More recently, Musk spread conspiracy theories about Muslim “grooming gangs” in the United Kingdom and called for Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist, to be released from prison. Musk’s support for Robinson, who has a history of posting racist and Islamophobic content, initially saw Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reject the owner of X. But in a TV show he hosts on right-wing station GB News This week, Farage appeared to kneel before Musk.
“I don’t think (Robinson) is wrong in anything he says,” Farage told his viewers. “I wonder why he’s in prison and in solitary confinement.” (Robinson is in prison after being found guilty of contempt of court for repeating lies about a Syrian refugee.)
Last year, Musk spent months facing off against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes after the court issued orders for X to remove a handful of accounts and content that he said had broken the law by undermining the faith in the integrity of the country’s elections. After Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro lost his bid for re-election in 2022, his supporters stormed the country’s legislature on January 8, 2023, claiming the election had been stolen (it hadn’t). , in an echo from January 6. , 2021 Insurrection at the United States Capitol. Moraes was a firm Bolsonaro’s opponent. Mr.
At the time, many in Brazil felt that Musk’s actions, as well as the publication of the orders, were a measure to undermine the country’s democracy and sovereignty. The Brazilian court eventually issued an order to block X from the country for non-compliance and issued a fine against Musk-owned Starlink, after which X complied with the orders.
He also fiercely attacked Nicolás Maduropresident of Venezuela, during the country’s elections (which many in the international community believe were rigged).
“It has established itself as a powerful center of connection between different groups of people in many countries,” says Christian Katzenbach, professor of media and communication at the University of Bremen. Those groups include people in the tech industry, moderate conservatives, advocates of economic liberalism and right-wing movements. “These groups did not have many connections in the past, but they are increasingly aligning themselves in opposition to modern middle-left governments.” By amplifying a variety of voices, he says, Musk is actively bringing right-wing perspectives into mainstream debates and opening up new population groups as voters of right-wing parties.
Even outside of the election, Musk appears to be building alliances with like-minded leaders. In April, Musk met with the right-wing president of Argentina, Javier Milei. Milei’s government has cut spending in a way that Musk said in a post “It will be a useful model for the rest of the world.” Argentina’s poverty rate under the Milei government has increased to more than 50 percent.
And while Musk certainly appears to be motivated by particular political ideologies, Katzenbach notes that Musk’s involvement in European politics could benefit his business interests, particularly by rolling back social media regulations in the bloc or opening new avenues for his companies. The EU is currently probing for violating the Digital Services Act (DSA), which could result in fines. In Italy, Musk is exploring an agreement with the right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni for a deal to launch satellite communications via Starlink to the tune of $1.5 billion, which would compete with a European satellite initiative.
“Internationally, their motives are surely heterogeneous,” says Katzenbach. But either way, Musk seems determined to be a political force beyond any national borders.
David Gilbert contributed reporting.