Elon Musk's net worth has taken a $15.3 billion hit after the Tesla CEO announced he was to form a new political party. The news sent ripples through financial markets and spooked investors concerned about Musk's political ambitions and possible implications for Tesla's brand and business operations.

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 described his new party on his platform X as tech-centric, budget-conscious, pro-energy and centrist, with the goal of drawing both disaffected Democrats and Republicans. Musk has criticized the tax-cut bill, which is forecast to add about $3.4 trillion to the United States' debt.