Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has been causing a stir in Europe in recent weeks. He has demanded new elections in the UK, expressed support for Germany’s far-right party, criticized its chancellor and voiced opposition to the European Union — all of this even before Trump’s inauguration.
Musk’s support for far-right figures in Europe and his criticism of moderate governments have left European leaders wondering how to deal with him.
Musk wields significant influence. As the owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, he’s considered a close confidant of Trump and is set to hold an official role in the new U.S. administration.
Recently, Musk has been making frequent comments about European politics, where governments are attempting to combat the rise of populists and far-right leaders — figures whom Musk openly supports. At times, he shares unverified content on his platform.
“[Keir] Starmer must go and he must face charges for his complicity in the worst mass crime in the history of Britain,” Musk said about the British Prime Minister. The statement referred to a grave case of child sexual abuse committed by men of Pakistani origin, which authorities allegedly covered up during Starmer’s tenure as England and Wales’s chief prosecutor.
Over the past few days, Musk has repeatedly commented on the matter and posted numerous posts about on social media. UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded by saying that Musk’s accusations were false and unfounded.
In a series of tweets, after the issue resurfaced in the headlines, Musk claimed that Jess Phillips, the minister responsible for preventing violence against women and girls, “deserves to be in prison” for refusing to investigate allegations of sexual exploitation in Oldham.
Phillips clarified that the decision to investigate was the responsibility of Oldham’s city council. Musk alleged that Phillips’ refusal was aimed at shielding Starmer from prosecution. Streeting dismissed these claims as “shameful defamation.”
Musk has also called for the release of Tommy Robinson, a prominent far-right activist in the UK, and expressed support for the Reform UK party, which opposes immigration. He recently met with Nigel Farage, the party’s leader.
UK media outlets have speculated whether Musk’s support for Farage’s party, which is currently considered a fringe political force, signals an intention to donate money to the party and help it compete for power against the Labor and Conservative parties.
In a surprising turn, Musk called on Farage, one of the leading figures behind the Brexit campaign, to step down as party leader on Sunday. “The party needs a new leader—Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk wrote on X. Musk’s criticism of Farage followed the politician’s distancing himself from Musk’s support for Tommy Robinson.
The British government is working to combat the spread of fake news on social media and Musk compared these efforts to actions taken by the authoritative regime of Soviet Russia. During the summer, amid heated far-right protests against migrants, Musk claimed that civil war in the UK was inevitable.
Musk has also called for new elections in the UK, less than six months after a general election resulted in a landslide victory for the left. “New elections are necessary,” he said, urging King Charles to dissolve Parliament in London.
Beyond the UK, Musk has cultivated relationships with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a prominent far-right leader and outspoken opponent of immigration and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whom many consider a far-right figure. Meloni has described Musk as a “genius.”
Musk criticized the annulment of election results in Romania, where a far-right candidate had won. Judges invalidated the results, citing a Russian influence campaign. Musk called the judges “dictators.”
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
(Photo: AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File, רויטרס, Guglielmo Mangiapane)
In Germany, Musk voiced support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, claiming it’s the only political force capable of “saving” the country. He’s scheduled a live discussion with AfD leader Alice Weidel on X.
Musk also called for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign after a vehicle-ramming attack at a Christmas market, referring to Scholz as a “fool.” Scholz dismissed Musk’s personal attacks but expressed concern over his support for a party advocating closer ties with Russia and a weakening of transatlantic relations.
“There are many people on social media seeking attention through extreme rhetoric. I don’t believe we should chase after Musk, and I’m happy to leave that to others. The rule is: don’t feed the troll,” Scholz added. In light of Musk’s support for the AfD, the German government accused him of meddling in the electoral system, while opposition leaders also criticized him.
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Musk, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
(Photo: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier, MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)
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Musk has also targeted the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, advocating for increased authority for the European Parliament. Musk argued that the Commission is an undemocratic body. His remarks came as the EU is attempting to curb the spread of misinformation on social media and implement regulations governing content on X.
In December, researchers from the European Council on Foreign Relations warned that Musk might exploit his social media platform to “mobilize citizens and far-right parties in an effort to raise the political costs for decision-makers in Brussels,” who aim to regulate content on X. Former EU Commissioner Vera Jourova described Musk in October as a “promoter of evil.”