But as their relationship continues to devolve with insults and Musk’s promise to fund his own “America Party” instead of Trump’s Republican Party, it’s worth looking at what a well-funded alternative party might actually do.

Musk promised to campaign against Republicans who voted for the bill, and Trump pondered whether to deport the South Africa-born billionaire. But after Musk announced over the weekend the formation of his planned third political party, the “America Party,” Trump seemed to feel less love or hate than pity.

Here's what it would take for Elon Musk to launch a third-party effort to represent what he called "the 80% in the middle."