Elon Musk has long been a success in the business world, celebrated for his incredible work ethic and technological innovation. Setting his sights on the summit of the tech world back in the 1990s, he has climbed the entrepreneurial mountain with various ventures, projecting the likes of Tesla and SpaceX right to the top. Two years ago, I thought Musk an eccentric who gave unconventional names to his children. My reservations stopped there and, in many ways, were negated by an admiration of his achievements.
This changed after his purchase of Twitter, now X, in April of 2022. Following the takeover, X has become a far more dangerous place. Musk reduced the platform’s child safety teams and has done little to regulate harmful content that is so accessible online. Furthermore, now in control of a platform to voice his opinions to millions across the world, his eccentricities appeared to transform into unsavoury political sentiments, and a desire to express them to anyone who’ll listen.
Having bought his way into Trump’s administration, outstripping all other donors with his $242.6 million election contribution, Musk now leads the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE). Today, Musk is on a belligerent campaign to further the aims of the far-right in whatever way he can. In the last six months, he has taken great pleasure in meddling with the politics of several European countries, not least the UK. His alliance with Nigel Farage, though now fraught, is nevertheless worrying, especially when paired with his unwavering support for Tommy Robinson, co-founder of the far-right English Defence League. Robinson is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence, whilst also charged with a terrorism offence which he challenges; Musk offered to pay his legal fees.
The tech giant has also been vocal in his support of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party becoming increasingly popular in Germany. He has left no room for doubt as to where he sits on the political spectrum. Musk disregards any emphasis on the democratic process, instead promoting anything that might further his own extreme political interests. As we enter a second Trump presidency in which he will play a significant role, his approach could hardly bode worse.
“Receiving my Tesla Model X (VIN 2) from Elon Musk at the Launch Event” by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0.