Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of X and newly appointed head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, is a much-debated figure who polarizes and further divides international public opinion. Most recently, during the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump’s presidency, Musk encountered some criticism for his salute gesture. In a flamboyant move of jubilation, the posture of his right arm did not go unnoticed to the extent that some observers compared it to the Nazi-fascist salute, which is banned in many European sectors. The images, broadcast live on many international channels, quickly went viral. Some media and political sectors have underlined how Musk “has already endorsed far-right parties and groups, attacking George Soros.”
The response of the CEO of X was not long in coming, “‘Frankly, they need better dirty tricks,’ referring to political opponents. “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack has become so tiring,” Musk wrote on his X platform. In an already divided and fractured climate, where some are having a hard time digesting the rise to power of American conservatives, the alert is therefore high towards approaches aiming to undermine the postulates of an exasperated liberal democratic interpretation that has influenced national and international policies in the last four years.
Pioneer of conservatism
Today, with the advent of Trump as the 47th president of the U.S., the world dynamics are witnessing a restarting point and this is also evident in terms of rhetoric and communication. European politics and specifically some leaders had already shown their concerns after being targeted by Musk’s comment. His interference is indeed perceived as dangerous and slanderous. On the other hand, some other sectors welcome it in the name of truth and above all as a bulwark against a certain tendency toward a so-called “political correctness,” which in recent years has dictated the line of some chancelleries to the point of imposing itself on the entire European block.
According to Musk, some political leaders and figures portray themselves as the spokesperson of an extreme liberal approach. Trump’s victory therefore marked a fracture, symbolizing the return to more purely nationalist values. After the conservatives’ triumph at the White House last November, the international political scenario has begun to feel the vibrations of a political backlash aiming to impact world dynamics according to a political interpretation consistent with Trump’s nationalist spirit. This stance has found a valid supporter in Elon Musk and his pervasive communication and business power.
Interference in German politics
In Europe, Musk has pointed the finger at the current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and German President Frank Walter Steinmeier. Scholz was called a “fool” after his government coalition collapsed in November, while Musk addressed Steinmer as an “antidemocratic tyrant.”
Germany, which has traditionally been the economic locomotive and also the reference of European integration and stability, is experiencing an unprecedented crisis bringing to light many doubts and critical issues regarding the current administration and its vision. Scholz fired back stating that there is “nothing new” in criticism by “rich media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate social democratic politics and do not hold back with their opinions.” In turn, President Steinmeier, while announcing the dissolution of Parliament and confirming Feb. 23 as the date for Germany’s early elections, stated “External influences are a danger to democracy.” Steinmeier’s reference is mainly to Musk’s endorsement of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“AfD will win” reiterated the CEO of X who hosted a live broadcast with Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD, insisting, “Only AfD can save Germany.” In a climate increasingly penetrated by the pervasive power of communication, with the thickening of the fault lines, certain concerns about some snowball effect for the political tenure of the social democrats also increase.
Fears of Europe resurface
The greatest fear is that Musk’s statements could create a reactionary movement in Europe and thus disintegrate the unity of the bloc in the name of right-wing values and ideologies. Many, especially in the liberal left-wing circles, denounce American business as the main source of misinformation and its related manipulative and distorting effect. Whether it is misinformation or the emergence of new truths making the current establishment uncomfortable is yet to be verified. What is certain is that in the case of the U.K. Musk has played a leading role in bringing to light the sexual scandals hidden for a long time by the Labour government.
The U.S. should “liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government,” denounced Musk. The disrupting effect was evident in the great number of shares of his post. Currently, part of Europe fears that Musk’s maneuvers are at the service of American interests aiming to further weaken some European states. The reference is to the business empire Musk owns, which in addition to digital communication also includes satellite systems for encrypted communication as well as Tesla’s innovation sector.
In this sense, harsh criticism is directed at those who also establish relationships on a business level. This is the case regarding Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who does not hide her sympathy toward Musk. Moreover, recently Italy has been negotiating the acquisition of SpaceX’s Starlink data protection system for a contract of $1.6 billion. Although there has been no confirmation on the matter, the Italian opposition has lashed out at Meloni, who in turn replied, “Is the problem that Space X is a private individual or is it Musk’s political ideas?”
She further underlined: “Musk is a very well-known and wealthy person who expresses his positions. When I am told that he is a danger to democracy I point out that he is not the first one of well-known and wealthy people who express their opinions,” referencing George Soros.
“The problem is when wealthy people use those resources to finance political parties and prepresentative to influence political choices. This is not what Musk does, this is what Soros does and when it happened they talked about philanthropists,” Meloni said, adding: ”I consider him much more intrusive than Elon Musk. That is serious interference.”
Perhaps this is precisely the key point of the current European diatribe: the ideological and value-based aspect that, as long as it was consistent with the dominant liberal rhetoric of Europe and international political discourse, has dictated lines of conduct by being used as a lever for greater influence. At a time when that approach is undermined by new political forces, and spokespeople for a worldview based on other values, it calls for scandal and slander. It therefore pertains to the postulate of the “paradox of the weakness” of those who, while losing fluence, raise their voices. One thing is certain, we are at a turning point facing a new interpretation of political communication, probably freer and without censorship, as it is also demonstrated by another billionaire businessperson Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to remove the filters from Meta. However, the big question concerns ethics and responsibility, in communication, politics, leaders and users.