Emerging Political Influence: Elon Musk has transitioned from being a tech innovator to a global political figure, endorsing far-right parties in the U.S., U.K., and Germany, and influencing political discourse.
Strategic Interests: Musk’s political actions appear to align with his business and ideological interests, aiming to facilitate a cohesive conservative global agenda and expand opportunities for his ventures.
Contradictions and Controversies: Despite championing transparency, Musk has faced criticism for perceived hypocrisy, such as criticizing BlackRock while accepting its funding, and supporting controversial figures for political influence.
Elon Musk, the richest billionaire in the world, has ventures spanning various fields, from acquiring Twitter (now X) in 2022 with a $44 billion deal to leading Tesla and SpaceX. His entrepreneurial spirit is well-recognized, but now the world is witnessing a new side of Elon Musk: a political figure emerging as a potential kingmaker in global politics.
This transformation began with Musk being a mild critic of the Democratic administration under President Biden. Over time, he has shifted to openly endorsing Donald Trump, reportedly spending $150 million on Trump’s presidential campaign, with aspirations to influence Trump’s administration. This culminated in Musk heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, in the Trump administration. It appears Musk is now achieving everything he desires.
Suddenly, Musk has become the most talked-about political figure in the United States. There isn’t a political or geopolitical topic that goes without Elon Musk’s comments, whether it’s the recent issue of H-1B visas, where Musk defended the program, or the Ukraine war, where he has consistently called for an end to the conflict. Musk has been the talk of the town in the United States recently. Alongside America, the world is witnessing a newfound camaraderie between Trump and Musk. Musk has become very popular among the conservative establishment in the United States of America. Many people consider him not just the new hope for conservatives but also a hope for the United States as a whole.
Everything seems to be going well for Elon Musk, but things become very interesting when Musk’s overall aspirations and influence extend beyond the United States of America. His influence has also reached other countries, such as the United Kingdom, and global politics. Musk has become a figure of influence in these areas. For instance, in the United Kingdom, Musk has openly criticized the recent administration of PM Starmer’s Labour government, stating that it is not good for the country and that it is failing to protect UK citizens. He also highlighted issues related to grooming gangs led by Pakistani citizens, who have been accused of targeting white women for sexual assaults. This issue came to light when Musk discussed it in a thread on X, where he openly stated that the Reform Party is better for the United Kingdom. He has even called on the King of the United Kingdom to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections.
In Image: Tommy Robinson
Musk has become significantly involved in UK politics and has openly supported the controversial figure Tommy Robinson, who is currently in prison on charges of contempt of court for creating false allegations against Syrian refugees. Notably, Robinson is a staunch far-right, anti-immigrant advocate. However, Musk’s support for Robinson has led to tensions between him and the Reform Party. Musk wanted the Reform Party leader, Nigel Farage, to support Tommy Robinson, but Farage openly stated that he would not support Robinson because of his charges and would not compromise his principles. This stance irked Musk, who then declared that Nigel Farage is not the right person to lead the United Kingdom.
The same pattern has been observed in Germany, where Musk has not hesitated to comment on political matters. He has stated that the current Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, would lose the upcoming snap election scheduled for February 23, 2025. Musk has even criticized the Deputy Chancellor, Mr. Robert Habeck. However, the issue is not just Musk’s commentary; he is also projecting solutions to the problems by suggesting to Germans, despite having no authority to do so, whom they should vote for. Musk has scheduled a Twitter Space for January 8th, a one-on-one audio conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel. Notably, AfD, like the Reform Party in the UK, is also a far-right party in Germany. It is evident that Musk is supporting far-right parties in both the United Kingdom and Germany.
Much of what Elon Musk said regarding the United Kingdom’s situation is correct. The UK is currently facing significant security problems due to the influx of immigrants and the grooming gangs established there, who are committing crimes against white women. However, even though this is accurate, the question arises: what authority does Musk have to comment on and interfere in this matter? He may be a concerned individual who wants betterment for all, but as Edward J. Stieglitz, a self-help author, coined the phrase, “No one does anything without interest.” It’s easy to understand that Musk may simply be pursuing his own interests in the UK.
These interests become clear when considering that if the Reform Party comes into power in the UK, there would be ideological similarities between the Republican Party in the United States and the Reform Party in the UK, leading to greater cohesion between the two. Additionally, Musk, leading a multi-billion-dollar company, might want to influence these countries to make it easier for him to conduct business there. So, it is evident that there are personal and overarching interests at play for Musk.
Amid all of this, there has been a slight hypocrisy reported about Musk. In February 2024, Musk openly criticized the multinational company BlackRock, claiming that BlackRock was lying to the public and not making optimal decisions for shareholder value. Interestingly, in December of last year, Musk secured nearly $6 billion for his new AI firm, xAI, with a significant portion of that funding coming from BlackRock. This indicates that what Musk says may not always be correct, as his statements could be driven by agendas and interests.
Moreover, there is hardly any difference between a person like George Soros and Elon Musk. Just as Soros tries to create a liberal regime and promote regime change globally, Musk seems to be doing something similar by promoting a conservative regime. At the core, both approaches serve their interests, ultimately benefiting the United States and its influence. This suggests that there is technically no difference between Musk and other U.S. kingmakers, who are not necessarily concerned with preserving the status quo. As Machiavelli mentioned, no one is interested in preserving the status quo; everyone wants to overthrow it. Similarly, Soros and Musk are pursuing regime change for their own interests.
References:
1)https://www.cbsnews.com/news/musk-vivek-ramaswamy-h1b-visa-maga-immigration-what-to-know/
2)https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/elon-musk-makes-23-posts-urging-king-charles-iii-to-overthrow-uk-government-101735961082874-amp.html
3)https://fortune.com/2025/01/05/elon-musk-vs-nigel-farage-reform-uk-new-leader-right-wing-populist/
4)https://www.dw.com/en/germany-scholz-uneasy-over-musks-support-for-far-right-afd/a-71215302
5) https://www.binance.com/en-IN/square/post/12-30-2024-elon-musk-s-xai-secures-6-billion-in-series-c-funding-18250247213521
Aayush Pal is a freelance writer on contemporary geopolitical developments. The views expressed in his work are entirely his own.
Shrivara Mahajan 
Parag Gilada 
Megha Joshy Mathew