The tech billionaire has faced criticism from EU politicians for alleged foreign interference
Europe has to change and rid itself of “pervasive pessimism” or else it will meet its end, tech billionaire Elon Musk has warned.
According to Musk, many Europeans lack hope for the future “or think Europe is ‘bad’ in some way.”
“Pervasive pessimism. This will lead to the end of Europe. Therefore, it must change,” he wrote on his social media platform X on Sunday.
Musk was commenting on a previous post referencing US President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign slogan – MAGA (Make America Great Again).
“From MAGA to MEGA: Make Europe Great Again!” he wrote earlier on Saturday.
Last week, Alice Weidel, the co-chair of the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD), used the same slogan in response to a post drawing parallels between her party’s policies and those advocated by Trump and Musk. She later deleted the post.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also used the slogan during his country’s EU presidency last year.
In recent months, Musk – who has emerged as a close adviser to Trump – has been campaigning in support of European right-wing parties, including the AfD, which will take part in the German federal elections this year.
In an op-ed in December for German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO called the AfD the “last spark of hope” for the country, while labeling German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool.”
Last week, Musk hosted a livestream with Weidel on X, sparking controversy in Germany. During the discussion, he reiterated his earlier remarks, saying: “Only AfD can save Germany.”
European politicians, including Scholz, have accused Musk of interfering in domestic affairs across the continent. The AfD is currently polling second at around 20%, after the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), who are leading with over 30%.
Musk’s political involvement in Europe reaches beyond Germany. In the UK, the Tesla tycoon has engaged with Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK, and is reportedly considering a donation of up to $100 million to support the party, which he has described as “the only way to save” the UK.
Earlier this month, Musk advocated for the release of Tommy Robinson, a controversial British right-wing activist jailed in October for airing a documentary containing libelous claims about a Syrian refugee.
