With a few tweets this week Elon Musk slammed the brakes on U.S. congress’s attempts to avert a government shutdown, and also threw his weight behind Germany’s far right political party.
On Wednesday Musk posted “This bill should not pass” on the media platform he owns, X, followed by a firehose of other claims, critiques, and fallacies about the bill. Congress was thrown into chaos, with support for the bill splintering, and Trump eventually agreeing in a social media post.
Then on Friday, Musk lauded Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. In response to a video criticizing Germany’s leader Friedrich Merz, Musk declared, “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
The AfD, known for its nationalist and anti-immigration platform, recently became the first far-right party since World War II to win a national election in Germany.
Musk’s endorsement is not his first of the anti-migrant party. In June he posted “Why is there such a negative reaction from some about AfD? They keep saying ‘far right’, but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist. Maybe I’m missing something.”
In September he critiqued videos that showed charities conducting search-and-rescue of migrants in the sea: “Let’s hope the AfD wins the elections to stop this European suicide.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Musk’s remarks, stating: “Freedom of speech also means that you can say things that aren’t right and don’t contain good political advice.”
Musk has cozied up to other far-right leaders and parties in Europe. He has cultivated a close relationship with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is vehemently anti-migrant and has worked to pass several laws that crackdown on LGBT rights. Meloni’s government recently also passed laws to attract foreign investment in space exploration, hinting at a partnership with Musk’s .
Meanwhile, in the UK, there are reports Musk has also dangled a potential 100 million-dollar donation to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Musk’s influence has only grown since Donald Trump’s electoral victory, which Musk supported with a staggering $200 million in campaign funding. Musk has dubbed himself Trump’s “First Buddy” and has become a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago, the president-elect’s private club and informal headquarters.
Musk has been named head of President-elect Donald Trump’s advisory panel on federal spending, named the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) in a dog whistle to the favorite far-right meme. Musk talks constantly about the need to slash federal spending and reduce regulations. His involvement apparently extends to high-level decision-making, including pushing for Trump cabinet appointments and participating in calls with global leaders like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Based on how his random social media posts have steered the boat this week, it is likely his support for the AFD is likely to also impact Trump’s positioning.
