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Elon Musk has been actively involved in politics, particularly in theUnited States andEurope, throughout the majority ofhis business career. Despite historically donating to and voting for bothDemocrats andRepublicans,[1] his political contributions have since shifted almost entirely toright-wing candidates and politicians, outright stating in 2022 that he would no longer support Democrats.[2] In the time since, Musk has become more vocal abouthis views, frequently promoting falsehoods aboutelection fraud.[3][4][5] As a result, he has been described as conservative,[6] although he rejects the label and calls himself a moderate.[7]
Musk played a significant role in the2024 United States presidential election by establishing apolitical action committee (PAC) in support ofDonald Trump forhis campaign, making him the election's largest donor with over US$250 million.[8][9][10] Following Trump's 2024 victory, Musk was appointed to co-run a new temporary government organization popularly known as theDepartment of Government Efficiency (DOGE),[11] serving until May 2025, when Musk departed from the department.[12]
In 2024, he started supporting international far-right political parties, activists, and causes.[13] An NBC News analysis found he had boosted far-right political movements to cut immigration and curtail regulation of business in at least 18 countries on six continents since 2023.[14] His international political activities have been scrutinized, particularly in Europe,[15] with some saying his actions and comments appear as "foreign interference" in domestic affairs.[16] Musk's comments and actions have received increasing criticism from some of the governments and leaders of European countries, in particular regarding his support ofAlternative for Germany during the2025 German federal elections.[17]
Musk became a U.S. citizen in 2002, foundingSpaceX that year using his share of the profits fromPayPal's sale toeBay. From 2008 to 2013, Musk flew toWashington, D.C. forty times, according to biographerAshlee Vance.[18] At aVanity Fair event withY Combinator presidentSam Altman in 2015, Musk said he was "involved in politics as little as possible".[19] Prior to the2016 United States presidential election, Musk donated toHillary Clinton[20] and later said he voted for her.[21] In November 2016, Musk criticizedDonald Trump as "not the right guy" in an interview withCNBC. The following month, Trump appointed Musk to hisStrategic and Policy Forum.[22] Musk later endorsed Trump for the2024 United States presidential election.[23]
A 2012 report from theSunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan group that tracks government spending, found that since 2002, SpaceX had spent more than $4 million onlobbying theUnited States Congress and more than $800,000 in political contributions to Democrats and Republicans. As for Musk specifically, the same report said that "SpaceX's campaign to win political support has been systematic and sophisticated," and that "unlike most tech-startups, SpaceX has maintained a significant lobbying presence in Washington almost since day 1" and that "Musk himself has donated roughly $725,000 to various campaigns since 2002. In 2004, he contributed $2,000 to PresidentGeorge W. Bush's reelection campaign, maxing out (over $100,000)[24] toBarack Obama's reelection campaign[25] and donated $5,000 to Republican Sen.Marco Rubio, who represents Florida, a state critical to thespace industry. [...] All told, Musk and SpaceX gave out roughly $250,000 in the 2012 election cycle."[1][26]
In 2017, Musk made his public first entry into major American politics, speaking at theNational Governors Association at the invitation ofBrian Sandoval.[27]
By January 2017, Musk had met with Trump atTrump Tower to argue for theSpaceX Mars colonization program.[28] That month, he toldGizmodo that he was among several "voices of reason" for Trump.[29] In June, he resigned from his positions on Trump's advisory councils after the United Stateswithdrew from theParis Agreement.[30] Musk donatedUS$50,000 to an organization benefitingRepublican members of theHouse of Representatives and an additionalUS$38,900 to a separate group ahead of the2018 House of Representatives elections, defending his decision in order to "maintain dialogue".[31] The following year, he offered an endorsement ofAndrew Yang'spresidential campaign[32] and tacitly supportedKanye West'scampaign in the2020 presidential election, but said that he attempted to convince West to postpone his campaign in an interview withMaureen Dowd.[33]
Speaking toKara Swisher in September 2020, Musk considered voting for Trump ifJoe Biden was not a viable candidate,[34] though he later said he voted for Biden.[21] In May 2022, Musk stated that theDemocratic Party had become the "party of division and hate" and that he would vote for Republicans,[2] later urging voters vote for Republicans in that year'smidterm elections in order to counter a Democratic presidency.[35]
In October 2024,The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had given overUS$50 million toCitizens for Sanity, a political organization that targeted Democrats on issues such as medical care for transgender children and illegal immigration.[36] He publicly endorsedRon DeSantis inhis presidential campaign the following year, hosting DeSantis in aTwitter Spaces event that was marred by technical issues.[37] In August 2023, entrepreneurVivek Ramaswamy suggested that Musk should serve as a presidential advisor forhis presidential bid.[38] That fall he supported RepublicanRon DeSantis for the2024 US presidential election, giving $10 million to his campaign in 2023,[36] and hosted DeSantis's campaign announcement on aTwitter Spaces event.[39][40][41] In January 2024, Musk participated in a forum with Democraticpresidential primary challenger,RepresentativeDean Phillips regarding hispresidential bid.[42][43]
According toThe Washington Post, Musk expressed support for Trump at an event hosted by businessmanNelson Peltz.[10] In March 2024,The New York Times reported that he had met Trump atMar-a-Lago; Musk believed that Biden should be defeated in the2024 presidential election at the time.[44] Approximately thirty minutes after a would-be assassinshot and wounded Trump at a campaign rally nearButler, Pennsylvania, in July, Musk endorsed Trump. He congratulated Trump's decision to name senatorJD Vance ofOhio as his running mate.[45]
During the transition period after Trump was re-elected, Musk became omnipresent at Mar-a-Lago, where his activities ledThe Washington Post to refer to him as "somewhere between unofficial co-president and 'first buddy'".[46] In December, after Musk helped to kill agovernment funding bill, his outsize influence led some politicians and political commentators to start calling him "President Musk", or variants like "Shadow President Elon Musk".[47][48][49] AI-generated images using this theme circulated on social media, such as one showing Musk being inaugurated while Trump held the bible on which Musk took his oath.[50] Another, titled "President Musk", showed Trump as a puppet and Musk as the puppeteer.[51] Cartoonists also created works with Musk as president, accompanied by Trump.[52][53][54] He has been regarded as anéminence grise by various sources.[53][54][55]
Musk attendedTrump's inauguration in theUnited States Capitol rotunda with his son X Æ A-Xii, seated in close proximity to Trump.[56] After the inauguration, he spoke at Trump's inaugural rally atCapital One Arena. During his speech, Musk clasped his right hand against his chest and raised out his arm above his head with his palm facing down, and turned around to perform the gesture to the audience behind him before saying, "My heart goes out to you." The gesture led toan unresolved controversy over whether or not he was giving aNazi salute.[57]
In February 2025, Musk attended theConservative Political Action Conference. Argentine PresidentJavier Milei gave Musk a chainsaw, which is a symbol that Milei has used in campaigns for cutting public spending.[58]
In April 2025, Musk engaged in a very public dispute overtariffs with other figures in the Trump administration, particularlyPeter Navarro who Musk called "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks." Navarro had labeled Tesla a "car assembler" as opposed to a car manufacturer and dismissed Musk's opinions on tariffs as self interest. When asked to comment on the dispute Press SecretaryKaroline Leavitt responded "Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue."[59][60][61]
In September 2025, Musk called theAnti-Defamation League a "hate group" and accused it of being anti-Christian in nature.[62][63][64]
In October 2025, Musk publicly describedNew York Democratic mayoral candidateZohran Mamdani as "the future of the Democratic Party".[65] In November he described Mamdani as "a charismaticswindler".[66]
In June 2024,The New York Times revealed that asuper PAC known as America PAC had spent at leastUS$6.6 million since the May 2024 to support Trump in the 2024 election. A website had been established collecting voters' information and encouraging them to vote.[67]The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Musk said he would commit a monthly donation ofUS$45 million to the super PAC; after theJournal published its article, Musk disputed its accuracy.[68]
In October, a political action committee known as RBG PAC, in reference to the deceasedSupreme Court justiceRuth Bader Ginsburg, spent at leastUS$20 million on advertisements associating Trump with Ginsburg and herpro-abortion stance, according to aFederal Election Commission (FEC) filing.[69] Clara Spera, Ginsburg's granddaughter, criticized the group in a statement; Ginsburg denounced Trump in an interview withThe New York Times in 2016 and did not want to be replaced on the Court until Trump was out of office.[70] An FEC filing in December revealed that Musk was RBG PAC's only donor, with a contribution of $20.5 million.[71]
By the end of Trump's presidential campaign, Musk had spent $277 million supporting Trump and allied Republicans, making the largest individual political donor of the 2024 election and the largest individual political donor since at least 2010 outside of candidates funding their own campaigns. Musk's donations primarily went to his super PAC, America PAC. Musk also launched a $1 million a day giveaway for swing state voters the Justice Department warned could potentially violate federal election laws.[8][9][72]
In March 2025, Musk-backed Building America's Future poured considerable ad money into theWisconsin Supreme Court judge race, favoring Trump RepublicanBrad Schimel over DemocratSusan Crawford, a race expected to be the most expensive state supreme court race ever.[73][74][75] Crawford subsequently defeated Schimel in the election.[76]
On August 12, 2024, Musk held a discussion onX Spaces with Trump in which he suggested a "government efficiency commission" that he would serve on to ensure taxes were spent appropriately, an idea that Trump supported.[77] The following month,The Washington Post reported that Trump had discussed the concept of a commission, led by business executives, to regulate government spending.[78] At a speech before theEconomic Club of New York that month, Trump publicly called for a commission to audit thefederal government that would be led by Musk.[79] After his victory in the 2024 election in November, Trump announced that he would establish the Department of Government Efficiency and appoint Musk and entrepreneurVivek Ramaswamy to lead it.[80] Prior to its formation, ideological differences between the men led to Ramaswamy, who will enter the2026 Ohio gubernatorial election, exiting the initiative.[81]
In the days leading up to Trump's inauguration, representatives from the Department of Government Efficiency were sent to several federal agencies.[82] By the inauguration, Musk had received a government email address and was prepared to begin working in theWest Wing, according toThe New York Times; prior reporting had indicated Musk would operate the Department of Government Efficiency from theEisenhower Executive Office Building, but he had objected to an apparent lessened level of access with Trump.[83] In an executive order Trump signed after his inauguration, theUnited States Digital Service was renamed to the United States DOGE Service and a temporary organization was established beneath the DOGE Service. Each federal agency will be assigned a "DOGE team" ofspecial government employees, a classification of temporary workers.[84][85]
DOGE has reportedly taken over agencies and gained access to sensitive data, including theTreasury department,Office of Personnel Management andGeneral Services Administration. DOGE has also reportedly shut down theUSAID.[86] Musk claimed credit for the shutdown of the agency, saying that he and his colleagues "spent the weekend feeding USAID into the woodchipper." Potentially violating theImpoundment Control Act, Musk also boasted on X of shutting down payments that were approved by Congress.[87]
In a call hosted on X on February 3 with senatorsJoni Ernst andMike Lee, Musk proposed the non-enforcement or repeal of all federal regulations as a default position of the Trump administration.[88]
After Musk took questions about DOGE in theOval Office on February 11, sometimes holding his four year-old son on his shoulders, cartoonists portrayed Musk holding Trump on his shoulders like a child.[89] The February 24Time magazine cover portrayed Musk sitting behind theResolute desk as if he were president.[90]
Musk would depart from the U.S. government on May 30, 2025.[12]
In July 2025, Musk announced the creation of a new political party, theAmerica Party, widely seen as a rebuke to presidentDonald Trump as part ofhis feud with Trump.[91] Musk stated that the new party would focus ondeficit reduction and initially target just a few significant political races.[92][93] He has advocated for the party to befiscally conservative.[94] Musk has remained vague on specifics about the platform, with pundits claiming the party's platform will just behis personal views.[95]
In August 2025, Musk reportedly reconsidered the formation of the party and contemplated backingJD Vance in the2028 presidential election.[96]
.jpg) | Elon Musk (@elonmusk) tweeted: |
Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?
Yes 80.4% No 19.6% 5,630,775 votes · Final results
June 5, 2025[97]
Following the2024 United States presidential election, afeud between Musk and Trump began in June 2025, over provisions in the then-proposedOne Big Beautiful Bill Act.[98] The dispute escalated on June 5 after Trump publicly criticized Musk in a meeting with German chancellorFriedrich Merz.[99] Amid a series of posts onX chastising Trump, Musk proposed a political party to represent "the 80 percent in the middle",[100] attaching a survey allowing users to vote "yes" or "no".[101] The poll ended the following day with 80.4% of the 5.6 million respondents voting yes. Minutes after declaring that a party should be established based on the poll, Musk named it the "America Party".[102]
| Elon Musk (@elonmusk) tweeted: |
Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!Should we create the America Party?
Yes 65.4% No 34.6% 1,248,856 votes · Final results
Prior to the party's announcement, several political parties and individuals in opposition to thetwo-party system attempted to garner Musk's support. In an interview withPolitico Magazine,Andrew Yang sought to work with him to establish a political party together or to support Yang'sForward Party; Musk previously endorsed Yang in his2020 presidential campaign.[105]Libertarian National Committee chairSteven Nekhaila proposed a partnership with Musk in July.[106]
According toReuters, Musk was "serious" about establishing the America Party despite seeking a resolution with Trump and outreach from theTrump administration.[107] As the One Big Beautiful Bill Act neared a vote in theSenate in late June, he vowed to form the America Party if the bill passed and promised to support primary challenges toRepublicans who voted in favor of the bill;[108] the One Big Beautiful Bill Act returned to theHouse of Representatives days later, where it passed on July 3 along largely party lines.[109][110] Musk outlined a potential electoral strategy.[111] He referred to both the Republican andDemocratic parties as a "uniparty," criticizing them for failing to offer real alternatives.[112]
In the days leading up to his announcement, Musk had discussed a political party with allies in conceptual—but not pragmatic—talks, according toThe New York Times.[113] On July 4, Musk held a second survey on X, asking if the American people wanted "independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system". The poll would end the following day on July 5, with 65.4% voting in favor of the new party.[114] On the same day, Musk announced that he had established the America Party.[115]
United Press International reported on July 5 that the party was not yet registered with theFederal Election Commission, which overseesU.S. federal elections.[116] Several days later, Musk noted on X that one supposed filing was fake.[117]
On July 6, it was announced thatMark Cuban andAnthony Scaramucci would be "interested" in supporting the party, and offering aid to get the party on state ballots.[118] That same day, Treasury SecretaryScott Bessent stated that "I imagine that those boards of directors [of his companies] did not like [Musk's] announcement yesterday, and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities, not his political activities."[119]
In a July 7 post toTruth Social, Donald Trump said he was "saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks."[120]
On July 30,James Fishback, a Tesla investor, reported that the launch of the America Party had stalled and that Musk had neither filed with the FEC to form the new party, nor endorsed any candidates on the America Party ballot line.[121][122]
The following month, Musk reportedly reconsidered the formation of the party, which would have been damaging to his relationship with the vice president,JD Vance.[123]
Musk, who was born inSouth Africa, is ineligible to run for thepresidency or thevice presidency of theUnited States under the provisions of theUnited States Constitution.[124] He is eligible to run for other offices, such asUnited States senator orrepresentative, as well as to be apolitical party chair.[125] Musk has not stated who will be the party chair or the nature of its structure.[124]
Nate Cohn, aNew York Times politics analyst, posited that the America Party could gain legitimacy in the2028 elections if dissatisfaction with the two-party system mounted over dismal economic conditions incurred by Donald Trump andJoe Biden.[126]Vox argued that Musk could negatively affect the Republican Party in the2026 elections by focusing on competitive seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate, garnering a coalition of voters that leanfuturist andtechnolibertarian.[127]
The New York Times pointed out that, while "opinion polling has long shown that Americans are hungry for an option beyond the two major political parties", this has not translated into genuine support for third parties. Efforts by idealistic reformists to create a third party, includingRoss Perot and hisReform Party in the 1990s, and the more recentUnite America andNo Labels movements, as well asAndrew Yang'sForward Party, have all failed. In the same article,The New York Times also highlighted that Musk's claims of fundamentally reshaping American politics with a third party "suggest he had spent little time studying state ballot-access and federal campaign-finance laws" noting the "labyrinthine system" required for getting a name on a ballot in singular states let alone all 50 as well as pointing out the fact that New York has a ban on parties using the word "American" in their names.The New York Times concluded that it would've been easier, and cheaper, for Musk to attempt a hijacking of theLibertarian Party, which already has elements loyal to Musk, than to start his own political party.[128]
MSNBC also stated that "Unlimited money won't make up for not understanding election laws, political science or American history" in regards to Musk's party, also pointing out that the best third-party performance in recent years wasGary Johnson in 2016 which earned 3.3% of the vote.MSNBC also pointed out Yang and the Forward Party, Perot and the Reform Party, and No Labels, while also pointing out the failedUnity '08 and 2012'sAmericans Elect campaigns alongsideRobert F. Kennedy Jr.'s2024 bid for President.MSNBC concluded that Musk is centering his entire party on winning over Trump-supporting Republicans, and that this would never happen if Trump is his main opponent.[129]
Democratic support for Musk's third party includesDean Phillips, who finished in second place amongst the candidates in the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries and was aU.S. Representative fromMinnesota's 3rd congressional district. He's personally stated an interest in meeting with Musk to discuss his plans for a third party,[130] having recently cited concerns that Democrats further to the left likeZohran Mamdani are a "grave threat" to the party.[131]
Alex Burns, writing forPOLITICO, however, remained optimistic that Musk may find success if he makes clear, partisan positions on issues, calling them "targets of opportunity." Burns suggested various policies that Musk could pursue, including: focusing on opposing Trump's tariffs and "championing free trade", promoting fiscal conservatism, and advocating for technocratic interests.[132]
In early July, Musk stated that the America Party could focus on "two or threeSenate seats" and "eight to tenHouse districts" to serve as the "deciding vote on contentious laws" and representgeneral will.[111] He later suggested that the party would run in the 2026 elections,[133] comparing his strategy to that used by the Greek generalEpaminondas in theBattle of Leuctra, a "concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield".[134] Although Epaminondas won the Battle of Leuctra his success wouldn't last and would be killed atMantinea.[95] He also stated that the party wouldcaucus separately from both theDemocratic and theRepublican parties and that "legislative discussions would be had with both parties" afterward.[135]
The possibility of Musk establishing a viablethird party is widely perceived as difficult.[136][137][138][139]The Washington Post noted that, although Musk hassufficient wealth to establish a political party, complications inhis business career, his inability to influence the2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, and his declining popularity as a result of his work at the Department of Government Efficiency could hinder his efforts.[140]
The America Party would face practical challenges of ballot access, with each state having its own rules on access.[141]
AYouGov poll released on July 14 showed that although 45% of Americans thought a viable third party was "necessary", only 11% of Americans would support Musk's party.[142]
A July 15 poll by Echelon Insights asking which party you would vote for, found that while only 4.95% of voters would vote for Musk's party, that this almost exclusively pulled from the Republican party allowing the Democrats to win with a comfortable margin.[143]
AQuinnipiac University poll released on July 16 showed that 77% of Americans would not consider joining the party, with only 17% saying they would.[144]
ACNN poll released on July 17 showed that the vast majority of both adults (74%) and voters in general (77%) oppose Musk's new party, and that only 17% of voters would consider joining the party. CNN compared the results to Perot, noting that unlike Musk more than 50% of Americans supported him forming the Reform Party while only 37% of voters opposed his party.[145]
Following the2023 Argentine general election, Musk congratulatedJavier Milei for his victory, writing that "prosperity is ahead for Argentina".[146] Prior tohis inauguration, Musk met with Milei; in a televised interview, Milei said that Musk was "extremely interested in lithium".[147] In February 2024,Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones authorizedStarlink, among other satellite internet providers, to operate in the country.[148] Milei has sought to encourage lithium investment in Argentina,[149] including a law that would give foreign investors in the mining industry tax cuts and various benefits for thirty years.[150] In April, Milei and Musk met at aGigafactory inAustin, Texas, in which they agreed to hold a "big event" in Argentina to promote freedom;[151]The Wall Street Journal noted that the meeting followed praise that Musk offered for Milei, including for his speech at theWorld Economic Forum, as he sought to strengthen relations to gain access to Argentina's lithium resources and the country's approval for Starlink.[152] According to then-ambassador to the United StatesGerardo Werthein, Milei and Musk discussed lithium during the meeting.[153] In May, Musk posted, "I recommend investing in Argentina" onX, after meeting with Milei inLos Angeles for an investors conference.[154]
In January 2025, Musk stepped into Canadian national politics, praising theConservative Party'sPierre Poilievre and mocking outgoing Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau of theLiberal Party.[155][156] Canadians angry with Musk over his influence in Trump's administration, particularly the attack onCanadian sovereignty, have called for the government to revoke Musk's Canadian citizenship and passport. Musk responded in atweet that was later deleted that "Canada is not a real country."[157]
Musk's companies, includingTesla andSpaceX, have faced stiff competition in China, where Musk has sought to develop his ventures.[158]
The Taiwanese government began discussing the use ofStarlink in the country in 2019, but discussions later faltered after SpaceX representatives pressured government officials to change a majority ownership law requiring telecommunications ventures to be owned by a local business. According toBloomberg News, Musk sought to own the entire venture.[159] In response to the instability ofStarlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War,Taiwan began to develop its own communications network without SpaceX. Then-presidentTsai Ing-wen pledgedNT$40 billion for an Internet network managed by the Taiwanese government, later partnering with the Luxembourgish network companySES. In November 2023,Chunghwa Telecom announced a partnership with the French satellite operatorEutelsat.[160] In September, Musk compared Taiwan toHawaii, claiming that the island is an "integral part" of China;Joseph Wu, Taiwan's then-foreign minister, said that Taiwan was "certainly not for sale".[161]
Musk has prominently endorsed far-right German political partyAlternative für Deutschland (AfD), in particular through activities onX. While initial endorsements of party-adjacent social media accounts started as early as late 2023, Musk started actively and openly promoting the party in late 2024 during the prelude of the2025 German federal elections throughout various activities.[88][162]
In December 2024, Musk responded to a tweet by German far-right influencerNaomi Seibt with "Only the AfD can save Germany". He reiterated his endorsement shortly after, adding the claim that other political parties have "utterly failed the people".[163][164] Following the2024 Magdeburg car attack shortly after his initial endorsement of AfD, Musk calledOlaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany at the time, "a "fool" in a tweet on the platform, and called for his resignation. A few days later, on New Year's Day, he also attackedFrank-Walter Steinmeier, calling him an "anti-democratic tyrant".[163][165]
In January 2025, Musk agreed to host aSpace withAlice Weidel, the leader of AfD and expectedchancellor candidate of the party at the time, to promote the party and its positions. In it, responding to concerns about AfD being right-wing, Weidel proposed the thesis thatAdolf Hitler was actually a communist, and not right-wing. The claim and Musk not contradicting it have been heavily criticized.[166] The stream itself has been observed by European authorities and led to investigations about whether Musk's promotion of the party is a violation of theDigital Services Act regarding X's ranking algorithms unlawfully preferring AfD-adjacent accounts and content.[163]
Previous to his official endorsement, there have been several other incidences of Musk interacting with users on X specifically promoting AfD since at least late 2023, including high-ranking party members.[88] Notably, in April 2024, chair of localAfD Thuringia,Björn Höcke, was facing trial for using slogans historically in use by Nazi Germany'sSturmabteilung, which is punishable by law in Germany. A post by him on X about the situation was commented on by Musk, to which Höcke responded by further defending his use of the slogans.[167] Höcke's original tweet received over 1,000 responses, which observers noted was considerably boosted by Musk's engagement. It was also noted that it was very unusual for Höcke to be tweeting in English instead of German, as well as it being unlikely that Musk would have noticed Höcke's tweets organically.[168] A few weeks after this incident, as a response to a tweet about theEuropean Parliament elections in 2024, Musk voiced doubts about the classification of AfD as afar-right political party, stating the policies he has heard about "don't sound extremist".[169]
In hisNew Year's Eve address, chancellorOlaf Scholz said that the election will "not be decided by the owners of social media channels".[170] InDer Spiegel, deputy chancellorRobert Habeck accused Musk of mounting a "frontal attack on our democracy".[171]Christiane Hoffmann [de], a deputy government spokeswoman, accused Musk of attempting to influence the federal election.[172]
Musk's endorsement has also been called into question by other business people, includingBill Gates and German investorFrank Thelen, who previously was a strong supporter of Musk.[173][174] His involvement in German politics in particular has furthermore led to several German companies as well as other organizations ending their business relationships with him, as well as closing their social media accounts on X.[175][176]
It has been observed byBundesdatenschau, a project that analyzes the influence of German political parties on X, that AfD as well as associated accounts by party leaders such as Alice Weidel have considerably gained in reach on the platform since Musk's endorsements in 2025 compared to 2024.[177]
In December 2024, German dailynewspaper of recordDie Welt published an op-ed authored by Musk, where he reiterated his endorsement of Alternative für Deutschland previously stated on X, arguing that "traditional parties have failed" as well as calling into doubt the classification of AfD as far-right. The op-ed was published along with an op-ed countering his arguments authored byJan Philipp Burgard [de], one of the editors-in-chief of the newspaper.[178][179]
In direct response to the publication, several journalists andDie Welt employees resigned, includingEva Marie Kogel [de], department head of op-ed at the time. Additionally, several editors previously opposed the publication, being concerned both with considering it paid electoral campaigning for AfD as well as potential brand damage to the newspaper and the core values of its publishing companyAxel Springer SE.[179][180]
The op-ed was widely criticized both by German media as well as internationally. Some German publications called into question whether the untranslated English version of the op-ed was generated byXAI's own AI modelGrok.[179][180][181] In a response to the criticism and resignations atDie Welt, Burgard andUlf Poschardt [de], editor-in-chief at the time of the op-ed's publication, defended the publication as an expression of freedom of speech.[182]
During a campaign rally of Alternative für Deutschland in January 2025, Musk also joined for a short speech through a video call. Therein, he reiterated his previous statements of party support fromX and his op-ed inDie Welt, as well as calling into question theEuropean Union's regulatory reach. In addition, Musk criticized Germany'sculture of remembrance, stating that there is "too much of a focus on past guilt and we need to move beyond that".[183][184] Following Musk's speech,Weidel thanked him for his statements, praised thesecond presidency of Donald Trump that Musk is closely associated with, and ended her statement with "Make Germany Great Again".[185][186]
Musk's statements on remembrance culture have been widely criticized, in particular due to their timing shortly before the 80th anniversary of theliberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.[184][187][188] Olaf Scholz condemned Musk's comments as well as his general push of European far-right parties.[189]Donald Tusk, prime minister of Poland, called Musk's words on remembrance culture "too familiar and ominous".[188]Steffen Seibert, German ambassador to Israel at the time, stated that "Musk doesn't seem to know [Germany] well at all" and that people are not made felt guilty for crimes committed by theNazis, contrary to his claims.[187]
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In September 2023, prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahu met with Musk ata Tesla factory inFremont, California.[190] In November, Musk and Netanyahu touredKfar Aza, akibbutz that wasattacked byHamas during theOctober 7 attacks.[191] Netanyahu invited Musk to attendhis address to theUnited States Congress in July 2024.[192] In December, presidentIsaac Herzog called Musk to discuss a resolution to theGaza war hostage crisis.[193]
In November 2024,The New York Times reported that Musk had metAmir Saeid Iravani inNew York to discussIran–United States relations.[194] In January 2025, Italian journalistCecilia Sala was released from an Iranian prison, followed by Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who was detained on behalf of theUnited States Department of Justice for allegedly producing drone technology used in theTower 22 drone attack, from an Italian prison. According toThe New York Times, Musk contacted Iravani to seek Sala's release.[195] Italian prime ministerGiorgia Meloni denied Musk's involvement in her release, citing a "diplomatic triangulation" between U.S., Italy, and Iran.[196]
In April 2025, Musk joined by video-call a meeting of the populist right-wingLega party, led byDeputy Prime MinisterMatteo Salvini.[197]
In February 2022, following theRussian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian ministerMykhailo Fedorov requested Musk activateStarlink in the country. Additional Starlink terminals arrived two days later.[198] In September, Musk refused to activate ageofence inCrimea, resulting in several boats being damaged.[199] By October, Musk publicly questioned the sustainability of financing Starlink in Ukraine, but said he could continue funding access.[200] That month, Musk posted a poll onTwitter outlining a peace plan that included the secession of Ukrainian territory to Russia; in response, Ukrainian presidentVolodymyr Zelensky posted his own poll criticizing him.[201] In February 2023, Musk stated thatSpaceX would prohibit Starlink's use in long-range drone strikes.[202] According to Fedorov, Musk provided his private messages toWalter Isaacson forElon Musk.[203]
In October 2024,The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had maintained regular contact with Russian presidentVladimir Putin for at least two years. In one discussion, Putin asked Musk not to activate Starlink overTaiwan as a favor toXi Jinping, the general secretary of theChinese Communist Party.[204] The following month, U.S. senatorsJack Reed andJeanne Shaheen of theSenate Committee on Armed Services sent a letter to U.S. attorney generalMerrick Garland andRobert Storch, the inspector general of the Department of Defense, requesting that they reassess Musk's security clearance.[205]
Musk has been a primary backer ofRupert Lowe'sRestore Britain movement.[206]
In December 2024, the leader of the right-wing populist partyReform UK,Nigel Farage, stated that the party was discussing a donation from Musk after they met atMar-a-Lago with party treasurerNick Candy.[207] The negotiations were denounced byConservative Party leaderKemi Badenoch, who stated that the donation would be "counterproductive".[208] In an interview withThe Telegraph that month, Farage argued that Musk could court the youth vote for the party and assist in defeating the Conservative Party.[209] In January 2025, Musk expressed support forTommy Robinson, a far-right anti-Islam activist who was sentenced to over a year in prison on contempt of court charges. In response, several politicians who supportedBrexit urged allies of president-electDonald Trump to not endorse Robinson.[210] Musk subsequently paid for Robinson's legal fees when he was prosecuted for failure to disclose his device security credentials under anti-terrorism law (Robinson was acquitted).[211] Musk later abruptly disparaged Farage as the leader of the Reform Party as not having "what it takes" after Farage disavowed Robinson.[212]
On July 29, 2024, amass stabbing occurred at a dance studio inSouthport in which three children were killed and ten other people were injured, later resulting inthe violent disorder across the country. After Starmer said "large social media companies and those who run them" were contributing to the disorder, Musk criticised him for not condemning all participants in the riots and only blaming thefar-right.[213][214] Musk also responded to a tweet which said the riots were due to "mass migration and open borders" by tweeting, "Civil war is inevitable". His comments were condemned by Starmer's official spokesman.[215][216][217] Musk further said Starmer was responsible for a "two-tier" policing system which did not protect all communities in the United Kingdom,[218][219][220] and subsequently shared aconspiracy theory that Starmer's government was planning to build detainment camps in theFalkland Islands to hold far-right rioters. In response, Starmer said: "my focus is on ensuring our communities are safe. That is my sole focus. I think it's very important for us all to support the police in what they're doing".[221][222]
In January 2025, Musk began commenting on several child abuse scandals in the UK, including theRotherham child sexual exploitation scandal, in which many young girls were exploited by predominantlyBritish Pakistani men.[223] Musk said thatJess Phillips,Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, "deserves to be in prison", when she denied requests for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham (Greater Manchester).[224] He claimed that Phillips was a "rape genocide apologist" by rejecting calls for a national investigation.[224] In addition, Musk castigatedKeir Starmer, who served as thedirector of public prosecutions when the abuses were publicized, though he had published guidelines about handling the sexual exploitation of children.[223] During an event for theNational Health Service, Starmer indirectly denounced Musk for "lies and misinformation".[225]
Musk has continued to amplify fear about immigrants raping children comparing the convicted racist extremist Tommy Robinson to a protective warrior of Gondor that the British people must get behind or they will die: “When Tolkien wrote about the hobbits, he was referring to the gentlefolk of the English shires, who don’t realize the horrors that take place far away. They were able to live their lives in peace and tranquility, but only because they were protected by the hard men of Gondor. What happened to the nice man who was brutally murdered while walking his dog will happen to all of England if the tide of illegal immigration is not turned. It is time for the English to ally with the hard men, like Tommy Robinson, and fight for their survival or they shall surely all perish."[226]
In early 2025,Elon Musk publicly endorsedSpain's far-right party,Vox, predicting its success in the country's upcoming elections, stating "Vox will win the next election."[227] Musk expressed his support through a series of posts onX (formally known asTwitter), where he praised the party's stance onimmigration, economic deregulation, and its opposition toEuropean Union policies that he deemed restrictive to technological innovation.[228] His endorsement sparked significant debate inSpain and acrossEurope, as political analysts viewed it as part of his broader engagement withright-wing movements globally.
Musk's comment led to speculation about potential business interests tied to his endorsement, particularly regarding Spain's lithium mining industry, which is crucial forTesla, Inc.'s electric vehicle battery production.[229] Some analysts suggested that a Vox-led government might pursue policies more favorable to Musk's business operations inEurope, including regulatory adjustments or tax incentives for tech investments.[230] However, neither Musk nor Vox confirmed any direct discussions about such agreements.
The endorsement also drew criticism from political opponents, who accused Musk of using his vast online influence to interfere in European democratic process. Spanish Prime MinisterPedro Sánchez dismissed Musk's comments as foreign meddling, whileEuropean Union officials expressed concerns about the growing role of tech billionaires in shaping political discourse.[231] Despite the controversy, Vox leaders welcomed Musk's support, leveraging it in their campaign to appeal to younger, business-oriented voters.
Musk has thrown his support behind far-right politicians in the U.K., Italy and Germany.
Mr. Musk's falling-out with some on the far right stands out as he increasingly embraces more extreme parties and figures globally, including in Germany, where he has backed a political party with ties to neo-Nazis and plans to host a livestream with one of its leaders on Thursday.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive has endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany, demanded the release of jailed U.K. anti-Islam extremist Tommy Robinson and called British Prime Minister Keir Starmer an evil tyrant who should be in prison. Many European politicians have been left concerned by the attention. Musk's feed on his social network X is dotted with abusive language — labeling politicians "stupid cretin" and "sniveling cowards" — as well as retweets of far-right and anti-immigrant accounts.
Musk appears to be growing more intolerant of other viewpoints. While elevating right-wing extremists, he simultaneously seeks to destroy trust in credible news sources.
Now, during the transition, Musk has emerged somewhere between unofficial co-president and "first buddy", as he put it in an X posting — bounding in and out of meetings, sitting in on phone calls, weighing résumés and generally becoming as ubiquitous at Mar-a-Lago as the club's gilded inlay.
It came after scores of Democrats baited Trump with social media posts accusing Musk of being the actual president-elect, the "shadow president", "President Musk" or the "co-president".
Brad Schimel, the Musk-backed candidate, is a Republican former state attorney general who is currently a Waukesha County judge. He's a strong supporter of Trump... Schimel's opponent, Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, is backed by the Wisconsin Democratic Party and previously worked for a Democratic governor. She is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin and Wisconsin's AFL-CIO. As a private practice attorney, Crawford brought lawsuits challenging laws that restricted abortion and union rights.
While setting himself up to affect policy that could conceivably increase his net worth by billions, Musk is pouring millions into efforts to cement the Republican Party's control across the nation. His latest effort is taking place in Wisconsin, where a critical statewide election is taking place at the beginning of April... Health care advocates are particularly worried about the impact the race could have on Wisconsin, given Schimel's history. In 2018, a year after the failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress, Schimel teamed up with the Texas attorney general to lead a multi-state lawsuit aimed at killing the healthcare program largely known as Obamacare.
The billionaire is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual.
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nbcjuly22 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).cnnjuly52 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).nytjuly52 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).Peoplejuly52 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).Musk is effectively proposing to build a party on the right flank of the GOP, not in the middle.
wapojuly22 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).Poilievre's worldview, in which countries ought to take care of themselves and free speech is paramount, jives well with Musk's and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's appeals to far-right parties in Europe, making the Conservatives far less likely to protest repeated incursions into German or British democracy, for example, or the erosion of support for NATO.
NDP MP Charlie Angus says the petition he's sponsoring to Parliament to strip Elon Musk of his Canadian citizenship is about 'sending a message' to Musk and the U.S. government... "Elon Musk has engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada," reads the petition sponsored by New Democrat MP Charlie Angus. "He has used his wealth and power to influence our elections; he has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty; and the attempts of Elon Musk to attack Canadian sovereignty must be addressed." The petition has collected more than 263,000 signatures since it was posted on Feb. 20.
An estimated 1,400 girls were exploited by "grooming gangs" composed largely of British Pakistani men.
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