American billionaire Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and the social media platform X, has sparked a storm of political controversy in Britain and across Europe in recent days. He stands accused of interfering in domestic politics and elections by supporting far-right parties and promoting anti-immigrant sentiment.
While Musk focuses his rhetoric on opposing immigration, he actively supports far-right figures known for their anti-Islam stances. Among them is writer Douglas Murray, described as one of Britain’s most vocal advocates for Israel, whom Musk called “the best writer.” Similarly, Musk has praised far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson.
On Sunday, however, Musk surprised many by withdrawing his support for Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform Party. Musk declared on X, “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage is not qualified.”
This statement came just hours after Farage had called Musk a friend and credited him with making the party appear “brilliant.” On Saturday, Farage distanced himself from Musk’s earlier comments supporting Robinson, who is notorious for inciting hatred against Muslims and is currently imprisoned for repeatedly making false claims against a Syrian student despite a prior court order.
Farage responded to Musk’s Sunday post, saying: “Well, that’s a surprise! Elon Musk is a fantastic individual, but I don’t agree with him on this. My position remains that Tommy Robinson is not suitable for Reform, and I will never sell out my principles.”
The Rise of the Reform Party
The anti-Muslim, anti-immigration Reform Party secured 4.1 million votes—14% of the total vote—and won five parliamentary seats in the general election held in July.
Recent media reports have speculated that Musk, a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, may make a significant financial donation to the Reform Party to help it challenge Britain’s dominant Labour and Conservative parties.
Questions have arisen about the legality of foreign funding for a British political party. However, Musk reportedly plans to use funds from companies he owns in Britain to circumvent these restrictions.
Support for Far-Right Movements in Europe
Last month, Musk voiced support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its anti-immigration and anti-Islam platform. German security agencies have officially classified the AfD as an extremist group. Musk’s endorsement comes as Germany prepares for its general elections in February.
Musk has also sought to influence British politics by frequently criticizing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He has accused Starmer and members of his government of wrongdoing, suggesting that they belong in prison.
Last week, Musk called for an investigation into cases involving British-Pakistani men accused of sexual exploitation of children during Starmer’s tenure as Attorney General. A 2014 inquiry revealed that at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in northern England between 1997 and 2013.
Defending Starmer and another government member, Jess Phillips, Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticized Musk on Sunday. Phillips had angered Musk by suggesting that any new investigations should be handled by local authorities. Musk responded by accusing Phillips of being an “apologist for genocide by rape.”
On Monday, Starmer responded indirectly to Musk’s comments, stating, “Those spreading lies and misinformation on the widest possible scale don’t care about victims—they care only about themselves.”
Starmer continued, “Those cheering for Tommy Robinson are not interested in justice. They support a man who was jailed for almost derailing a sexual exploitation case. These are people who thrive on the chaos of street violence, which figures like Tommy Robinson promote.”
Ironically, Robinson himself served a six-month sentence in 2019 for disrupting a trial involving far-right members accused of running a child exploitation ring in Leeds—the same type of case Musk uses to justify his attacks on immigration and his support for figures like Robinson.
Pro-Israel Stance
In addition to his anti-immigration campaign and support for far-right parties, Musk has demonstrated strong support for Israel. In November 2023, he visited Israeli settlements near Gaza, accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to express solidarity with settlers and Israeli hostages following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Musk voiced agreement with Netanyahu’s goal of eliminating Hamas.
During the visit, Musk received a metallic medallion from families of Israeli hostages and pledged to wear it until the hostages were released. However, he declined a Palestinian proposal to visit Gaza.
This visit followed intense criticism Musk faced in mid-November 2023 over his endorsement of a post on X perceived as anti-Semitic. The backlash led to condemnation from the White House and a boycott campaign by major companies, many of which suspended their advertising on Musk’s platform.
Impact on European Politics
A German government spokesperson on Monday downplayed Musk’s influence on the German public, dismissing concerns over the billionaire’s endorsement of the far-right AfD party and his criticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“The majority of people in this country are ordinary, rational, and respectable,” the spokesperson said during a press conference in Berlin. He added, “We act as though Mr. Musk’s comments on Twitter could shape a country of 84 million people with lies, half-truths, or mere opinions. That simply isn’t the case.”
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed these concerns, saying, “Ten years ago, if someone had told us that the owner of one of the world’s largest social media platforms would support a new reactionary internationalism and directly interfere in elections—even in Germany—who would have believed it?”
Musk’s Anti-Immigration Agenda
Musk has consistently criticized immigration to the West. Commenting on a post on X, he stated, “Countries have become theme parks, no longer resembling what they once were.”
The post Musk responded to, authored by self-proclaimed “life coach” Kaizen De Asedo, claimed: “The irony of this wave of multiculturalism/mass immigration in Europe is that it will actually produce less diversity, not more. England will no longer be English, Germany will no longer be German, and Italy will no longer be Italian.”
Boycotts and Controversy
In November 2023, the Guardian newspaper announced it would no longer publish content on X, citing Musk’s controversial actions and rhetoric. Musk strongly supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, reportedly spending $250 million to back his bid. The Guardian noted Musk’s significant role in Trump’s campaign and criticized the platform’s troubling content.
Musk has also announced plans to lift bans on all previously suspended accounts, raising concerns about the spread of far-right hate speech on X.
Among Musk’s financial backers is billionaire Bill Ackman, a vocal supporter of Israel and Trump. Ackman has aggressively targeted pro-Palestinian demonstrators, even spearheading a campaign to expose the names of Harvard University students who signed an open letter opposing Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Ackman has recently joined Musk in attacking British politicians over the sexual exploitation investigation, a case frequently weaponized to justify anti-immigration rhetoric.
