Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said Musk's effort is "going to have to be taken serious by both parties."

Musk said he wants to form the America Party. A third party has never won the presidency, but they have influenced elections, experts say — mostly as spoilers.

Musk’s plan can only work if he learns from the most successful political disruptors, including Trump on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left, and identifies places where both political parties are neglecting the real preferences of voters.