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Elon Musk, the richest oligarch in the United States, tweeted an endorsement of the German political party AfD and many Germans are not happy about that fact. Because? It probably has something to do with racism, xenophobia and links to neo-nazis. You know, just the normal stuff Musk touts here in 2024 as Donald Trump’s top adviser.
“Only the AfD can save Germany”, the billionaire wrote in the early hours of Friday morning.
Musk’s tweet promoted another tweet from Naomi Seibt, a German climate change denier who rose to fame as the anti-Greta Thunberg. Seibt has also promoted conspiracy theories and has been accused of being anti-Semitic, according to the Guardianclaim that she denies.
The far right in Germany was delighted by Musk’s tweet, including Alice Weidel, who is running for chancellor as co-leader of the AfD in the upcoming February elections, as D.W. media reports.
“Yes! You are absolutely right! Weidel tweeted at Musk. “Please also take a look at my interview about President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the column economic backbone of the country (sic) and the poor functioning of Germany!”
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, its national intelligence service, has listed the AfD as a “suspected terrorist organization” and at least two German states have officially classified it as such, DW reports.
But many other politicians in Germany were less than enthusiastic, pointing out Musk’s interference in German politics and his notorious lack of intelligence, often shown in late-night tweets. Alexander Throm, a politician from the Christian Democratic Union political party, even joked about Musk’s cognitive difficulties while speaking to local media.
“I was a little surprised because we normally hear that Elon Musk is a talented wunderkind, but when I hear these comments, I have to doubt it,” Throm told DW. “Change can only be made by those who govern. And the AfD will not govern. Because no other party will form a government with them.”
Musk’s endorsement also has serious implications for Americans, given that he appears to be the most powerful political figure in the country right now. Musk has doubled his net worth this year as the world’s richest person and helped Donald Trump get elected by spending more than $250 million in the 2024 Republican election.
Musk, who has a history of racist comments, insists he only voted for a Republican for the first time in 2022, suggesting he only voted for Democrats before. But even if we take him at his word (he lies frequently, such as when he initially denied funding Trump’s presidential campaign), he has still become a powerhouse in Republican politics. And he’s using that power right now.
In fact, Musk has promised to start primaries against any Republican who crosses him, which is no idle threat given the fact that he still runs a political action committee called America PAC. Musk has also been funding a group that runs ads to promote the confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. These advertisements have been attributed applying pressure to Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who was seen as a possible vote against Hegseth because of her record as a combat veteran who has spoken publicly about her experience with sexual violence. Hegseth has been accused of sexual assaulta charge he denies. Now Ernst appears to support Hegseth’s confirmation.
Musk has also been making waves in the legislative world even before Trump officially takes office on January 20, 2025. The US House of Representatives is currently trying to pass funding to keep the government open ahead of the 12:01 a.m. deadline that would shut down many government functions, but Musk is credited with the failure of two bills introduced Thursday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is reportedly working on another version of the funding bill that is supposed to come up for a vote on Friday. But everyone is paying attention to Musk’s X account, which is where he gives orders and organizes his army of idiot influencers who pressure politicians. If Musk gives the go-ahead, approval seems likely. If you say no, Trump will likely follow and we’ll find ourselves in a government shutdown right in the middle of the busy holiday travel season.
We live in a very transparent oligarchy right now. And Musk’s promotion of a far-right party like the AfD is not a great sign of what’s to come.
