Topline
Elon Musk on Saturday made a surprise appearance at a rally for Germany’s Alternative for Deutschland party, repeating his support for the far-right party as the country’s “best hope” as the world’s richest person faces accusations of performing a “Sieg Heil” salute at an inauguration event earlier this week.
The world’s richest person has heaped praise on the Alternative for Deutschland party in recent … [+]
Key Facts
Musk, who appeared virtually at the campaign event in Halle, Germany, urged AfD’s candidate for chancellor Alice Weidel and her supporters not to lose their national pride: “It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.”
The Tesla CEO said he hoped Weidel would become Germany’s chancellor after an election on Feb. 23, as Musk suggested the country suffered from “too much bureaucracy” from the European Union.
Musk appeared to reference Germany’s Nazi past, saying he believed there is “too much focus on past guilt” and “children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents.”
Weidel applauded Musk for his support and echoed President Donald Trump’s slogan by saying she would “Make Germany great again.”
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Crucial Quote
“The future of civilization could hang in this election,” Musk told the crowd of roughly 4,500 people, later adding, “I’m very excited for the AfD, I think you’re really the best hope for the future of Germany.”
Key Background
Musk has backed Germany’s Alternative for Deutschland party and defended Weidel for weeks. He penned an opinion piece in Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper in December, disputing characterizations of the AfD as “right-wing extremist” while citing Weidel being gay, suggesting, “Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk also accused Germany of becoming “comfortable with mediocrity” and claimed AfD would “save Germany from becoming a shadow of its former self.” Weidel spoke with Musk during a livestream on X earlier this month, during which Musk continued to praise Weidel while supporting her anti-immigration policies. The AfD party reportedly trails the Christian Democratic Union and its sister party, the Christian Social Union, in polls for Germany’s federal election in February.
Tangent
Musk has repeatedly defended himself and dispelled criticism over a gesture he made at an inauguration event for Trump on Monday, which some claim represented the “Sieg Heil” salute. The salute, used as a greeting in Nazi Germany, is illegal in both Germany and Austria. The Anti-Defamation League supported Musk for making the “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm” and urged “all sides” to “give one another a bit of grace.” The group later appeared to revoke its defense after Musk posted jokes evoking the names of Nazi party members Rudolf Hess, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, while telling the billionaire, “the Holocaust is not a joke.”
