Elon Musk, America’s wealthiest oligarch, tweeted an endorsement of Germany’s AfD political get together and plenty of Germans aren’t proud of that truth. Why? It most likely has one thing to do with AfD’s racism, xenophobia, and links to neo-Nazis. You realize, simply the conventional issues that Musk finds himself selling right here in 2024 as a prime advisor to Donald Trump.
“Solely the AfD can save Germany,” the billionaire wrote within the early morning hours of Friday.
Musk’s tweet was selling one other tweet from Naomi Seibt a German local weather change denier who rose to prominence because the anti-Greta Thunberg. Seibt has additionally promoted conspiracy theories and been accused of being antisemitic, in accordance with the Guardian, a declare she denies.
The far-right in Germany have been thrilled with Musk’s tweet, together with Alice Weidel, who’s operating to be chancellor as co-leader of the AfD within the upcoming February elections, as Germany’s DW information outlet studies.
“Sure! You’re completely proper!” Weidel tweeted to Musk. “Please additionally take a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our nation, how the Soviet European Union destroys the nations [sic] financial spine and malfunctioning Germany!”
Germany’s Federal Workplace for the Safety of the Structure, its home intelligence group, has listed AfD as a “suspected terrorist group” and not less than two German states have formally categorized it as such, in accordance with DW.
However many different politicians in Germany have been lower than enthused, noting Musk’s interference in German politics and his slightly infamous lack of intelligence, usually displayed in late-night tweets. Alexander Throm, a politician with the Christian Democratic Union political get together, even joked about Musk’s cognitive difficulties whereas speaking to native media.
“I used to be a bit stunned as a result of we often hear that Elon Musk is that this gifted wunderkind, however after I hear these feedback, I’ve to doubt that,” Throm instructed DW. “Change can solely be made by those that govern. And the AfD won’t govern. As a result of no different get together will type a authorities with them.”
Musk’s endorsement has severe implications for Individuals as effectively, given the truth that he seems to be probably the most highly effective political determine within the nation proper now. Musk has doubled his internet price this 12 months because the wealthiest particular person on the earth and helped Donald Trump get elected by spending over 1 / 4 of a billion {dollars} on Republican races within the 2024 election.
Musk, who has a historical past of racist comments, insists that he solely voted for a Republican for the first time in 2022, suggesting he solely voted for Democrats earlier than that. However even when we take him at his phrase (he lies ceaselessly, like when he initially denied funding Trump’s presidential marketing campaign) he’s nonetheless turn into a powerhouse in Republican politics. And he’s utilizing that energy proper now.
In truth, Musk has promised to provoke primaries in opposition to any Republicans that cross him, which is not any idle risk given the truth that he’s nonetheless working a political motion committee known as America PAC. Musk has additionally been funding a gaggle that’s operating advertisements to advertise Pete Hegseth’s affirmation as Secretary of Protection. These advertisements have been credited with applying pressure to Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa who was seen as a potential vote in opposition to Hegseth attributable to her historical past as a fight veteran who has publicly talked about her expertise with sexual violence. Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, a cost he denies. Ernst now seems to help Hegseth’s affirmation.
Musk has additionally been making waves on the earth of laws even earlier than Trump formally takes energy on Jan. 20, 2025. The U.S. Home is presently attempting to go funding to maintain the federal government open earlier than a 12:01 a.m. deadline that will shut down many governmental features, however Musk has been credited with tanking two payments that have been introduced up Thursday.
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson is reportedly engaged on one other model of the funding invoice that’s presupposed to get a vote Friday. However everyone seems to be maintaining a tally of Musk’s X account, which is the place he offers orders and organizes his military of dipshit influencers who stress politicians. If Musk offers the thumbs up, it appears more likely to go. If he says no, Trump will seemingly observe and we’ll discover ourselves in a authorities shutdown proper in the midst of the busy vacation journey season.
We reside in a really clear oligarchy at this level. And Musk’s promotion of a far-right get together like AfD isn’t an excellent signal of what lies forward.
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