The new US political party that Elon Musk has boasted about bankrolling could initially focus on a handful of attainable House and Senate seats while striving to be the decisive vote on major issues amid the thin margins in Congress.
Tesla and SpaceX’s multibillionaire CEO mused about that approach on Friday in a post on X, the social media platform he owns, as he continued feuding with Donald Trump over the spending bill that the president has signed into law. On Saturday, without immediately elaborating, the former Trump adviser announced on X that he had created the so-called America party.
“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” wrote Musk, who is the world’s richest person and oversaw brutal cuts to the federal government after Trump’s second presidency began in January. “Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring they serve the true will of the people.”
Musk did not specify any seats he may be eyeing.
In another post on Friday, when the US celebrated the 249th anniversary of its declaration of independence from the UK, Musk published a poll asking his X followers whether he should advance on his previously stated idea of creating the America party to contend against both Republicans and Democrats. More than 65% of about 1.25m responses indicated “yes” as of Saturday morning.
“Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!” Musk also wrote in text accompanying the poll, which he promoted several times throughout Friday.
Musk on Saturday then posted on X: “Today, the America party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
He also wrote: “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party, and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”
One of the replies to Musk’s announcement that he reposted showed a picture of a two-headed snake near the word “uniparty” as well as the logos of the Democratic and Republican parties.
“End the Uniparty,” the reply said. Musk in turn responded to the reply with: “Yes.”
He also suggested the party would run during the 2026 midterms.
New political parties do not have to formally register with the Federal Election Commission “until they raise or spend money over certain thresholds in connection with a federal election”.
Musk’s posts on Friday and Saturday came after he spent $277m of his fortune supporting Trump’s victorious 2024 presidential campaign. The Republican president rewarded Musk by appointing him to lead the unofficial “department of government efficiency”, or Doge, which abruptly and chaotically slashed various government jobs and programs while claiming it saved $190bn.
But Doge’s actions may also have cost taxpayers $135bn, according to an analysis by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan non-profit dedicated to studying the federal workforce.
Musk left Doge at the end of May and more recently became incensed at Trump’s support for a budget bill that would increase the US debt by $3.3tn. He threatened to financially support primary challenges against every member of Congress who supported Trump’s spending bill – along with promising to “form the America Party” if it passed.
The House voted 218 to 214 in favor of the spending bill, with just two Republicans joining every Democrat in the chamber in unsuccessfully opposing it. In the Senate, JD Vance broke a 50-50 deadlock in favor of the bill, which Trump signed on Friday hours after Musk posted his America party-related poll.
The Trump spending bill’s voting breakdown illustrated how narrowly the winning side in Congress carries some of the most controversial matters.
Trump has warned Musk – a native of South Africa and naturalized US citizen since 2002 – that directly opposing his agenda would be personally costly. The president, who has pursued mass deportations of immigrants recently, publicly discussed deporting Musk from the US as well as cutting government contracts for some of his companies.
“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head to South Africa,” Trump posted on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
The president also told a group of reporters in Florida: “We might have to put Doge on Elon. Doge is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible.”
Israeli hostages’ families took part in a rally in Tel Aviv to demand a deal that would see them all released
Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas on the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had accepted the invitation despite what he described as the “unacceptable” changes that Hamas wanted to make to a plan presented by mediators from Qatar, the US and Egypt.
On Friday night, Hamas said it had delivered a “positive response” to the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and that it was ready for negotiations.
However, a Palestinian official said the group had sought amendments including a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks on a permanent truce failed.
In Gaza itself, the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least 35 Palestinians on Saturday.
Seven people were killed, including a doctor and his three children, when tents in the al-Mawasi area were bombed, according to a hospital in the nearby city of Khan Younis.
Meanwhile, two American employees of the controversial aid distribution organisation backed by Israel and the US – the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – were wounded in what it said was a grenade attack at its site in the Khan Younis area.
The Israeli and US governments both blamed Hamas, which has not commented.
Late on Saturday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that “the changes that Hamas is seeking to make” to the ceasefire proposal were “unacceptable to Israel”.
But it added: “In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages – on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to – be continued. The negotiating team will leave tomorrow.”
Earlier, an Israeli official had briefed local media that there was “something to work with” in the way that Hamas had responded.
Mediators are likely to have their work cut out to bridge the remaining gaps at the indirect talks in Doha.
Watching them closely will be President Trump, who has been talking up the chances of an agreement in recent days.
On Friday, before he was briefed on Hamas’s response, he said it was “good” that the group was positive and that “there could be a Gaza deal next week”.
Trump is due to meet Netanyahu on Monday, and it is clear that he would very much like to be able to announce a significant breakthrough then.
The families of Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza will also once again be holding their breath.
Hostages’ relatives and thousands of their supporters attended a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call for a comprehensive deal that would bring home all of the hostages.
Among those who spoke was Yechiel Yehoud. His daughter Arbel Yehoud was released from captivity during the last ceasefire, which Trump helped to broker before he took office and which collapsed when Israel resumed its offensive in March.
“President Trump, thank you for bringing our Arbel back to us. We will be indebted to you for the rest of our lives. Please don’t stop, please make a ‘big beautiful hostages deal’,” he said.
Reuters
An overnight Israeli strike hit a UN-run school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City
On Tuesday, the US president said that Israel had accepted the “necessary conditions” for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the war.
The plan is believed to include the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages by Hamas and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
The proposal also reportedly says sufficient quantities of aid would enter Gaza immediately with the involvement of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC on Friday that Hamas was demanding aid be distributed exclusively by the UN and its partners, and that the GHF’s operations end immediately.
Another amendment demanded by Hamas was about Israeli troop withdrawals, according to the official.
The US proposal is believed to include phased Israeli pull-outs from parts of Gaza. But the official said Hamas wanted troops to return to the positions they held before the last ceasefire collapsed in March, when Israel resumed its offensive.
The official said Hamas also wanted a US guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations would not resume even if the ceasefire ended without a permanent truce.
The proposal is believed to say mediators will guarantee that serious negotiations will take place from day one, and that they can extend the ceasefire if necessary.
The Israeli prime minister has ruled out ending the war until all of the hostages are released and Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed.
Far-right members of his cabinet have also expressed their opposition to the proposed deal.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Saturday that the only way to secure the return of the hostages was the “full conquest of the Gaza Strip, a complete halt to so-called ‘humanitarian’ aid, and the encouragement of emigration” of the Palestinian population.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 57,338 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made his first public appearance since the start of Iran’s conflict with Israel, according to state media.
State television footage showed him greeting worshippers at a mosque on Saturday during a ceremony a day before the Shia festival of Ashura.
Khamenei’s last appearance was in a recorded address during the conflict with Israel, which began on 13 June and during which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed.
Israel launched a surprise attack on nuclear and military sites in Iran, after which Iran retaliated with aerial attacks targeting Israel.
During the 12-day war with Israel, Khamenei appeared on TV in three video messages and there was speculation that he was hiding in a bunker.
On Saturday Iranian media coverage was dominated by Khamenei’s appearance, with footage of supporters expressing joy at seeing him on television.
Khamenei is seen turning to senior cleric Mahmoud Karimi, encouraging him to “sing the anthem, O Iran”. The patriotic song became particularly popular during the recent conflict with Israel.
State TV said the clip was filmed at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosque, named after the founder of the Islamic republic.
Iranian TV has invited people to send in videos sharing their reactions to Khamenei’s return to the public eye.
His appearance comes as the predominantly Shia Muslim country observes a period of mourning during the month of Muharram, traditionally attended by the supreme leader.
Ashura is held on the 10th day of Muharram – this year falling on 6 July – during which Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hossein.
On 26 June, in pre-recorded remarks aired on state television, Khamenei said Iran would not surrender to Israel despite US President Donald Trump’s calls.
The US joined the war with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on 22 June.
The operation involved 125 US military aircraft and targeted three nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
Iran’s judiciary said more than 900 people were killed during the 12-day war.
Elon Musk says he is launching a new political party, weeks after a dramatic falling out with US President Donald Trump.
The billionaire announced on his social media platform X that he had set up the America Party and billed it as a challenge to the Republican and Democratic two-party system.
However, it is unclear whether the party has been formally registered with US election authorities, and Musk has not provided details about who will lead it or what form it will take.
He first raised the prospect of launching a party during his public feud with Trump, which saw him leave his role in the administration and engage in a vicious public spat with his former ally.
During that row, Musk posted a poll on X asking users if there should be a new political party in the US.
Referencing that poll in his post on Saturday, Musk wrote: “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.
“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
As of Saturday, the Federal Electoral Commission had not published documents indicating the party had been formally registered.
Musk was a key Trump advocate during the 2024 election and spent $250m (£187m) to help him regain office.
After the election, he was appointed to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which was tasked with identifying swingeing cuts in the federal budget.
His fallout with Trump began when he left the administration in May and publicly criticised Trump’s tax and spending plans. The legislation – which Trump has called his “big, beautiful bill” – was narrowly passed by Congress and signed into law by the president this week.
The massive law includes huge spending commitments and tax cuts, and is estimated to add more than $3tn to the US deficit over the next decade.
Israel is sending a negotiating team to Qatar for talks on a Gaza ceasefire proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed.
In a statement late on Saturday, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli leader had instructed negotiators “to accept the invitation for close talks”.
But the statement said that “the changes Hamas is requesting to make to the Qatari proposal were delivered to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel”. It did not elaborate on what changes were being requested.
Hamas said on Friday that it had given a “positive” response to a United States-brokered proposal that would involve a 60-day truce in Gaza, renewing hopes of a possible end to Israel’s deadly assault on the Palestinian enclave.
This picture of Renee Smajstrla was clicked at Camp Mystic on Thursday, her uncle wrote on Facebook
An eight-year-old girl and the director of an all-girls’ summer camp are among the victims of flash floods in Texas that have claimed at least 27 lives, including nine children.
Officials say most of the victims have been identified, though the identities of six adults and a child remain unknown. Authorities have not yet released any names publicly.
According to Kerrville County officials, 27 children are still missing from Camp Mystic, located along the Guadalupe River. Officials were unsure how many others remained unaccounted for.
Here’s what we know so far about the victims.
Renee Smajstrla
Eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla was at Camp Mystic when flooding swept through the summer camp for girls, her uncle said in a Facebook post.
“Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly,” wrote Shawn Salta, of Maryland.
“We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday,” he wrote. “She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.”
Camp Mystic, where 27 children are missing, is a nearly century-old Christian summer camp for girls on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.
Operated by generations of the same family since the 1930s, the camp’s website bills itself as a place for girls to grow “spiritually” in a “wholesome” Christian atmosphere “to develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem”.
Jane Ragsdale
Heart O’ the Hills
Jane Ragsdale was described as the “heart and soul” of Heart O’ the Hills camp
Heart O’ the Hills is another all-girls’ camp that sits along the Guadalupe River, and it was right in the path of Friday’s flood.
Jane Ragsdale, described as the “heart and soul” of Heart O’Hills, “did not make it”, a post shared on the camp’s official website said on Saturday.
Ragsdale, who started off as a camper then a counsellor, became the director and co-owner of the camp in 1976.
“We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the camp website post said.
Heart O’ the Hills wasn’t in session and “most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground”, the statement said.
“Access to the site is difficult, and authorities are primarily focused on locating the missing and preventing further loss of life and property”.
Britain is re-establishing diplomatic relations with Syria after the country’s years-long civil war, the foreign secretary, David Lammy, has announced during a visit to the capital, Damascus.
“There is renewed hope for the Syrian people,” Lammy said in a statement. “It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians.”
Lammy’s visit to Syria is the first by a British minister in 14 years and is accompanied by a pledge of £94.5m for urgent humanitarian aid and to support the country’s long-term recovery and help countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region.
The west has been slowly resetting its approach to Syria since insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ousted Bashar al-Assad as president in December after more than 13 years of war.
Just days ago, the US president, Donald Trump, signed an executive order terminating a US sanctions programme on Syria, ending its isolation from the international financial system and helping it rebuild after the war.
Britain also eased its sanctions in April, unfreezing the assets of Syria’s central bank and 23 other entities, including banks and oil companies to encourage investments, though it kept in place those targeting members of the former regime.
A stable Syria will reduce the risk of “irregular migration”, ensure chemical weapons are destroyed, and tackle the threat of terrorism, Lammy said, after meeting his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, and the president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
In those meetings, Lammy reiterated the importance of an “inclusive and representative political transition” in Syria and offered Britain’s continued support, the statement said.
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Lammy is also due to travel to Kuwait, where regional security and strengthening bilateral relations will be top of the agenda. In addition, he is expected to announce a new partnership with the Gulf monarchy to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Iranian missiles struck five Israeli military bases during the recent 12-day war, according to radar data analyzed by researchers at Oregon State University and shared with The Telegraph.
The hits — which reportedly include a major air base, an intelligence centre, and a logistics hub — have not been disclosed by Israeli authorities due to strict military censorship.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) declined to confirm the reported strikes but stated:“What we can say is that all relevant units maintained functional continuity throughout the operation.”
Read More: Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 35 Palestinians since dawn
The radar-based findings suggest that six Iranian missiles reached targets in Israel’s north, south, and centre, contradicting public claims of minimal damage to military infrastructure.
In addition to the newly revealed hits, 36 other Iranian projectiles are already known to have caused widespread damage to civilian and industrial areas. Though only 28 people were killed, over 15,000 were left homeless — a testament to the country’s civil preparedness and alert systems.
Israel admits that 50 Iranian missiles hit amid strict censorship. Photo: Reuters
The new evidence paints a more complex picture of Israel’s air-defence performance. While the IDF and US-backed systems — including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow, and the US THAAD system — intercepted the majority of incoming missiles, about 16% were breaking through by day seven, The Telegraph’s analysis shows.
This aligns with an IDF statement citing an overall success rate of 87%.
Despite that performance, journalist Raviv Drucker of Channel 13 warned: “There were a lot of [Iranian] missile hits in IDF bases, in strategic sites that we still don’t report about to this day… It created a situation where people don’t realise how precise the Iranians were and how much damage they caused in many places.”
Also Read: Hamas gives ‘positive response’ to US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal
Iranian officials and media have showcased videos of missiles breaching Israeli defences, often with revolutionary songs and satirical cartoons mocking the Iron Dome.
One Iranian official told The Telegraph: “The main goal of firing [suicide drones] at Israel is always to keep their systems busy… Many don’t even get through – they’re intercepted – but they still cause confusion.”
Maj Gen Ali Fazli, deputy commander-in-chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, claimed on Iranian TV: “Never before have we been at such a level in terms of military readiness, operational cohesion, and fighter morale.”
Israeli military sources countered, estimating that only half of Iran’s 400 missile launchers were destroyed, leaving substantial capacity intact.
“We assessed that Iran had approximately 2,000 to 2,500 ballistic missiles at the beginning of this conflict… Their missile stockpile could grow to 8,000 or even 20,000 missiles in the next few years,” said one Israeli official.
Maj Gen Fazli responded that much of Iran’s arsenal remains untouched: “We have not yet opened the doors of even one of our missile cities… only about 25 to 30 per cent of existing missile capability has been used.”
Researchers from Oregon State say a fuller assessment of the war’s impact will be published in two weeks.
Reuters
Reuters
Camp Mystic
Heart O’ the Hills
