Musk Hosts Interview with AfD Leader

story

Jan 10, 2025

Above: AfD co-leader and chancellor candidate Alice Weidel before a live discussion with Elon Musk on Jan. 9, 2025. Image copyright: Kay Nietfeld/Pool/AFP via Getty Imagesstory last updated Jan 13

The Facts

Elon Musk on Thursday hosted a 74-minute livestream conversation with Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel on the Musk-owned social media platform X, drawing over 190K viewers.
The conversation covered several topics, including energy policy, immigration, bureaucracy, and Hitler's political ideology. Weidel and Musk agreed on most discussed issues.
During the discussion, Musk explicitly endorsed the AfD party, saying that the people must support AfD in the Feb. 23 election or "things are going to get very, very much worse in Germany." Previously, he had said in a social media post that "only AfD can save Germany."

The Spin

Left narrative

This interaction constitutes dangerous foreign interference in German elections, potentially violating EU digital regulations and German campaign laws. X's reckless amplification of a party designated as extremist poses risks to democratic processes.

MSNBC

EuroNews

Right narrative

Elon Musk's livestream served as a platform for legitimate political discourse and free speech, providing voters with direct access to alternative viewpoints without media filtering. Musk has drawn ire by openly expressing views that fundamentally oppose a woke establishment agenda.