Reports from German intelligence or security agencies

Elon Musk Endorses AfD, Under Extremism Watch, Ahead of Germany's February Election

Dec 20, 2024, 01:19 PM

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X (formerly Twitter), has publicly endorsed Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country's snap elections scheduled for February. Musk tweeted, "Only the AfD can save Germany," sparking a wave of reactions from German politicians and the public. AfD leader Alice Weidel welcomed Musk's support, thanking him and expressing her best wishes to both him and former President Donald Trump. Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded, stating, "We have freedom of expression—that applies to billionaires too. That also means you sometimes have to live with it when someone says something that isn't correct." The AfD is currently under surveillance by German authorities as a "suspected extremist" organization. Finance Minister Christian Lindner invited Musk to meet and discuss, cautioning him not to rush to conclusions from afar. The endorsement has raised concerns about foreign interference in German elections and comes amid warnings from state security services about potential disinformation campaigns from Russia and the US.