Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Alisa Weidel, one of the leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party, arrives to speak to the media alongside AfD co-leader Tina Khrupala shortly after the AfD leadership approved Weidel as the party’s chancellor candidate on December 7. 2024 in Berlin, Germany.
Mary Will | Getty Images
Elon Musk used his social network X to promote Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, known as the AfD, by hosting a live debate on Thursday with party leader Alice Weidel, a chancellor candidate, ahead of the February 23 general election.
“I really strongly advise people to vote for the AfD,” said Musk, the company’s CEO Tesla and SpaceX in addition to its role at X, said about half an hour into the conversation. “This is my strong recommendation.”
Germany’s domestic intelligence services classified the AfD as an “alleged extremist organization.” The party’s platform calls for tougher asylum laws, mass deportations, cuts to Germany’s social and welfare benefits and the lifting of restrictions on combustion-engined cars.
Thierry Breton, former EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, said on January 4 message on X addressed to Weidel: “As a European citizen concerned about the proper use of the system platforms authorized to operate in the EU … especially to protect our democratic rules against illegal or improper behavior during elections, I think it is very important to remind you” that a live discussion on X would give AfD and Weidel “significant and valuable advantage over your competitors”.
While the AfD has amassed around 20% of public support, DW reports that the party is unlikely to enter a coalition government as most other parties have vowed not to cooperate with it.
AfD protested before building a Tesla electric car factory outside of Berlin, in part because the plant will provide jobs to people who are not German citizens.
Musk’s past support for the AfD, including tweets complimenting the party and an editorial in a German newspaper, has angered European government officials. Musk, the world’s richest man, also supports far-right and anti-establishment candidates and causes in the UK
Political leaders of France, Germany, Norway and Great Britain reported NBC News previously reported on its influence, warning that Musk should not participate in elections in their countries.
Musk, who was one of the elected presidents Donald Trump leading supporters in the November election, previously promoted Trump in a debate broadcast live on X. Before that, he had a conversation with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who lost to Trump in the Republican primary.
Weidel asked Musk during the conversation Thursday about what Trump could do to bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to an end, something the president-elect suggested he might do soon.
Musk objected.
“To be clear, it’s up to President Trump, he’s the commander and chief, so it’s really up to him,” Musk said. “I don’t want to speak for him, but you know I really think there is a path to a solution, but it requires strong leadership in the United States.”
Musk also weighed in on what he believes needs to be done in Gaza, which has been under attack by Israel since Hamas’ deadly invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.
“There is no other choice but to destroy those who want to destroy the state of Israel, you know basically Hamas,” Musk said. “Then, the second step is to fix education so that Palestinians are not taught from childhood to hate and wish Israel dead.”
“Then the third thing, which is also very important, is to make the Palestinian areas prosperous.”
— CNBC Sophie Kidderlin contributed to this report.
