Elon Musk, America’s wealthiest oligarch, tweeted an endorsement of Germany’s AfD political party and many Germans aren’t happy with that fact. Why? It probably has something to do with AfD’s racism, xenophobia, and links to neo-Nazis. You know, just the normal things that Musk finds himself promoting here in 2024 as a top advisor to Donald Trump.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” the billionaire wrote in the early morning hours of Friday.
Musk’s tweet was promoting another tweet from Naomi Seibt a German climate change denier who rose to prominence as the anti-Greta Thunberg. Seibt has also promoted conspiracy theories and been accused of being antisemitic, according to the Guardian, a claim she denies.
The far-right in Germany were thrilled with Musk’s tweet, including Alice Weidel, who’s running to be chancellor as co-leader of the AfD in the upcoming February elections, as Germany’s DW news outlet reports.
“Yes! You are perfectly right!” Weidel tweeted to Musk. “Please also have a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the countries [sic] economic backbone and malfunctioning Germany!”
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, its domestic intelligence organization, has listed AfD as a “suspected terrorist organization” and at least two German states have officially classified it as such, according to DW.
But many other politicians in Germany were less than enthused, noting Musk’s interference in German politics and his rather notorious lack of intelligence, often displayed in late-night tweets. Alexander Throm, a politician with the Christian Democratic Union political party, even joked about Musk’s cognitive difficulties while talking to local media.
“I was a bit surprised because we usually hear that Elon Musk is this gifted wunderkind, but when I hear these comments, I have to doubt that,” 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 has serious implications for Americans as well, given the fact 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 wealthiest person in the world and helped Donald Trump get elected by spending over a quarter of a billion dollars on Republican races in the 2024 election.
Musk, who has a history of racist comments, insists that he only voted for a Republican for the first time in 2022, suggesting he only voted for Democrats before that. But even if we take him at his word (he lies frequently, like when he initially denied funding Trump’s presidential campaign) he’s still become a powerhouse in Republican politics. And he’s using that power right now.
In fact, Musk has promised to initiate primaries against any Republicans that cross him, which is no idle threat given the fact that he’s still operating a political action committee called America PAC. Musk has also been funding a group that’s running ads to promote Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense. Those ads have been credited with applying pressure to Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa who was seen as a possible vote against Hegseth due to her history as a combat veteran who has publicly talked about her experience with sexual violence. Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, a charge he denies. Ernst now appears to support Hegseth’s confirmation.
Musk has also been making waves in the world of legislation even before Trump officially takes power on Jan. 20, 2025. The U.S. House is currently trying to pass funding to keep the government open before a 12:01 a.m. deadline that would shut down many governmental functions, but Musk has been credited with tanking two bills that were brought up Thursday.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is reportedly working on another version of the funding bill that’s supposed to get a vote Friday. But everyone is keeping an eye on Musk’s X account, which is where he gives orders and organizes his army of dipshit influencers who pressure politicians. If Musk gives the thumbs up, it seems likely to pass. If he says 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 at this point. And Musk’s promotion of a far-right party like AfD isn’t a great sign of what lies ahead.
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