In what looks like it’ll be very good news for MAGA Republicans as they start thinking about the 2028 election, Elon Musk has indicated that he will not back a third party, as he initially insisted after a split with President Trump that blew up in the public sphere, but will instead back JD Vance for president as the heir of MAGA.
As background, the Trump-Elon split came out of the blue when Elon retired from the DOGE position around the time that the “Big, Beautiful Bill” was being considered and passed. Elon was reportedly upset over the lack of cuts that were effected by DOGE and the lack of cuts in the bill, and that spat exploded into him suggesting that he’d push a third party.
Fortunately, it appears that Elon will no longer be pushing his “America Party,” as threatened months ago, but will be backing JD Vance. Such is what the Wall Street Journal reported, noting that Musk did not create a third party because he did not want to harm his relationship with JD Vance and that he is planning on keeping his resources ready for Vance to use if Vance decides to run.
The response of many MAGA conservatives to the news was generally positive, if somewhat skeptical of the WSJ. Nick Sortor, for instance, summed up how many felt when he posted, “JUST IN: Elon Musk is considering backing JD VANCE in 2028 rather than starting a new party, per WSJ Given this is WSJ, I have no idea if this is true. But if it is, I’m ALL FOR IT! 🇺🇸”
JD Vance, however, downplayed the news when he discussed it with NBC News’s Kristen Welker on her show “Meet the Press” on Sunday, August 24, with Vance equivocating when asked if he is the heir to MAGA. That came when Welker asked, “Do you see yourself as the apparent future of the MAGA movement?”
Responding, Vance focused on the present rather than the future and said that what happens in 2028 will happen based on what he and the president do in the here and now. He said, “No, I see myself as the vice president trying to do a good job for the American people, Kristen, and if I do a good job, and if the president continues to be successful as I know that he will be, the politics will take care of itself.”
Adding to that, Vance explained that the election conversation can come when it is appropriate, but right now it is achieving the Trump Agenda that matters. He said, “We can cross that bridge when we come to it, but we just had an election seven months ago, and I’m probably like most Americans, and I’m sick of talking about politics after a big general election.”
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Welker pressed, asking if Trump is passing him the baton, and Vance responded by noting that the focus is on what can be achieved for the MAGA voters. He said, “I think the president is just focused on doing a good job for the American people. He wants me to be focused on doing a good job for the American people. That’s what I’ll keep on doing.”
Concluding, the vice president noted, “And again, if we take care of business, if America is safe, if it’s more prosperous, if young people can afford to buy a home, if we actually bring peace to all these regions of the world which we’ve made great progress in doing, the politics will take care of itself.”
Watch them here: