaibhav Taneja listed as treasurer and custodian of records.
The listed address for the party treasurer was a facility in Bastrop, Texas, known as the “Boring Bodega,” linked to Musk’s tunneling firm. The designated bank for campaign finance activity was Bank of America, a frequent target of criticism from President Donald Trump’s allies, as previously reported by DX.
These filings were the only ones using the exact “America Party” name. While other groups have registered with similar titles, such as the “American Party,” FEC records show those have been inactive since 1980.
Misrepresentation involving political filings has been on the FEC’s radar for years, though it typically plays out in financial misconduct cases. Section 30124 of the Federal Election Campaign Act bars anyone from “fraudulently misrepresenting” themselves as acting on behalf of a candidate or party to solicit donations or damage reputations.
The FEC’s website outlines a detailed process for forming a political committee using Form 1, including listing a treasurer, identifying affiliated organizations, and naming a campaign depository. Any untruthful use of this process, depending on intent, could trigger civil penalties or criminal referral to the Department of Justice.
Irrespective of whether the party exists only in Musk’s tweet or with proper federal recognition, it was born amid a controversy between two of the world’s most powerful men.
After an apparent honeymoon following the 2024 presidential election and inauguration, President Trump’s relationship with Musk has reportedly soured over Trump’s largest legislative achievement, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which was signed into law one day before Musk posted on X the creation of his new political party.
“This will bankrupt the country,” Musk said of $2.5 trillion tax and spending bill via X on July 5.
If someone else filed the paperwork without Musk’s consent, it could potentially fall under the FEC’s misrepresentation rules, especially if it involved “willfully and knowingly” presenting false information for a damaging political effect.
However, as former FEC Chairman Lee Goodman wrote of the law, “The Commission’s historical approach to this prohibition has been long on ambiguity and short on discipline.”