Category: 2. World

DHARAMSHALA, India — The Dalai Lama turned 90 on Sunday surrounded by thousands of followers, who thronged the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile since fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.

Sitting before a packed audience that included hundreds of red-robed monks and nuns who braved incessant rain to see him, he said: “When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all.”

“I live my life in the service of other sentient beings,” he added.

Dressed in a traditional robe and a flowing yellow wrap, the Dalai Lama was escorted to the temple courtyard by a group of monks, as Tibetan artists beat drums and played bagpipes while senior lamas struck cymbals in his honor. The head of the democratically elected Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, raised the Tibetan flag as the musicians played the Tibetan anthem.

Recognized worldwide in his red robes and wide smile, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, describes himself as a “simple Buddhist monk.” But millions of Tibetan Buddhists worship him as living manifestations of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion.

Celebration capped a week of birthday events

The birthday party capped a week of celebrations, during which the Nobel Peace Prize winner said he plans to reincarnate after his death, ending years of speculation that he might be the last person to hold the role. He also said that the next Dalai Lama should be and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions.

On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he hoped to live until the age of 130.

In the past, the Dalai Lama has said his successor will be born in the “free world” — outside China. Many exiled Tibetans, however, fear China will name its own successor to the Dalai Lama to bolster control over Tibet, a territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since.

China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has repeatedly said that it alone has the authority to approve the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. It also says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijing’s consent.

World leaders and celebrities sent wishes

Dignitaries including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sent their wishes to the Tibetan leader.

Modi said the Dalai Lama has “been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline,” while Rubio said the Buddhist spiritual leader “continues to inspire people by embodying a message of unity, peace and compassion.”

The celebration was also attended by hundreds of followers from around the world including Hollywood movie star Richard Gere.

“He is the most extraordinary man to ever walk on this planet,” said Gere, as the crowd broke into a rapturous applause.

In a birthday message on his website on Saturday, the Dalai Lama reiterated that he was “just a simple Buddhist monk” and that he will “continue to focus on my commitments of promoting human values religious harmony.”

Celebrations were also held in Kathmandu, Nepal, where hundreds of Tibetan refugees, monks and foreign diplomats marked the day with Buddhist prayers, chanting and dances.

The Dalai Lama was thrust onto the Tibetan throne in 1937. Soon after, Chinese troops swept into his homeland in the 1950s and crushed a failed uprising, forcing him to escape with thousands of his followers to India where he established a government in exile.

Since then, he has spent more than seven decades in exile and sustained a nation in exile by managing to build a community that’s kept the Tibetan culture and identity alive. The Dalai Lama has also become one of the world’s most recognizable figures while leading a Tibetan diaspora through their struggle for autonomy and opposition of China’s control of Tibet.

Calling himself a “simple Buddhist monk” who usually didn’t celebrate birthdays, the Dalai Lama marked his 90th on Sunday by praying for peace after China insisted it would have the final say on who succeeded the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Chanting of red-robed monks and nuns rang out from Himalayan hilltop forested temples in India, home to the Dalai Lama since he and thousands of other Tibetans fled Chinese troops who crushed an uprising in their capital Lhasa in 1959.

“I am just a simple Buddhist monk; I don’t normally engage in birthday celebrations,” the Dalai Lama said in a message, thanking those marking it with him for using the opportunity “to cultivate peace of mind and compassion”.

Dressed in traditional robes and a flowing yellow wrap, he walked with the aid of two monks while flashing his trademark beaming smile to thousands of followers.

Beijing condemns the Nobel Peace Prize winner — who has led a lifelong campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau — as a rebel and separatist.

Alongside the celebrations, however, is the worry for Tibetans in exile that China will name its successor to bolster control over the territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since.

That raises the likelihood of rival challengers to the post; one by self-declared atheist Beijing, the other by the Dalai Lama’s office based in neighbouring India, a regional rival of China.

‘Good heart’

The celebrations on Sunday are the culmination of days of long-life prayers for Tenzin Gyatso, who followers believe is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, a man whose moral teachings and idiosyncratic humour have made him one of the world’s most popular religious leaders.

“While it is important to work for material development, it is vital to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate, not just toward near and dear ones, but toward everyone,” he said in his birthday message.

“Through this, you will contribute to making the world a better place.”

The celebrations also included his key announcement that, after being inundated with messages of support from fellow Tibetans both inside and in exile, the spiritual institution would continue after his death.

He said he had received appeals from followers from across the Himalayan region, Mongolia and parts of Russia and China.

The seemingly esoteric matters of reincarnation have real-world political consequences, with Tibetans fearing his death will mark a major setback in his push for more autonomy for the Himalayan region.

The Dalai Lama said his India-based office alone would “exclusively” identify that successor — prompting a swift and sharp reply from China that the reincarnation “must be approved by the central government” in Beijing.

China said the succession would be carried out “by drawing lots from a golden urn”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters on Wednesday.

That urn is held by Beijing, and the Dalai Lama has warned that, when used dishonestly, it lacks “any spiritual quality”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered effusive birthday greetings on Sunday, calling the Dalai Lama an “enduring symbol of love”.

India and China are intense rivals competing for influence across South Asia, but have sought to repair ties after a 2020 border clash.

‘Freedom and dignity’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said in a statement that Washington was “committed to promoting respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans”.

Among the crowds attending the celebrations was Hollywood star Richard Gere, a longtime backer of the Tibetans in exile, who on Sunday said the Dalai Lama “totally embodies selflessness, complete love and compassion and wisdom”.

Messages of support were also given by former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush, as well as Barack Obama, who said the Dalai Lama had shown what it means to “speak up for freedom and dignity”.

The ceremony ended with the Dalai Lama eating a slice of cake and thousands singing “happy birthday”.

No details have been released for the future succession.

All so far have been men or boys, often identified as toddlers and taking up the role only as teenagers.

The current Dalai Lama, himself identified in 1937, has said that if there is a successor it will come from the “free world” outside China’s control.

In a speech to followers on Sunday, the Dalai Lama said his practice of Buddhism meant he had dedicated his life towards seeking compassion.

“I’m now 90 and… when I reflect on my life, I see that I have not wasted my life at all”, he said, speaking in Tibetan.

“I would not have regrets at the time of my death; rather I would be able to die very peacefully.”

Dharamshala / Hong Kong
CNN
 — 

Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.

Undeterred by heavy monsoon rain and thick fog, crowds dressed in their finery packed the narrow streets from early morning and queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex.

Hundreds of hopeful attendees were left waiting to see if they would be allowed into the temple, which reached full capacity before the festivities began and was heavily manned by Indian police and security personnel.

Masked dancers in traditional outfits twirled to the sounds of gongs, pipes and horns as the Dalai Lama was led into the complex by two attendants.

Indian government ministers spoke at the event, as well as Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.

Singing performances filled the courtyard as the Dalai Lama was served a slice of his birthday cake, topped with fresh fruit and a white lily.

The gathering marked the culmination of a days-long celebration that brought supporters and spiritual heads to the small city in India’s Himalayan foothills, which has served as the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home of the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet during a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese communist rule.

Many had traveled far to join the celebration, such as Namgyal Dorjee Gongpa, from New Jersey in the United States.

The 49-year-old, at the celebration with his wife and three sons, told CNN: “This is a very momentous occasion for myself and my family.”

“Every year, we take trips to India, which is the epicenter of the exile Tibetan setup so that my kids who are born in a foreign country… get back to their roots and learn and live their culture. So this is a great occasion because we can all take part in the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.”

In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of “achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to continue promoting human values, religious harmony, ancient Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture, which “has so much potential to contribute to the world.”

At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his long life, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.

As he was led out the temple, video showed the Dalai Lama gently swaying to more live music, before continuing outside and leaving on his golf cart.

This year’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic leader to address the looming question of what happens after his death.

In a video message to religious elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama announced that he will have a successor after his death, and affirmed that his office has the “sole authority” to recognize his future reincarnation.

“No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” the Dalai Lama said in his recorded message.

The statement sets the stage for a struggle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama.

The Dalai Lama’s announcement was welcomed by many Tibetan Buddhists, who had been waiting for his decision on whether the centuries-old institution would end with his death – a question he had earlier said he would re-evaluate around his 90th birthday.

Speaking from the crowds, Tenzin Nyidon, 26, originally from Odisha, eastern India, told CNN she holds his reincarnation “with deep respect” and raised concerns over China’s “attempts to politicize” this process.

“I feel that he has thoughtfully considered the future and made it clear that the decision will be guided by the Tibetan people and Buddhist traditions and not by any external political interference,” she added.

“At the same time, like many Tibetans, I do have concerns about China’s attempts to politicize the reincarnation process by potentially appointing its own dalai lama… Their appointment of a dalai lama would not only be a distortion of our faith but also a strategy to undermine Tibetan identity.”

Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.

But the religious tradition has increasingly become a battleground for the control of Tibetan hearts and minds, and experts expect that Beijing will seek to establish its own dalai lama after the current one – part of the Comunist Party’s campaign to “sinicize” religion to ensure it aligns with Communist Party leadership and maintain its tightening grip over Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has previously stated that his successor will be born in the “free world” outside China, urging his followers to reject any candidate selected by Beijing.

Asked about the Dalai Lama’s latest statement on his reincarnation, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday reiterated Beijing’s long-held stance that the spiritual leader’s reincarnation must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government.

Beijing has long sought to discredit the Dalai Lama and claims he is a dangerous “separatist.”

Since the 1970s, however, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but “meaningful” autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent “middle way” approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

As China’s political and economic clout has grown, however, the Dalai Lama’s global influence appears to be waning, especially as old age makes it difficult to sustain his extensive globe-trotting. The spiritual leader has not met a sitting US president since Barack Obama in 2016, after numerous visits to the White House since 1991.

On his birthday, however, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video played at the event and compiled by Tibet TV, run by the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Obama wished a “very happy birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I know,” and thanked the Dalai Lama for his friendship.

“You’ve shown generations what it means to practice compassion and speak up for freedom and dignity. Not bad for someone who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk,” he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement on X which was read at the event: “I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday.

“He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline. His message has inspired respect and admiration across all faiths. We pray for his continued good health and long life.”

In an official statement, also read at the event, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed support for efforts to preserve Tibetans’ heritage, “including their ability to freely choose and venerate religious leaders without interference.”

It was a day of carnage with no precedents before or after the massacre in Karbala almost 1400 years ago, on the 10th day of ‘Muharram’ – the Islamic month. Imam Hussain (AS) and all other men accompanying him except one were brutally slaughtered, for their refusal to pledge allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiya, the caliph at the time.

The women, children and a lone surviving adult male, Imam Zainul Abideen (AS), a son of Imam Hussain (AS) who was too frail to go in to battle, were all taken captive.

The brutality during and after that clash was so severe that its continuing remembrance after repeated attempts to distort the truth is nothing short of a miracle. 

In the history of Islam, this serves an enduring lesson for Muslims struggling worldwide today. Its notable impact ranges from Gaza where more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, to the struggle for independence in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir where thousands of Muslims have been killed.

Altogether, in Karbala there were at least 72 martyrs led by Imam Hussain (AS) in the worst killings ever witnessed on a single day. The victims ranged from the elderly to a six month old infant, Hazrat Ali Asghar (AS), the youngest child of Imam Hussain (AS). 

Their bodies were mutilated and decapitated and their heads mounted on spears to be paraded alongside the prisoners of Karbala. The journey of the prisoners first took them to Kufa in Iraq and then to Damascus where Yazid ruled over his visibly powerful empire.

But the miraculous memory of events at Karbala frequently includes remembrance of the martyrs. In sharp contrast, Yazid and his followers are remembered with unending scorn.

The battle of Karbala which appeared to have been won by Yazid on that terrible day, lives on as a victory for Imam Hussain (AS) and his cause. In worldly terms, the odds were heavily stacked against Imam Hussain (AS).

His small group of loyalists who fought for his cause, were overwhelmed numerically by Yazid’s army swelling in to the many thousands. The odds against Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers were further amplified as they fought the battle after remaining deprived of water for three days in the scorching heat of Karbala.

It is an account which gets remembered day after day with the Israeli attacks on unarmed Palestinians in Gaza. The resolve of the Palestinians remains unbroken, in part inspired by the example drawn from Imam Hussain (AS). 

But a number of events after the clash led to the eventual destruction of Yazid’s empire. His clan known as ‘Banu Ummaya’ eventually lost their ability to rebuild a similar empire. To this day, the rise and fall of ‘Banu Ummaya’ has left an enduring lesson for brutal empires for all times to come.

Historical accounts suggest that Yazid lived for less than years after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers. Throughout this period, Yazid first ordered his army to attack Madinah, the city of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Each home there was ransacked where the casualties ranged in the thousands.

Just before his death, Yazid’s forces according to historical accounts, were ordered to attack the holy city of Mecca, where eyewitnesses reported fireballs hurled at the holy ‘Kaaba’ – the centre piece of Islam. 

Yet, following his sudden death after excessive consumption of alcohol, Yazid’s son Muawiya ibn Yazid ascended to his throne for a brief rule. Known in Damascus as ‘Muawiya Sagheer’ or the younger Muawiya, the new caliph abdicated after refusing to preside over an empire whose foundations were built upon the blood of the clan of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

A central role, according to historians, in provoking the backlash after the martyrdoms on 10th of Muharram, was led by Bibi Zainab (AS), the younger sister of Imam Hussain (AS). She is famously remembered for her sermons, well preserved in history that publicly mocked Yazid in his open court, ignoring the consequences for herself and/or other captives of Karbala, including Imam Zainul Abideen (AS) and the widows of the martyrs alongside their orphaned children.

In a widely quoted text, ‘Half of my Heart: The narratives of Zaynab, Daughter of [Imam] Ali’, Roman Catholic missionary Christopher Paul Clohessy famously wrote; “In her (Bibi Zainab) decisive role as spokesperson for her brother’s cause, she became the first to drive the adversity of Karbala in to perpetuity by moving her brother’s creed and conviction, from the battlefield to the palaces of Kufa and Damascus, not only completing al-Husayn’s [Imam Hussain] ‘jihad’ (holy war) but becoming the agent through whom Karbala would become undying”.

In Pakistan, the memorable work by Syed Mohammad Taqi – the widely respected philosopher and former editor of ‘Jang’ – ‘The Future of Civilization- Exploring the Profound Impact of Sacrifice in Building a Noble and Humanitarian Society’ translated in English by Sumera Naqvi, deserves special recognition.

In his detailed analysis of the historical role of Imam Hussain (AS), Syed Mohammad Taqi wrote: “Tears shed for Imam Hussain are due to his unwavering commitment to high moral values and principles, which evoke a deep emotional response and love for these values…Every person is born in to the physical and temporal confines of the universe and Imam Hussain was no exception. However he transcends these limitations to embody the highest ideals of human civilisation”.

Any honest assessment of events at Karbala and its aftermath, must conclude its everlasting impact on human evolution for all times to come. The eventual crash of the empire of Yazid ibn Muawiya serves to bring back two key messages.

On the one hand, the use of brute force may take an immediate toll on the targeted individuals and communities of human beings. But on the other hand, the destruction of individuals and communities will not necessarily defeat their determination to eventually beat the odds. 

In any clash between the values of Yazid versus those of Imam Hussain (AS), the latter will eventually emerge victorious.

---

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer’s own and don’t necessarily reflect Geo.tv’s editorial policy.

---

The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist who writes on political and economic affairs. He can be reached at: [email protected]

---

Leaders from India, the United States and Taiwan offered their support to Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on his 90th birthday on Sunday, a landmark anniversary raising geopolitical questions for the future.

Tibetans fear China will eventually name a rival successor to the Dalai Lama, bolstering Beijing’s control over Tibet, the territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since.

The man who calls himself a “simple Buddhist monk” celebrated in India, where he has lived since he and thousands of other Tibetans fled Chinese troops who crushed an uprising in their capital, Lhasa, in 1959.

The Dalai Lama says only his India-based office has the right to identify his eventual successor.

“I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday,” the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, said in a statement, read at celebrations in the Himalayan hill town where the Dalai Lama lives.

“He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline,” he added.

China insisted on Wednesday that it would have the final say on who succeeds the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Modi’s effusive support is significant.

India and China are intense rivals competing for influence across south Asia, but have sought to repair ties after a 2020 border clash.

The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also said in a statement, read at the celebrations in India, that Washington was “committed to promoting respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans”.

“We support efforts to preserve Tibetans’ distinct linguistic, cultural and religious heritage, including their ability to freely choose and venerate religious leaders without interference,” the statement added.

Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te – who leads an island that China says is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize – said in a statement read at the ceremony that the example set by the Dalai Lama “resonates with all who cherish freedom, democracy and respect for human rights”.

Messages from three former US presidents were also broadcast.

“At a time when we see the forces of division tearing at the fabric of our common humanity … I’m grateful for your enduring efforts to build a better, kinder, more compassionate world,” Bill Clinton said.

“The world is a troubled place, and we need your spirit of kindness and compassion and love more than ever,” George W Bush added.

Barack Obama wished a “very happy birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I know”.

“It is humbling to realise that you’ve been a leader on the world stage for longer than I’ve been alive,” Obama said, in his message to his “dear friend”.

“You’ve shown generations what it means to practise compassion, and speak up for freedom and dignity,” Obama added. “Not bad for someone who describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk.”

DHARAMSHALA, India — DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) — The Dalai Lama turned 90 on Sunday surrounded by thousands of followers, who thronged the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile since fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.

He sat before a packed audience that included hundreds of red-robed monks and nuns who braved incessant rain to see him.

Dressed in a traditional robe and a flowing yellow wrap, the Dalai Lama was escorted to the temple courtyard by a group of monks, as Tibetan artists beat drums and played bagpipes while senior lamas struck cymbals in his honor. The head of the democratically elected Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, raised the Tibetan flag as the musicians played the Tibetan anthem.

Recognized worldwide in his red robes and wide smile, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, describes himself as a “simple Buddhist monk.” But millions of Tibetan Buddhists worship him as living manifestations of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion.

The birthday party capped a week of celebrations, during which the Nobel Peace Prize winner said he plans to reincarnate after his death, ending years of speculation that he might be the last person to hold the role. He also said that the next Dalai Lama should be and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions.

On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he hoped to live until the age of 130.

In the past, the Dalai Lama has said his successor will be born in the “free world” — outside China. Many exiled Tibetans, however, fear China will name its own successor to the Dalai Lama to bolster control over Tibet, a territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since.

China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has repeatedly said that it alone has the authority to approve the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. It also says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijing’s consent.

Dignitaries including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sent their wishes to the Tibetan leader.

Modi said the Dalai Lama has “been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline,” while Rubio said the Buddhist spiritual leader “continues to inspire people by embodying a message of unity, peace and compassion.”

The celebration was also attended by hundreds of followers from around the world including Hollywood movie star Richard Gere.

“He is the most extraordinary man to ever walk on this planet,” said Gere, as the crowd broke into a rapturous applause.

In a birthday message on his website on Saturday, the Dalai Lama reiterated that he was “just a simple Buddhist monk” and that he will “continue to focus on my commitments of promoting human values religious harmony.”

The Dalai Lama was thrust onto the Tibetan throne in 1937. Soon after, Chinese troops swept into his homeland in the 1950s and crushed a failed uprising, forcing him to escape with thousands of his followers to India where he established a government in exile.

Since then, he has spent more than seven decades in exile and sustained a nation in exile by managing to build a community that’s kept the Tibetan culture and identity alive. The Dalai Lama has also become one of the world’s most recognizable figures while leading a Tibetan diaspora through their struggle for autonomy and opposition of China’s control of Tibet.

A screeshot of the Reuters X handle.

Elon Musk, an ex-ally of US President Donald Trump, said on Saturday he had launched a new political party in the United States to challenge what the tech billionaire described as the country’s “one-party system.”

The world’s richest person — and Trump’s biggest political donor in the 2024 election — had a bitter falling out with the president after leading the Republican’s effort to slash spending and cut federal jobs as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk has clashed with Trump over the president’s massive domestic spending plan, saying it would explode the US debt, and vowed to do everything in his power to defeat lawmakers who voted for it.

Now he has created the so-called America Party, his own political framework, through which to try and achieve that.

“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” the SpaceX and Tesla boss posted on X, the social media platform that he owns.

“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Musk cited a poll — uploaded on Friday, US Independence Day — in which he asked whether respondents “want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system” that has dominated US politics for some two centuries.

The yes-or-no survey earned more than 1.2 million responses.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” he posted on Saturday.

Musk also shared a meme depicting a two-headed snake and the caption “End the Uniparty.”

‘Laser-focus’ on vulnerable lawmakers

It is not clear how much impact the new party would have on the 2026 mid-term elections, or on the presidential vote two years after that.

The Trump-Musk feud reignited in dramatic fashion late last month as Trump pushed Republicans in Congress to ram through his massive domestic agenda in the form of the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Musk expressed fierce opposition to the legislation and ruthlessly attacked its Republican backers for supporting “debt slavery.”

He vowed to launch a new political party to challenge lawmakers who campaigned on reduced federal spending only to vote for the bill, which experts say will pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the US deficit.

“They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk said earlier this week.

After Musk heavily criticised the flagship spending bill — which eventually passed Congress and was signed into law — Trump threatened to deport the tech tycoon and strip federal funds from his businesses.

“We’ll have to take a look,” the president told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa and has held US citizenship since 2002.

On Friday, after posting the poll, Musk laid out a possible political battle plan to pick off vulnerable House and Senate seats and become “the deciding vote” on key legislation.

“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” Musk posted on X.

All 435 US House seats are up for grabs every two years, while about one third of the Senate’s 100 members, who serve six-year terms, are elected every two years.

Some observers were quick to point out how third-party campaigns have historically split the vote — as businessman Ross Perot’s independent presidential run in 1992 did when it helped doom George H.W. Bush’s re-election bid, resulting in Democrat Bill Clinton’s victory.

“You are pulling a Ross Perot, and I don’t like it,” one X user wrote to Musk.