Elon Musk’s Quest for Power Goes Global

Soon, Musk spreading conspiracy theories of Muslim “grooming groups” in the UK, and called for Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist, to be released from prison. Musk’s support for Robinson, who has a history of writing articles on racism and Islamophobia, initially saw Reform UK leader Nigel Farage push back against X himself. But in a televised appearance on right-wing radio station GB News this week, Farage appeared to bow to Musk.

“I don’t think (Robinson) is wrong about anything he says,” Farage told his audience. “I question why he is in prison, being held in solitary confinement.” (Robinson is in jail after being found in contempt of court for repeating falsehoods about a Syrian refugee.)

Last year, Musk spent months challenging Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes after the court issued an order for X to remove a small amount of the accounts and items it said violated the law by disrupting the belief that the elections in this country are fair. After Brazil’s right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro lost his re-election in 2022, his supporters. disrupted the country’s parliament on January 8, 2023saying that the elections were rigged (there were none), according to the terrorist attacks of January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol. Moraes was amazing against Bolsonaro. X spent several months refusing to obey the order, until he submitted sealed court orders to the US Congress’ Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, chaired by right-wing Congressman Jim Jordan, who made them public.

At the time, many in Brazil felt that Musk’s actions, as well as the release of these laws, were a threat to democracy and national governance. A Brazilian court eventually banned X from the country for non-compliance and fined Musk-owned Starlink, after which X complied with the order.

He is angry too beat Nicolas Madurothe president of Venezuela, during the country’s election (which many in different countries believe was rigged).

“He has established himself as a point of contact between different groups of people in many countries,” says Christian Katzenbach, professor of media and communication at the University of Bremen. These groups include people in the tech industry, independents, economic freedom activists, and right-wing movements. “These groups did not have many connections in the past, but they are very united in opposing the central/left government.” By expanding the range of voices, they say, Musk is quickly bringing right-wing ideas into mainstream debates and opening up new groups of people as voters for right-wing parties.

Even outside of the election, Musk seems to be forming alliances with like-minded leaders. In April, Musk met with Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei. Miley’s government has cut spending as much as Musk is doing he said in X’s post “he will be a useful example for the whole world.” The rise of poverty in Argentina under the Milei government it has risen to 50 percent.

And while Musk appears to be motivated by other political ideas, Katzenbach says Musk’s involvement in European politics could benefit his business, especially by rolling back social media laws or opening new avenues for his company. EU right now search for X for breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), which may result in fines. In Italy, Musk is looking for an alliance with the right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni on the contract to launch satellites through Starlink up to $1.5 billion, which would compete with the European satellite initiative.

“His intentions around the world are mixed,” says Katzenbach. But either way, Musk seems determined to be political beyond any country’s borders.

David Gilbert contributed reporting.