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Elon Musk, America’s richest oligarch, tweeted an endorsement of Germany’s AfD political party and many Germans are not happy about this fact. For what? It probably has something to do with the racism, xenophobia of AfD and ties to neo-nazis. You know, just the normal stuff that Musk is promoting here in 2024 as a top adviser to Donald Trump.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” the billionaire he wrote in the wee hours of Friday morning.
Musk’s tweet promotes another tweet from Naomi Seibt, a German climate change denier who rose to prominence as the anti-Greta Thunberg. Seibt also promoted conspiracy theories and was accused of being anti-Semitic, according to the guardiana statement she denies.
The far right in Germany was excited by Musk’s tweet, including Alice Weidel, who is running to be chancellor as co-leader of the AfD in the upcoming elections in February, like Germany. DW news reports.
“Yes! You are absolutely right!” Weidel tweeted at Musk. “Please also watch my interview about President Trump, how the socialist Merkel has ruined our country, how the European Soviet Union is destroying the economic backbone of the countries (sic) and malfunctioning of 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 enthusiastic, noting Musk’s interference in German politics and his rather notorious lack of intelligence, often displayed in late-night tweets. Alexander Throm, a politician from the Christian Democratic Union political party, also joked about Musk’s cognitive difficulties while speaking to local media.
“I was a little surprised because we usually hear that Elon Musk is this gifted prodigy, but when I heard these comments, I had 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 doubled his fortune this year as the world’s richest person and helped Donald Trump get elected by spending more than a quarter of a billion dollars on Republican races in the 2024 election.
Musk, who has a history of racist commentsinsists that he only voted for a Republican for the first time in 2022, suggesting he only voted for Democrats before. But even if he takes his word for it (he lies often, like when he initially denied funding Trump’s presidential campaign), he’s still become a powerhouse in Republican politics. And he is using this power now.
In fact, Musk has promised to start primaries against all Republicans who cross him, which is not an idle threat given the fact that he still operates a political action committee called America PAC. Musk also funded a group that is doing advertising to promote the confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Those ads have been credited apply pressure to Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa who was seen as a possible vote against Hegseth because of his history as a combat veteran who has spoken publicly about his experience with sexual violence. Hegseth was charged sexual assaulta charge he denies. Ernst now appears to support Hegseth’s confirmation.
Musk has also made waves in the world of legislation even before Trump officially takes power on January 20, 2025. The US House is currently trying to pass funding to keep the government open before a deadline of 12 : 01 am which closes many. governmental functions, but Musk was credited with the tank of two bills that were brought up on Thursday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is working on another version of the funding bill to be voted on Friday. But everyone keeps 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 through 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 is not a great sign of what lies ahead.
