Political activities of Elon Musk#Reform UK

{{See also|Views of Elon Musk#American}}

Musk became a U.S. citizen in 2002, founding SpaceX that year using his share of the profits from PayPal's sale to eBay. From 2008 to 2013, Musk flew to Washington, D.C. forty times, according to biographer Ashlee Vance.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/22/elon-musk-ukraine-russia-washington-lawmakers/ |title=As Elon Musk expands his reach, Washington worries |date=October 22, 2022 |last=Jordan |first=Mary |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 15, 2025}} At a Vanity Fair event with Y Combinator president Sam Altman in 2015, Musk said he was "involved in politics as little as possible".{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/video/watch/elon-musk-y-combinator-president-thinking-for-the-future |title=Elon Musk and Y Combinator President on Thinking for the Future |date=October 8, 2015 |work=Vanity Fair |access-date=January 15, 2025}} Prior to the 2016 United States presidential election, Musk donated to Hillary Clinton{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/31/tech-billionaires-like-democrats-more-than-republicans-heres-why/ |title=Tech billionaires like Democrats more than Republicans. Here's why. |date=May 31, 2016 |last=Ferenstein |first=Gregory |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=April 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405071154/https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/31/tech-billionaires-like-democrats-more-than-republicans-heres-why/ |url-status=live }} and later said he voted for her.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/elon-musks-voting-record-shows-voted-mail-california-rcna168854 |title=Elon Musk says voting by mail is 'insane' — but he has done it himself, records show |date=August 30, 2024 |last=Ingram |first=David |publisher=NBC News |access-date=December 31, 2024}} In November 2016, Musk criticized Donald Trump as "not the right guy" in an interview with CNBC. The following month, Trump appointed Musk to his Strategic and Policy Forum.{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/trump-elon-musk-uber-and-pepsico-ceos-232619 |title=Trump adds Elon Musk, Uber and PepsiCo CEOs to economic advisory |date=December 14, 2016 |last=Romm |first=Tony |work=Politico |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231163155/https://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/12/trump-elon-musk-uber-and-pepsico-ceos-232619 |url-status=live }} Musk later endorsed Trump for the 2024 United States presidential election.{{Cite web |title=I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery |url=https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717020029/https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068 |archivedate=July 17, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024}}

A 2012 report from the Sunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan group that tracks government spending, found that since 2002, SpaceX had spent more than $4 million on lobbying the United States Congress and more than $800,000 in political contributions to Democrats and Republicans. As for Musk specifically, the same report said that "SpaceX's campaign to win political support has been systematic and sophisticated," and that "unlike most tech-startups, SpaceX has maintained a significant lobbying presence in Washington almost since day{{nbsp}}1" and that "Musk himself has donated roughly $725,000 to various campaigns since 2002. In 2004, he contributed $2,000 to President George W. Bush's reelection campaign, maxing out (over $100,000)Timothy P. Carney, [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/carney-green-stimulus-profiteer-comes-under-irs-scrutiny/article/2510619 "Carney: Green stimulus profiteer comes under IRS scrutiny"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009194900/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/carney-green-stimulus-profiteer-comes-under-irs-scrutiny/article/2510619|date=2017-10-09}}, WashingtonExaminer.com, October 14, 2012. to Barack Obama's reelection campaign{{cite web |date=April 29, 2022 |title=Elon Musk confesses which US president he voted for most often |url=https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/celebrities/2022/04/29/626bb2bf22601d5e7e8b45a3.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222203704/https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/celebrities/2022/04/29/626bb2bf22601d5e7e8b45a3.html |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=MARCA |language=en}} and donated $5,000 to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who represents Florida, a state critical to the space industry. [...] All told, Musk and SpaceX gave out roughly $250,000 in the 2012 election cycle."{{cite web |date=May 22, 2012 |title=SpaceX blasts off literally and politically |url=http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/05/22/spacex-blasts-literally-and-politically |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921140902/http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/05/22/spacex-blasts-literally-and-politically/ |archive-date=September 21, 2016 |access-date=May 30, 2015 |publisher=Sunlight Foundation}}

In 2017 Musk made his public first entry into major American politics, speaking at the National Governors Association at the invitation of Brian Sandoval.{{cite web |last1=J. Gomez |first1=Henry |title=Elon Musk's first foray into high-level politics looked very different |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/elon-musks-first-foray-high-level-politics-looked-different-rcna192692 |website=nbcnews.com |date=February 20, 2025 |publisher=NBC |access-date=February 20, 2025}}

By January 2017, Musk had met with Trump at Trump Tower to argue for the SpaceX Mars colonization program.{{Cite news |last=Achenbach |first=Joel |date=January 19, 2017 |title=Will Trump echo JFK's moonshot and vow to send humans to Mars? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/19/will-trump-echo-jfks-moonshot-and-vow-to-send-humans-to-mars/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213013249/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/19/will-trump-echo-jfks-moonshot-and-vow-to-send-humans-to-mars/ |archive-date=February 13, 2017 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} That month, he told Gizmodo that he was among several "voices of reason" for Trump.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=David |date=January 26, 2017 |title=Elon Musk: I'm Trump's voice of reason |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38753819 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827102444/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38753819 |archive-date=August 27, 2020 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |publisher=BBC News}} In June, he resigned from his positions on Trump's advisory councils after the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement.{{Cite web |last=Breland |first=Ali |date=June 1, 2017 |title=Trump Paris fallout: Elon Musk steps down from WH councils |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/335984-elon-musk-steps-down-from-white-house-councils-after-trump-withdraws-from/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231164657/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/335984-elon-musk-steps-down-from-white-house-councils-after-trump-withdraws-from/ |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |work=The Hill}} Musk donated {{USD|50000}} to an organization benefiting Republican members of the House of Representatives and an additional {{USD|38900}} to a separate group ahead of the 2018 House of Representatives elections, defending his decision in order to "maintain dialogue".{{Cite web |last1=Eckhouse |first1=Brian |last2=Brody |first2=Ben |date=July 15, 2018 |title=Elon Musk Just Gave Almost $40,000 to a Republican-Allied Group |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-15/musk-gave-almost-40-000-to-republican-allied-house-committee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004014506/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-15/musk-gave-almost-40-000-to-republican-allied-house-committee |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |publisher=Bloomberg News}} The following year, he offered an endorsement of Andrew Yang's presidential campaign{{Cite web |last=Jose Valero |first=Maria |date=August 10, 2019 |title=Elon Musk Says He Supports 2020 White House Hopeful Andrew Yang |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-10/elon-musk-says-he-supports-2020-white-house-hopeful-andrew-yang |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406194427/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-10/elon-musk-says-he-supports-2020-white-house-hopeful-andrew-yang |archive-date=April 6, 2020 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |publisher=Bloomberg News}} and tacitly supported Kanye West's campaign in the 2020 presidential election, but said that he attempted to convince West to postpone his campaign in an interview with Maureen Dowd.{{Cite web |last=Dowd |first=Maureen |author-link=Maureen Dowd |date=July 25, 2020 |title=Elon Musk, Blasting Off in Domestic Bliss |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/25/style/elon-musk-maureen-dowd.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231163157/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/25/style/elon-musk-maureen-dowd.html |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}

Speaking to Kara Swisher in September 2020, Musk considered voting for Trump if Joe Biden was not a viable candidate,{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/opinion/sway-kara-swisher-elon-musk.html |title=Elon Musk: 'A.I. Doesn't Need to Hate Us to Destroy Us' |date=September 28, 2020 |last=Swisher |first=Kara |author-link=Kara Swisher |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=June 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607200424/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/opinion/sway-kara-swisher-elon-musk.html |url-status=live }} though he later said he voted for Biden. In May 2022, Musk stated that the Democratic Party had become the "party of division and hate" and that he would vote for Republicans, later urging voters vote for Republicans in that year's midterm elections in order to counter a Democratic presidency.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/07/elon-musk-twitter/ |title=Musk recommends voting GOP, bans Twitter accounts for 'impersonation' |date=November 7, 2022 |last1=Oremus |first1=Will |last2=Hassan |first2=Jennifer |last3=Siddiqui |first3=Faiz |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107170835/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/07/elon-musk-twitter/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had given over {{USD|50}} million to Citizens for Sanity, a political organization that targeted Democrats on issues such as medical care for transgender children and illegal immigration. He publicly endorsed Ron DeSantis in his presidential campaign the following year, hosting DeSantis in a Twitter Spaces event that was marred by technical issues.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/technology/elon-musk-desantis-twitter.html |title=Elon Musk's Event With Ron DeSantis Exposes Twitter's Weaknesses |date=May 24, 2023 |last=Mac |first=Ryan |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525001550/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/technology/elon-musk-desantis-twitter.html |url-status=live }} In August 2023, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suggested that Musk should serve as a presidential advisor for his presidential bid.{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/26/vivek-ramaswamy-elon-musk-presidential-advisor-00113111 |title=Ramaswamy suggests Elon Musk as a potential presidential adviser |date=August 26, 2023 |last=Zhang |first=Andrew |work=Politico |access-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107001139/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/26/vivek-ramaswamy-elon-musk-presidential-advisor-00113111 |url-status=live }} That fall he supported Republican Ron DeSantis for the 2024 US presidential election, giving $10 million to his campaign in 2023,{{cite news |last1=Mattioli |first1=Dana |last2=Palazzolo |first2=Joe |last3=Safdar |first3=Khadeeja |date=October 2, 2024 |title=Elon Musk Gave Tens of Millions to Republican Causes Far Earlier Than Previously Known |url=https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/elon-musk-political-donations-stephen-miller-desantis-39464294 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002235549/https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/elon-musk-political-donations-stephen-miller-desantis-39464294 |archive-date=October 2, 2024 |access-date=October 3, 2024 |publisher=Wall Street Journal}} and hosted DeSantis's campaign announcement on a Twitter Spaces event.{{cite news |last1=Schonfeld |first1=Zach |date=June 15, 2022 |title=DeSantis on Musk tweet: 'I welcome support from African Americans' |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3525627-desantis-on-musk-tweet-i-welcome-support-from-african-americans/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621033625/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3525627-desantis-on-musk-tweet-i-welcome-support-from-african-americans/ |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |work=The Hill}}{{Cite news |last=Siddiqui |first=Faiz |date=May 25, 2023 |title=Twitter repeatedly crashes as DeSantis tries to make presidential announcement |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/24/elon-musk-ron-desantis-2024-twitter/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524233307/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/24/elon-musk-ron-desantis-2024-twitter/ |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=June 8, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post}}{{Cite news |title=Twitter Spaces Glitches Plague DeSantis's 2024 Announcement |url=https://www.wsj.com/video/twitter-spaces-glitches-plague-desantiss-2024-announcement/B240C703-2EA7-430C-A709-7C90F2A26CBE.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608011157/https://www.wsj.com/video/twitter-spaces-glitches-plague-desantiss-2024-announcement/B240C703-2EA7-430C-A709-7C90F2A26CBE.html |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |access-date=June 8, 2023 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} In January 2024, Musk participated in a forum with Democratic presidential primary challenger, Representative Dean Phillips regarding his presidential bid.{{cite web |last1=Nazzaro |first1=Miranda |date=January 15, 2024 |title=Dean Phillips floats Cabinet roles for Musk, Ackman if elected to White House |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4410212-dean-phillips-cabinet-roles-musk-ackman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223043911/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4410212-dean-phillips-cabinet-roles-musk-ackman/ |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |access-date=February 20, 2025 |work=The Hill}}{{cite web |last1=Korte |first1=Gregory |date=January 15, 2024 |title=Biden Challenger Phillips Floats Musk and Ackman for Cabinet Roles |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-15/biden-challenger-phillips-floats-musk-ackman-for-cabinet-roles?embedded-checkout=true |access-date=February 20, 2025 |publisher=Bloomberg News}}

File:Trump UFC 2024.jpg and other political leaders]]

According to The Washington Post, Musk expressed support for Trump at an event hosted by businessman Nelson Peltz. In March 2024, The New York Times reported that he had met Trump at Mar-a-Lago; Musk believed that Biden should be defeated in the 2024 presidential election at the time.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/politics/trump-elon-musk.html |title=Donald Trump, Seeking Cash Infusion, Meets With Elon Musk |date=March 5, 2024 |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Swan |first2=Jonathan |last3=Mac |first3=Ryan |author-link1=Maggie Haberman |author-link2=Jonathan Swan |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 31, 2024}} Approximately thirty minutes after a would-be assassin shot and wounded Trump at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, Musk endorsed Trump. He congratulated Trump's decision to name senator JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/technology/elon-musk-trump.html |title=Elon Musk Enters Uncharted Territory With Trump Endorsement |date=July 16, 2024 |last1=Conger |first1=Kate |last2=Mac |first2=Ryan |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107001139/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/technology/elon-musk-trump.html |url-status=live }}

During the transition period after Trump was re-elected, Musk became omnipresent at Mar-a-Lago, where his activities led The Washington Post to refer to him as "somewhere between unofficial co-president and 'first buddy'".{{Cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Ashley |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |last3=Scherer |first3=Michael |date=November 13, 2024 |title=Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, becomes Donald Trump's 'first buddy' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/13/elon-musk-trump-presidential-transition/ |access-date=March 4, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} In December, after Musk helped to kill a government funding bill, his outsize influence led some politicians and political commentators to start calling him "President Musk", or variants like "Shadow President Elon Musk".{{Cite web |last=Metzger |first=Bryan |date=December 19, 2024 |title=Trump team makes clear Elon Musk isn't the leader of the GOP |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-team-says-elon-musk-is-not-actually-in-charge-2024-12 |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Meyer |first=Zac Anderson and Josh |title='President-elect Musk': Elon's influence on display in government spending fight |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/12/19/elon-musk-donald-trump-government-shutdown/77086100007/ |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |title=Trump Dragged for Letting "President Musk" Run the Government |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/189553/donald-trump-elon-musk-spending-bill |access-date=March 5, 2025 |magazine=The New Republic |issn=0028-6583}} AI-generated images using this theme circulated on social media, such as one showing Musk being inaugurated while Trump held the bible on which Musk took his oath.{{Cite web |last=Solender |first=Andrew |date=December 19, 2024 |title=Democrats rage at "unelected co-president" Elon Musk's new power |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/12/19/democrats-rage-at-unelected-co-president-elon-musk |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=Axios |language=en}} Another, titled "President Musk", showed Trump as a puppet and Musk as the puppeteer.{{Cite tweet |number=1869563014086803773 |user=sweetser_kyle |title=President Trump |first=Kyle |last=Sweetser |date=December 18, 2024 |access-date=March 4, 2025}} Cartoonists also created works with Musk as president, accompanied by Trump.{{Cite web |last=Peterson |first=Mike |date=December 20, 2024 |title=CSotD: President Musk and his comical sidekick |url=https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2024/12/20/csotd-president-musk-and-his-comical-sidekick/ |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=The Daily Cartoonist |language=en}}{{Cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Ashley |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |last3=Scherer |first3=Michael |date=November 13, 2024 |title=Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, becomes Donald Trump's 'first buddy' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/13/elon-musk-trump-presidential-transition/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 19, 2024 |quote=Now, during the transition, Musk has emerged somewhere between unofficial co-president and "first buddy", as he put it in an X posting — bounding in and out of meetings, sitting in on phone calls, weighing résumés and generally becoming as ubiquitous at Mar-a-Lago as the club's gilded inlay. |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news |last=Metzger |first=Bryan |date=December 19, 2024 |title=Trump team makes clear Elon Musk isn't the leader of the GOP |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-team-says-elon-musk-is-not-actually-in-charge-2024-12 |url-access=subscription |access-date= |quote=It came after scores of Democrats baited Trump with social media posts accusing Musk of being the actual president-elect, the "shadow president", "President Musk" or the "co-president".}} He has been regarded as an éminence grise by various sources.{{cite web | title=Elon Musk, éminence grise et futur "cost killer" de l'administration Trump | website=www.tf1info.fr | url=https://www.tf1info.fr/international/elon-musk-eminence-grise-et-futur-cost-killer-de-l-administration-trump-2-0-2334383.html | language=fr | access-date=February 21, 2025}}

Musk attended Trump's inauguration in the United States Capitol rotunda with his son X Æ A-Xii, seated in close proximity to Trump.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/20/billionaires-trump-inauguration-elon-musk-jeff-bezos/ |title=Under the Rotunda, a historic concentration of wealth salutes Trump |date=January 20, 2025 |last1=Birnbaum |first1=Michael |last2=Zakrzewski |first2=Cat |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 23, 2025}} After the inauguration, he spoke at Trump's inaugural rally at Capital One Arena. During his speech, Musk clasped his right hand against his chest and raised out his arm above his head with his palm facing down, and turned around to perform the gesture to the audience behind him before saying, "My heart goes out to you." The gesture led to an unresolved controversy over whether or not he was giving a Nazi salute.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/01/21/elon-musk-salute-trump-inauguration/ |title=Elon Musk's inauguration salute stokes debate in Congress, Europe |date=January 21, 2025 |last1=Verma |first1=Pranshu |last2=Silverman |first2=Ellie |last3=Pietsch |first3=Bryan |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 23, 2025}}

File:Donald Trump state visit to Saudi Arabia, 2025-05-13 P20250513DT-0498.jpg during Trump's visit to the Middle East in May 2025]]

In February 2025 Musk attended the Conservative Political Action Conference. Argentine President Javier Milei gave Musk a chainsaw, which is a symbol that Milei has used in campaigns for cutting public spending.{{Cite magazine |last=AP |first=ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON / |date=February 21, 2025 |title=Elon Musk Waves Chainsaw at CPAC, Touting Cuts to Government |url=https://time.com/7260140/musk-chainsaw-cpac-javier-milei/ |access-date=February 21, 2025 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}

In April 2025 Musk engaged in a very public dispute over tariffs with other figures in the Trump Administration, particularly Peter Navarro who Musk called "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks." Navarro had labeled Tesla a "car assembler" as opposed to a car manufacturer and dismissed Musk's opinions on tariffs as self interest. When asked to comment on the dispute Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded "Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue."{{cite web |last1=McMahon |first1=Liv |title=Musk labels Trump trade adviser 'moron' over Tesla comments |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrgx4ky1xxo |website=bbc.com |publisher=BBC |access-date=April 8, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Pager |first1=Tyler |title=Musk Calls Navarro a ‘Moron’ in Escalating Tariff Fight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/us/politics/musk-navarro-tariffs-fight.html |website=nytimes.com |publisher=The New York Times |access-date=April 8, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Berkowitz |first1=Ben |title="Boys will be boys," White House says, as Musk calls Navarro "moron" |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/04/08/musk-navarro-moron-trump-tariffs-trade-war |website=axios.com |publisher=Axios |access-date=April 8, 2025}}

{{Main|America PAC}}

In June 2024, The New York Times revealed that a super PAC known as America PAC had spent at least {{USD|6.6}} million since the May 2024 to support Trump in the 2024 election. A website had been established collecting voters' information and encouraging them to vote.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/us/politics/trump-gop-voting.html |title=New Pro-Trump Super PAC Quietly Spends Millions on G.O.P. Ground Game |date=June 26, 2024 |last=Schleifer |first=Theodore |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=January 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109002650/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/us/politics/trump-gop-voting.html |url-status=live }} The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Musk said he would commit a monthly donation of {{USD|45}} million to the super PAC; after the Journal published its article, Musk disputed its accuracy.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/elon-musk-has-said-he-is-committing-around-45-million-a-month-to-a-new-pro-trump-super-pac-dda53823 |title=Elon Musk Has Said He Is Committing Around $45 Million a Month to a New Pro-Trump Super PAC |date=July 16, 2024 |last1=Mattioli |first1=Dana |last2=Glazer |first2=Emily |last3=Safdar |first3=Khadeeja |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123091242/https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/elon-musk-has-said-he-is-committing-around-45-million-a-month-to-a-new-pro-trump-super-pac-dda53823 |url-status=live }}

In October, a political action committee known as RBG PAC, in reference to the deceased Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, spent at least {{USD|20}} million on advertisements associating Trump with Ginsburg and her pro-abortion stance, according to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/10/25/trump-super-pac-abortion-rbg-pac/ |title=Mysterious group spends $20M for Trump in final election stretch |date=October 25, 2024 |last=Svitek |first=Patrick |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=October 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241026014729/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/10/25/trump-super-pac-abortion-rbg-pac/ |url-status=live }} Clara Spera, Ginsburg's granddaughter, criticized the group in a statement; Ginsburg denounced Trump in an interview with The New York Times in 2016 and did not want to be replaced on the Court until Trump was out of office.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/25/us/politics/trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-abortion-ad.html |title=New 'RBG PAC' Spending $19 Million From Secret Donors to Aid Trump on Abortion |date=October 25, 2024 |last1=Goldmacher |first1=Shane |last2=Schleifer |first2=Theodore |last3=Haberman |first3=Maggie |last4=Kantor |first4=Jodi |author-link3=Maggie Haberman |author-link4=Jodi Kantor |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=November 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241124185728/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/25/us/politics/trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-abortion-ad.html |url-status=live }} An FEC filing in December revealed that Musk was RBG PAC's only donor, with a contribution of $20.5 million.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/05/elon-musk-rbg-pac-trump-abortion/ |title=Elon Musk gave $20M to mysterious group defending Trump's abortion stance |date=December 6, 2024 |last1=Thadani |first1=Trisha |last2=Ence Morse |first2=Clara |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=December 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241206023305/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/05/elon-musk-rbg-pac-trump-abortion/ |url-status=live }}

By the end of Trump's presidential campaign, Musk had spent $277 million to elect Trump and allied Republicans, making the largest individual political donor of the 2024 election and the largest individual political donor since at least 2010 outside of candidates funding their own campaigns. Musk's donations primarily went to his super PAC, America PAC. Musk also launched a $1 million a day giveaway for swing state voters the Justice Department warned could potentially violate federal election laws.{{Cite news |last1=Thadani |first1=Trisha |last2=Morse |first2=Clara Ence |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Elon Musk is now America's largest political donor |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/06/elon-musk-trump-campaign-spending-fec/ |access-date=December 31, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last1=Ingram |first1=Julia |last2=Reilly |first2=Steve |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Elon Musk spends $277 million to back Trump and Republican candidates - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-277-million-trump-republican-candidates-donations/ |access-date=February 2, 2025 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last1=Schleifer |first1=Theodore |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Elon Musk Backed Trump With Over $250 Million, Fueling the Unusual 'RBG PAC' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/05/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-rbg-election.html |access-date=February 2, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In March 2025, Musk-backed Building America's Future poured considerable ad money into the Wisconsin Supreme Court judge race, favoring Trump Republican Brad Schimel over Democrat Susan Crawford, a race expected to be the most expensive state supreme court race ever.{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2025 |title=Group backed by Musk pours money into ads on behalf of GOP candidate in Wisconsin Supreme Court race |url=https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-musk-trump-spending-4d95c11f76be495cc5acadaf9981a42b |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en |quote=Brad Schimel, the Musk-backed candidate, is a Republican former state attorney general who is currently a Waukesha County judge. He's a strong supporter of Trump... Schimel's opponent, Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, is backed by the Wisconsin Democratic Party and previously worked for a Democratic governor. She is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin and Wisconsin's AFL-CIO. As a private practice attorney, Crawford brought lawsuits challenging laws that restricted abortion and union rights.}}{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2025 |title=Musk flexes his big-bucks muscle in bid to turn Wisconsin Supreme Court conservative |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-wisconsin-court-schimel-b2716765.html |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=The Independent |language=en |quote=While setting himself up to affect policy that could conceivably increase his net worth by billions, Musk is pouring millions into efforts to cement the Republican Party's control across the nation. His latest effort is taking place in Wisconsin, where a critical statewide election is taking place at the beginning of April... Health care advocates are particularly worried about the impact the race could have on Wisconsin, given Schimel's history. In 2018, a year after the failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress, Schimel teamed up with the Texas attorney general to lead a multi-state lawsuit aimed at killing the healthcare program largely known as Obamacare.}}{{Cite news |last=Shaw |first=Kate |date=March 18, 2025 |title=Opinion {{!}} Musk Is Not Stopping at DOGE |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/opinion/musk-wisconsin-supreme-court.html |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Crawford subsequently defeated Schimel in the election.{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2025 |title=Democratic-backed Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, cementing liberal majority |url=https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-trump-8fe006c7f8fa40b663eccd6751bada98 |access-date=May 21, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}

{{Main|Department of Government Efficiency}}

On August 12, 2024, Musk held a discussion on X Spaces with Trump in which he suggested a "government efficiency commission" that he would serve on to ensure taxes were spent appropriately, an idea that Trump supported.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-elon-musk-live-chat-x-glitches-cyber-attack/ |title=Donald Trump's live chat with Elon Musk on X plagued with glitches Musk claims were from cyberattack |date=August 13, 2024 |publisher=CBS News |access-date=December 11, 2024}} The following month, The Washington Post reported that Trump had discussed the concept of a commission, led by business executives, to regulate government spending.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/02/trump-elon-musk-commission-doge/ |title=Trump eyes plan that may give Elon Musk role in auditing U.S. agencies |date=September 2, 2024 |last1=Stein |first1=Jeff |last2=Thadani |first2=Trisha |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912003731/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/02/trump-elon-musk-commission-doge/ |url-status=live }} At a speech before the Economic Club of New York that month, Trump publicly called for a commission to audit the federal government that would be led by Musk.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/politics/trump-elon-musk-efficiency-commission.html |title=Trump Calls for an Efficiency Commission, an Idea Pushed by Elon Musk |date=September 5, 2024 |last1=Gold |first1=Michael |last2=Rappeport |first2=Alan |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-date=December 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208144039/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/politics/trump-elon-musk-efficiency-commission.html |url-status=live }} After his victory in the 2024 election in November, Trump announced that he would establish the Department of Government Efficiency and appoint Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead it.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html |title=Trump Taps Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Slash Government |date=December 11, 2024 |last1=Shear |first1=Michael |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212054859/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html |url-status=live }} Prior to its formation, ideological differences between the men led to Ramaswamy, who will enter the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election, exiting the initiative.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/21/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge/ |title=Disagreements with Elon Musk prompted Ramaswamy's 'DOGE' exit |date=January 21, 2025 |last1=Siddiqui |first1=Faiz |last2=Dwoskin |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Stein |first3=Jeff |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 23, 2025}}

In the days leading up to Trump's inauguration, representatives from the Department of Government Efficiency were sent to several federal agencies.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/10/musk-ramaswamy-doge-federal-agencies/ |title=DOGE is dispatching agents across U.S. government |date=January 21, 2025 |last1=Siddiqui |first1=Faiz |last2=Stein |first2=Jeff |last3=Dwoskin |first3=Elizabeth |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 23, 2025}} By the inauguration, Musk had received a government email address and was prepared to begin working in the West Wing, according to The New York Times; prior reporting had indicated Musk would operate the Department of Government Efficiency from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, but he had objected to an apparent lessened level of access with Trump.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/elon-musk-office-west-wing.html |title=Musk Is Likely to Get a West Wing Office for His Cost-Cutting Project |date=January 20, 2025 |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Swan |first2=Jonathan |last3=Savage |first3=Charlie |last4=Schleifer |first4=Theodore |author-link1=Maggie Haberman |author-link2=Jonathan Swan |author-link3=Charlie Savage (author) |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123055255/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/elon-musk-office-west-wing.html |url-status=live }} In an executive order Trump signed after his inauguration, the United States Digital Service was renamed to the United States DOGE Service and a temporary organization was established beneath the DOGE Service. Each federal agency will be assigned a "DOGE team" of special government employees, a classification of temporary workers.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/doge-government-efficiency-trump-musk.html |title=How Trump's Department of Government Efficiency Will Work |date=January 21, 2025 |last1=Ngo |first1=Madeleine |last2=Schleifer |first2=Theodore |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 23, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Danner |first1=Chas |title=Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/elon-musk-doge-treasury-access-federal-payments.html |website=Intelligencer |language=en |date=February 1, 2025}}

File:We Choose to Fight- Nobody Elected Elon Protest - 54307687521.jpg, was held on February 4, 2025.]]

File:Congressional speeches at the Department of the Treasury.oga

DOGE has reportedly taken over agencies and gained access to sensitive data, including the Treasury department, Office of Personnel Management and General Services Administration. DOGE has also reportedly shut down the USAID.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/musk-federal-government.html|title=Inside Musk's Aggressive Incursion Into the Federal Government|quote=The billionaire is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual.|first1=Jonathan|last1=Swan|first2=Theodore|last2=Schleifer|first3=Maggie|last3=Haberman|first4=Kate |last4=Conger|first5=Ryan|last5=Mac|first6=Madeleine|last6=Ngo|website=The New York Times|date=February 3, 2025|access-date=February 3, 2025}} Musk claimed credit for the shutdown of the agency, saying that he and his colleagues "spent the weekend feeding USAID into the woodchipper." Potentially violating the Impoundment Control Act, Musk also boasted on X of shutting down payments that were approved by Congress.{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2025 |title=Elon Musk Suggests Getting Rid Of All Regulations In Midnight Call |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-regulations-default-gone_n_67a12742e4b09a02376043c7?82s |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}

In a call hosted on X on February 3 with senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee, Musk proposed the non-enforcement or repeal of all federal regulations as a default position of the Trump administration.

After Musk took questions about DOGE in the Oval Office on February 11, sometimes holding his four year-old son on his shoulders, cartoonists portrayed Musk holding Trump on his shoulders like a child.{{Cite web |date=February 16, 2025 |title=Is Elon Musk 'sonning' Donald Trump? Cartoonists think so. |url=https://www.dispatch.com/picture-gallery/opinion/cartoons/2025/02/16/elon-musk-carrying-donald-trump-shoulders-son-cartoons/78648838007/ |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}} The February 24 Time magazine cover portrayed Musk sitting behind the Resolute desk as if he were president.{{Cite news |last=McCreesh |first=Shawn |date=February 8, 2025 |title=Will a Time Magazine Cover Drive a Wedge Between Trump and Musk? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/trump-musk-time-magazine-cover.html |access-date=March 5, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

File:El presidente y elon musk 1.jpg

Musk would depart from the U.S. government on May 30, 2025.{{cite news|url=https://people.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-final-joint-press-conference-11745206|title=Donald Trump and Elon Musk Come Face to Face in Oval Office Hours After Bombshell Report About Musk's 'Intense' Drug Use|first=Meredith|last=Kile|publisher=People|date=May 30, 2025|accessdate=May 30, 2025}}

{{main|America Party}}

In July 2025, Musk announced the creation of a new political party, the America Party, widely seen as a rebuke to president Donald Trump as part of his feud with Trump.{{Cite web |date=2025-07-06 |title=Elon Musk says he is launching new America Party |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dn04lvgpdo |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=BBC News|first1=Sean|last1=Seddon|first2=Stuart|last2=Lau |language=en-GB}} Musk stated that the new party would initially target just a few significant political races.{{Cite news |last=Vargas |first=Ramon Antonio |date=2025-07-05 |title=Elon Musk’s ‘America’ party could focus on a few pivotal congressional seats |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/05/elon-musk-america-party-congress |access-date=2025-07-06 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Following the 2023 Argentine general election, Musk congratulated Javier Milei for his victory, writing that "prosperity is ahead for Argentina".{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/19/world/americas/argentina-election-javier-milei.html |title=Argentina Elects Javier Milei in Victory for Far Right |date=November 19, 2023 |last=Nicas |first=Jack |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119232617/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/19/world/americas/argentina-election-javier-milei.html |url-status=live }} Prior to his inauguration, Musk met with Milei; in a televised interview, Milei said that Musk was "extremely interested in lithium".{{Cite web |url=https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/milei-elon-musk-extremely-interested-in-argentinas-lithium |title=Milei: Elon Musk 'extremely' interested in Argentina's lithium |date=December 26, 2023 |work=Buenos Aires Herald |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=July 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723094629/https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/milei-elon-musk-extremely-interested-in-argentinas-lithium |url-status=live }} In February 2024, Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones authorized Starlink, among other satellite internet providers, to operate in the country.{{Cite web |url=https://buenosairesherald.com/business/tech/government-authorizes-starlink-and-amazons-kuiper-to-operate-in-argentina |title=Government authorizes Starlink and Amazon's Kuiper to operate in Argentina |date=February 26, 2024 |work=Buenos Aires Herald |access-date=December 30, 2024}} Milei has sought to encourage lithium investment in Argentina,{{Cite web |url=https://elpais.com/argentina/2024-04-20/milei-busca-inversiones-para-el-litio-frente-a-la-resistencia-de-las-comunidades-indigenas.html |title=Milei busca inversiones para el litio frente a la resistencia de las comunidades indígenas |date=April 20, 2024 |last=Meseguer |first=Berta |work=El País |language=es |trans-title=Milei seeks investments for lithium in face of resistance from indigenous communities |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231021219/https://elpais.com/argentina/2024-04-20/milei-busca-inversiones-para-el-litio-frente-a-la-resistencia-de-las-comunidades-indigenas.html |url-status=live }} including a law that would give foreign investors in the mining industry tax cuts and various benefits for thirty years.{{Cite web |url=https://elpais.com/argentina/2024-04-30/milei-logra-su-primer-triunfo-en-el-congreso-con-una-version-recortada-de-su-ley-de-desguace-del-estado.html |title=Milei logra su primer triunfo en el Congreso con una versión recortada de su ley de desguace del Estado |date=April 30, 2024 |last=Centenera |first=Mar |work=El País |language=es |trans-title=Milei wins his first victory in Congress with a trimmed-down version of his state-scrapping bill |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231021218/https://elpais.com/argentina/2024-04-30/milei-logra-su-primer-triunfo-en-el-congreso-con-una-version-recortada-de-su-ley-de-desguace-del-estado.html |url-status=live }} In April, Milei and Musk met at a Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, in which they agreed to hold a "big event" in Argentina to promote freedom;{{Cite magazine |url=https://es.wired.com/articulos/elon-musk-y-javier-milei-acuerdan-realizar-un-gran-evento-en-argentina-para-fomentar-las-ideas-de-la-libertad |title=Elon Musk y Javier Milei acuerdan realizar "un gran evento" en Argentina "para fomentar las ideas de la libertad" |date=April 12, 2024 |last=Lagos |first=Anna |magazine=Wired |lang=es |trans-title=Elon Musk and Javier Milei agree to hold "a big event" in Argentina "to promote the ideas of freedom" |access-date=December 30, 2024}} The Wall Street Journal noted that the meeting followed praise that Musk offered for Milei, including for his speech at the World Economic Forum, as he sought to strengthen relations to gain access to Argentina's lithium resources and the country's approval for Starlink.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-bromance-with-argentine-president-leads-to-first-meeting-d70204fe |title=Elon Musk Bromance With Argentine President Leads to First Meeting |date=April 11, 2024 |last=Dubé |first=Ryan |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231021218/https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-bromance-with-argentine-president-leads-to-first-meeting-d70204fe |url-status=live }} According to then-ambassador to the United States Gerardo Werthein, Milei and Musk discussed lithium during the meeting.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/el-embajador-argentino-conto-detalles-del-viaje-de-milei-y-revelo-una-frase-de-elon-musk-nid12042024/ |title=El embajador argentino contó detalles del viaje de Milei y reveló una frase de Elon Musk |date=April 12, 2024 |work=La Nación |language=es |trans-title=Argentine ambassador told details of Milei's trip and revealed a quote from Elon Musk |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231040109/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/el-embajador-argentino-conto-detalles-del-viaje-de-milei-y-revelo-una-frase-de-elon-musk-nid12042024/ |url-status=live }} In May, Musk posted, "I recommend investing in Argentina" on X, after meeting with Milei in Los Angeles for an investors conference.{{Cite web |url=https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/elon-musk-calls-to-invest-in-argentina-after-meeting-up-with-milei-in-la |title=Elon Musk calls to invest in Argentina after meeting up with Milei in LA |date=May 7, 2024 |work=Buenos Aires Herald |access-date=December 30, 2024}}

In January 2025, Musk stepped into Canadian national politics, praising the Conservative Party's Pierre Poilievre and mocking outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party.{{Cite web |title=Elon Musk praises Poilievre, mocks Trudeau as he steps into Canadian politics |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/musk-canada-poilievre-trudeau-influence-1.7426954}}{{Cite web |last=Yin |first=Kevin |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Trump Is Undermining the Canadians Most Sympathetic to Him |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/12/canada-trump-tariffs-carney-poilievre-conservative/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US |quote=Poilievre's worldview, in which countries ought to take care of themselves and free speech is paramount, jives well with Musk's and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's appeals to far-right parties in Europe, making the Conservatives far less likely to protest repeated incursions into German or British democracy, for example, or the erosion of support for NATO.}} Canadians angry with Musk over his influence in Trump's administration, particularly the attack on Canadian sovereignty, have called for the government to revoke Musk's Canadian citizenship and passport. Musk responded in a tweet that was later deleted that "Canada is not a real country."{{Cite news |title=Why Canada can't strip Elon Musk of Canadian citizenship |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elon-musk-canadian-citizenship-1.7468330 |quote=NDP MP Charlie Angus says the petition he's sponsoring to Parliament to strip Elon Musk of his Canadian citizenship is about 'sending a message' to Musk and the U.S. government... "Elon Musk has engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada," reads the petition sponsored by New Democrat MP Charlie Angus. "He has used his wealth and power to influence our elections; he has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty; and the attempts of Elon Musk to attack Canadian sovereignty must be addressed." The petition has collected more than 263,000 signatures since it was posted on Feb. 20.}}

{{See also|Views of Elon Musk#China}}

Musk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, have faced stiff competition in China, where Musk has sought to develop his ventures.{{Cite web |url=https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20241125/elon-musk-tesla-china/ |title=马斯克想从中国得到什么 |date=November 25, 2024 |last=Bradsher |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Bradsher |work=The New York Times |language=zh |trans-title=What Musk wants from China |access-date=January 12, 2025}}

The Taiwanese government began discussing the use of Starlink in the country in 2019, but discussions later faltered after SpaceX representatives pressured government officials to change a majority ownership law requiring telecommunications ventures to be owned by a local business. According to Bloomberg News, Musk sought to own the entire venture.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-06/musk-ultimatum-imperils-taiwan-s-push-to-war-proof-its-internet |title=Musk Ultimatum to Taiwan Imperils Its Push to War-Proof Internet |date=July 6, 2023 |last1=Wang |first1=Cindy |last2=Tarabay |first2=Jamie |last3=Einhorn |first3=Bruce |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=January 12, 2025 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707213914/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-06/musk-ultimatum-imperils-taiwan-s-push-to-war-proof-its-internet |url-status=live }} In response to the instability of Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War, Taiwan began to develop its own communications network without SpaceX. Then-president Tsai Ing-wen pledged {{NT$|40}} billion for an Internet network managed by the Taiwanese government, later partnering with the Luxembourgish network company SES. In November 2023, Chunghwa Telecom announced a partnership with the French satellite operator Eutelsat.{{Cite web |url=https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20240315/taiwan-starlink-satellite/ |title=打造星链替代品: 台湾的人造卫星网络计划 |date=March 15, 2024 |last1=Tobin |first1=Meaghan |last2=Liu |first2=John |work=The New York Times |language=zh |trans-title=Building a Starlink alternative: Taiwan's plan for an artificial satellite network |access-date=January 12, 2025 |archive-date=January 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111203146/https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20240315/taiwan-starlink-satellite/ |url-status=live }} In September, Musk compared Taiwan to Hawaii, claiming that the island is an "integral part" of China; Joseph Wu, Taiwan's then-foreign minister, said that Taiwan was "certainly not for sale".{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-66816507 |title=Taiwan tells Elon Musk it is 'not for sale' |date=January 12, 2025 |last1=Hoskins |first1=Peter |last2=Cai |first2=Derek |publisher=BBC News |access-date=January 12, 2025 |archive-date=January 8, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108100555/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-66816507 |url-status=live }}

Musk has prominently endorsed far-right German political party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), in particular through activities on X. While initial endorsements of party-adjacent social media accounts started as early as late 2023, Musk started actively and openly promoting the party in late 2024 during the prelude of the 2025 German federal elections throughout various activities.{{Cite news |last=Seng |first=Martin |date=May 21, 2024 |title=Elon Musk und die AfD: Satz mit X |url=https://taz.de/Elon-Musk-und-die-AfD/!6009023/ |access-date=January 27, 2025 |work=Die Tageszeitung: taz |language=de |issn=0931-9085 |archive-date=July 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710151049/https://taz.de/Elon-Musk-und-die-AfD/!6009023/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Siggelkow |first=Pascal |title=Wie Musk sich in den Bundestagswahlkampf einmischt |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/faktenfinder/kontext/musk-x-bundestagswahl-100.html |access-date=January 28, 2025 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129064737/https://www.tagesschau.de/faktenfinder/kontext/musk-x-bundestagswahl-100.html |url-status=live }}

In December 2024, Musk responded to a tweet by German far-right influencer Naomi Seibt with "Only the AfD can save Germany". He reiterated his endorsement shortly after, adding the claim that other political parties have "utterly failed the people".{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2025 |title=Does Musk's interview with German AfD leader square with EU laws? |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/how-musks-interview-with-german-afd-leader-squares-with-eu-laws-2025-01-09/ |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Reuters}}{{Cite web |last1=Schuetze |first1=Christopher |last2=Landler |first2=Mark |author-link2=Mark Landler |date=December 20, 2024 |title=Musk Expresses Support for Far-Right Party in Germany's Election |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/world/europe/elon-musk-afd-germany.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231231139/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/world/europe/elon-musk-afd-germany.html |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |access-date=December 30, 2024 |work=The New York Times}} Following the 2024 Magdeburg car attack shortly after his initial endorsement of AfD, Musk called Olaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany at the time, "a "fool" in a tweet on the platform, and called for his resignation. A few days later, on New Year's Day, he also attacked Frank-Walter Steinmeier, calling him an "anti-democratic tyrant".{{Cite web |title=Elon Musk insults German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier – DW – 12/31/2024 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/elon-musk-insults-german-president-frank-walter-steinmeier/a-71191756 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=dw.com |language=en}}

In January 2025, Musk agreed to host a Space with Alice Weidel, the leader of AfD and expected chancellor candidate of the party at the time, to promote the party and its positions. In it, responding to concerns about AfD being right-wing, Weidel proposed the thesis that Adolf Hitler was actually a communist, and not right-wing. The claim and Musk not contradicting it have been heavily criticized.{{Cite web |title=Fact check: AfD head called Hitler 'communist.' He was not – DW – 01/11/2025 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-afd-head-called-hitler-communist-he-was-not/a-71274756 |access-date=January 28, 2025 |website=dw.com |language=en |archive-date=January 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128003549/https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-afd-head-called-hitler-communist-he-was-not/a-71274756 |url-status=live }} The stream itself has been observed by European authorities and led to investigations about whether Musk's promotion of the party is a violation of the Digital Services Act regarding X's ranking algorithms unlawfully preferring AfD-adjacent accounts and content.

Previous to his official endorsement, there have been several other incidences of Musk interacting with users on X specifically promoting AfD since at least late 2023, including high-ranking party members. Notably, in April 2024, chair of local AfD Thuringia, Björn Höcke, was facing trial for using slogans historically in use by Nazi Germany's Sturmabteilung, which is punishable by law in Germany. A post by him on X about the situation was commented on by Musk, to which Höcke responded by further defending his use of the slogans.{{Cite web |title=Musk Magnifies Focus on Extremist Who Used Banned Nazi Slogan |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-08/musk-hands-spotlight-to-nazi-slogan-used-by-german-extremist |access-date=January 27, 2025 |website=www.bloomberg.com |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927220215/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-08/musk-hands-spotlight-to-nazi-slogan-used-by-german-extremist |url-status=live }} Höcke's original tweet received over 1,000 responses, which observers noted was considerably boosted by Musk's engagement. It was also noted that it was very unusual for Höcke to be tweeting in English instead of German, as well as it being unlikely that Musk would have noticed Höcke's tweets organically.{{Cite news |date=April 8, 2024 |title=AfD: Björn Höcke sucht Unterstützung auf X, Elon Musk antwortet |url=https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/apps/afd-bjoern-hoecke-sucht-unterstuetzung-auf-x-elon-musk-antwortet-a-1a6e3d1b-bd8e-4d73-8d0d-5083019963fb |access-date=January 27, 2025 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}} A few weeks after this incident, as a response to a tweet about the European Parliament elections in 2024, Musk voiced doubts about the classification of AfD as a far-right political party, stating the policies he has heard about "don't sound extremist".{{Cite news |title="Die Positionen klingen nicht extremistisch": Elon Musk äußert sich wohlwollend zur AfD |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/die-positionen-klingen-nicht-extremistisch-elon-musk-aussert-sich-wohlwollend-zur-afd-11794187.html |access-date=January 29, 2025 |work=Der Tagesspiegel Online |language=de-DE |issn=1865-2263}}

In his New Year's Eve address, chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the election will "not be decided by the owners of social media channels".{{Cite web |last=Brössler |first=Daniel |date=December 31, 2024 |title=Scholz: Zusammenhalten in schwieriger Zeit |trans-title=Scholz: Sticking together in difficult times |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/scholz-neujahrsansprache-appell-zusammenhalt-li.3174448 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231190158/https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/scholz-neujahrsansprache-appell-zusammenhalt-li.3174448 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |work=Süddeutsche Zeitung |language=de}} In Der Spiegel, deputy chancellor Robert Habeck accused Musk of mounting a "frontal attack on our democracy".{{Cite web |last1=Kammer |first1=Alena |last2=Sprothen |first2=Vera |date=January 4, 2025 |title=Habeck warnt vor Musk, Weidel will reden, Scholz gibt sich cool |trans-title=Habeck warns against Musk, Weidel wants to talk, Scholz plays it cool |url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-01/elon-musk-robert-habeck-kritik-afd-alice-weidel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108120442/https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-01/elon-musk-robert-habeck-kritik-afd-alice-weidel |archive-date=January 8, 2025 |access-date=January 7, 2025 |work=Die Zeit |language=de}} {{Ill|Christiane Hoffmann (journalist)|lt=Christiane Hoffmann|de|Christiane Hoffmann (Journalistin, 1967)}}, a deputy government spokeswoman, accused Musk of attempting to influence the federal election.{{Cite news |last=Brady |first=Kate |date=December 30, 2024 |title=Germany accuses Musk of trying to influence election by backing far-right AfD |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/30/musk-germany-far-right-afd-welt-op-ed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230210615/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/30/musk-germany-far-right-afd-welt-op-ed/ |archive-date=December 30, 2024 |access-date=December 30, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Musk's endorsement has also been called into question by other business people, including Bill Gates and German investor Frank Thelen, who previously was a strong supporter of Musk.{{Cite news |last=Michael |first=Chris |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Bill Gates calls Elon Musk's embrace of far-right politicians abroad 'insane shit' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/27/bill-gates-elon-musk-far-right |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Frank Thelen: Diesen offenen Brief zur AfD hat er an Elon Musk geschrieben |url=https://www.msn.com/de-de/finanzen/top-stories/frank-thelen-diesen-offenen-brief-zur-afd-hat-er-an-elon-musk-geschrieben/ar-AA1xWXfC |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=www.msn.com}} His involvement in German politics in particular has furthermore led to several German companies as well as other organizations ending their business relationships with him, as well as closing their social media accounts on X.{{Cite web |last=Stock |first=Oliver |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Trotz Unterstützung für Trump und AfD: Firmen brechen mit Elon Musk - nur die Telekom schließt einen Mega-Deal mit ihm |url=https://www.focus.de/finanzen/news/trotz-unterstuetzung-fuer-trump-und-afd-fuer-die-telekom-bleibt-elon-musk-ein-willkommener-geschaeftspartner_id_260679729.html |archive-date= |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=FOCUS}}{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Bayerische Arbeitgeber und IG Metall verlassen wegen Elon Musk Plattform X |url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/wirtschaft/gewerkschaften-und-arbeitgeberverbaende-verlassen-wegen-der-politik-von-elon-musk-dessen-plattform-x-105019335 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=augsburger-allgemeine |language=de}}

It has been observed by Bundesdatenschau, a project that analyzes the influence of German political parties on X, that AfD as well as associated accounts by party leaders such as Alice Weidel have considerably gained in reach on the platform since Musk's endorsements in 2025 compared to 2024.{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Elon Musk katapultiert die AfD auf X nach vorn |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/elon-musk-katapultiert-die-afd-auf-x-nach-vorn-110253510.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126131738/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/elon-musk-katapultiert-die-afd-auf-x-nach-vorn-110253510.html |archive-date=January 26, 2025 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=FAZ.NET |language=de}}

In December 2024, German daily newspaper of record Die Welt published an op-ed authored by Musk, where he reiterated his endorsement of Alternative für Deutschland previously stated on X, arguing that "traditional parties have failed" as well as calling into doubt the classification of AfD as far-right. The op-ed was published along with an op-ed countering his arguments authored by {{Ill|Jan Philipp Burgard|de}}, one of the editors-in-chief of the newspaper.{{Cite web |title=Bundestagswahlkampf: Elon Musk und sein Plädoyer für die AfD – DW – 26.01.2025 |url=https://www.dw.com/de/elon-musk-afd-bundestagswahl-wahlkampf-alice-weidel-v3/a-71416516 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=dw.com |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Schuetze |first=Christopher |date=December 20, 2024 |title=Musk Doubles Down on Support for German Far-Right Party |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/world/europe/musk-support-for-german-far-right-afd.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229191630/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/world/europe/musk-support-for-german-far-right-afd.html |archive-date=December 29, 2024 |access-date=December 30, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}

In direct response to the publication, several journalists and Die Welt employees resigned, including {{Ill|Eva Marie Kogel|de}}, department head of op-ed at the time. Additionally, several editors previously opposed the publication, being concerned both with considering it paid electoral campaigning for AfD as well as potential brand damage to the newspaper and the core values of its publishing company Axel Springer SE.{{Cite news |last1=Bargel |first1=Vicky |last2=Rainer |first2=Anton |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Boost for the Right Wing: Why Did a German Newspaper Help Elon Musk Interfere in German Politics? |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/business/boost-for-the-right-wing-why-did-a-german-newspaper-help-elon-musk-interfere-in-german-politics-a-a6cfd9f6-0236-49f3-802f-b7e395d29e03 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=Der Spiegel |language=en |issn=2195-1349}}

The op-ed was widely criticized both by German media as well as internationally. Some German publications called into question whether the untranslated English version of the op-ed was generated by XAI's own AI model Grok.{{Cite news |last1=Lindern |first1=Jakob von |last2=Daniel |first2=Isabelle |date=January 4, 2025 |title=Elon Musk in der "Welt am Sonntag": Wurde sein Beitrag von einer KI generiert? |url=https://www.zeit.de/digital/internet/2025-01/elon-musk-welt-am-sonntag-kuenstliche-intelligenz-text-journalismus |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=Die Zeit |language=de-DE |issn=0044-2070}} In a response to the criticism and resignations at Die Welt, Burgard and {{Ill|Ulf Poschardt|de}}, editor-in-chief at the time of the op-ed's publication, defended the publication as an expression of freedom of speech.{{Cite news |title=Nach Wahlwerbeartikel von Elon Musk: "Welt" verliert weiteren Top-Journalisten |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/nach-wahlwerbe-artikel-von-elon-musk-welt-verliert-weitere-top-personalie-12969457.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=Der Tagesspiegel Online |language=de-DE |issn=1865-2263}}

During a campaign rally of Alternative für Deutschland in January 2025, Musk also joined for a short speech through a video call. Therein, he reiterated his previous statements of party support from X and his op-ed in Die Welt, as well as calling into question the European Union's regulatory reach. In addition, Musk criticized Germany's culture of remembrance, stating that there is "too much of a focus on past guilt and we need to move beyond that".{{Cite web |url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-01/afd-wahlkampf-musk-aschaffenburg-weidel |title=Und plötzlich ist da wieder Elon Musk |date=January 25, 2025 |work=Die Zeit |language=de |trans-title=And suddenly Elon Musk is back again |access-date=January 25, 2025 |last1=Steffen |first1=Tilman }}{{Cite news |last=Treisman |first=Rachel |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Elon Musk faces criticism for encouraging Germans to move beyond 'past guilt' |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/27/nx-s1-5276084/elon-musk-german-far-right-afd-holocaust |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en}} Following Musk's speech, Weidel thanked him for his statements, praised the second presidency of Donald Trump that Musk is closely associated with, and ended her statement with "Make Germany Great Again".{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2025 |title=Elon Musk bei AfD-Wahlkampfveranstaltung zugeschaltet |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/deutschland/afd-elon-musk-wahlkampf-100.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=ZDFheute |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Debes |first=Martin |title=Weidel bedankt sich bei Trump: "Make Germany great again!" |url=https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Weidel-bedankt-sich-bei-Trump-Make-Germany-great-again--article25515466.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=n-tv.de |language=de}}

Musk's statements on remembrance culture have been widely criticized, in particular due to their timing shortly before the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Aussagen zur Nazizeit: Kritik an Musk-Auftritt bei AfD |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/ausland/kritik-musk-auftritt-afd-100.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=ZDFheute |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Giselle Ruhiyyih |date=January 25, 2025 |title=Musk tells Germans to get over 'past guilt' in speech to far-right AfD rally |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/25/musk-german-afd-rally-weidel-00200620 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} Olaf Scholz condemned Musk's comments as well as his general push of European far-right parties.{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Germany's Scholz lashes out at Musk's 'disgusting' interventions in Europe |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/olaf-scholz-germany-election-elon-musk-nazis-history/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}} Donald Tusk, prime minister of Poland, called Musk's words on remembrance culture "too familiar and ominous". Steffen Seibert, German ambassador to Israel at the time, stated that "Musk doesn't seem to know [Germany] well at all" and that people are not made felt guilty for crimes committed by the Nazis, contrary to his claims.

{{See also|Views of Elon Musk#Israel–Hamas war}}

File:Isaac Herzog in Beit HaNassi, November 2023 (GPOHZ02222 2).jpeg, Isaac Herzog, November 2023]]

In September 2023, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Musk at a Tesla factory in Fremont, California.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/18/world/middleeast/netanyahu-musk-meeting.html |title=Benjamin Netanyahu and Elon Musk Meet, as Both Seek to Deflect Criticism |date=September 18, 2023 |last=Kingsley |first=Patrick |author-link=Patrick Kingsley (journalist) |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231163154/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/18/world/middleeast/netanyahu-musk-meeting.html |url-status=live }} In November, Musk and Netanyahu toured Kfar Aza, a kibbutz that was attacked by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/27/world/middleeast/elon-musk-israel-visit.html |title=Elon Musk Visits Israel Amid Backlash Against His Endorsement of Antisemitic Post |date=November 27, 2023 |last1=Mpoke Bigg |first1=Matthew |last2=Mac |first2=Ryan |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231163154/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/27/world/middleeast/elon-musk-israel-visit.html |url-status=live }} Netanyahu invited Musk to attend his address to the United States Congress in July 2024.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-24/musk-to-attend-netanyahu-address-as-guest-of-israeli-leader |title=Musk to Attend Netanyahu Address as Guest of Israeli Leader |date=July 24, 2024 |last=House |first=Billy |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=January 23, 2025}} In December, president Isaac Herzog called Musk to discuss a resolution to the Gaza war hostage crisis.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ff1778d9-3954-438d-9977-dca7472cc2a4 |title=Israeli president calls Elon Musk to revive Gaza hostage talks |date=December 6, 2024 |last=Srivastava |first=Mehul |work=Financial Times |access-date=January 2, 2025 |archive-date=January 15, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115074019/https://www.ft.com/content/ff1778d9-3954-438d-9977-dca7472cc2a4 |url-status=live }}

In November 2024, The New York Times reported that Musk had met Amir Saeid Iravani in New York to discuss Iran–United States relations.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/world/middleeast/elon-musk-iran-trump.html |title=Elon Musk Met With Iran's U.N. Ambassador, Iranian Officials Say |date=November 14, 2024 |last=Fassihi |first=Farnaz |author-link=Farnaz Fassihi |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 17, 2025}} In January 2025, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was released from an Iranian prison, followed by Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who was detained on behalf of the United States Department of Justice for allegedly producing drone technology used in the Tower 22 drone attack, from an Italian prison. According to The New York Times, Musk contacted Iravani to seek Sala's release.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/world/middleeast/musk-italy-iran-prisoner-exchange.html |title=Musk Said to Have Intervened to Help Free Italian Jailed in Iran |date=January 15, 2024 |last1=Fassihi |first1=Farnaz |last2=Bubola |first2=Emma |last3=Wong |first3=Edward |author-link1=Farnaz Fassihi |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 17, 2025 |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117050807/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/world/middleeast/musk-italy-iran-prisoner-exchange.html |url-status=live }} Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni denied Musk's involvement in her release, citing a "diplomatic triangulation" between U.S., Italy, and Iran.{{Cite web |url=https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/politica/25_gennaio_09/meloni-per-sala-emozione-grande-musk-pericoloso-lo-e-soros-6974f168-752c-4529-9f6e-395b4bfdaxlk.shtml |title=La conferenza stampa di Meloni: "Per Sala emozione grande. Musk pericoloso? Lo è Soros" |date=January 9, 2025 |last=Guerzoni |first=Monica |work=Corriere della Sera |language=it |trans-title=Meloni's press conference: "For Sala great emotion. Musk dangerous? It is Soros." |access-date=January 17, 2025}}

In April 2025, Musk joined by video-call a meeting of the populist right-wing Lega party, led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.{{Cite web|url=https://m.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/all-news/article-848979|title=Musk says he hopes for 'zero tariffs' between US and Europe}}

{{See also|Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War}}

In February 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov requested Musk activate Starlink in the country. Additional Starlink terminals arrived two days later.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/12/technology/ukraine-minister-war-digital.html |title=Shaming Apple and Texting Musk, a Ukraine Minister Uses Novel War Tactics |date=March 12, 2022 |last=Satariano |first=Adam |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 1, 2025 |archive-date=January 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101174014/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/12/technology/ukraine-minister-war-digital.html |url-status=live }} In September, Musk refused to activate a geofence in Crimea, resulting in several boats being damaged.{{Sfn|Isaacson|2023|p=331–332}} By October, Musk publicly questioned the sustainability of financing Starlink in Ukraine, but said he could continue funding access.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/15/elon-musk-ukraine-starlink/ |title=Musk suggests openness to continue funding Starlink access in Ukraine |date=October 15, 2022 |last=Romm |first=Tony |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 1, 2025 |archive-date=June 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627055956/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/15/elon-musk-ukraine-starlink/ |url-status=live }} That month, Musk posted a poll on Twitter outlining a peace plan that included the secession of Ukrainian territory to Russia; in response, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky posted his own poll criticizing him.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63126550 |title=Zelensky and Musk in row over Ukraine 'peace plan poll' |date=October 4, 2022 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=January 1, 2025}} In February 2023, Musk stated that SpaceX would prohibit Starlink's use in long-range drone strikes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/world/europe/elon-musk-spacex-starlink-satellite-ukraine.html |title=Elon Musk doesn't want his satellites to run Ukraine's drones. |date=February 9, 2023 |last=Satariano |first=Adam |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 1, 2025}} According to Fedorov, Musk provided his private messages to Walter Isaacson for Elon Musk.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b38367f0-c70f-4a26-b9fa-8bf160e1803a |title=Elon Musk gave biographer top Ukrainian official's private messages without permission |date=September 8, 2023 |last1=Miller |first1=Christopher |last2=Hall |first2=Ben |work=Financial Times |access-date=January 1, 2025 |archive-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902230847/https://www.ft.com/content/b38367f0-c70f-4a26-b9fa-8bf160e1803a |url-status=live }}

In October 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had maintained regular contact with Russian president Vladimir Putin for at least two years. In one discussion, Putin asked Musk not to activate Starlink over Taiwan as a favor to Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/musk-putin-secret-conversations-37e1c187 |title=Elon Musk's Secret Conversations With Vladimir Putin |date=October 25, 2024 |last1=Grove |first1=Thomas |last2=Strobel |first2=Warren |last3=Viswanatha |first3=Aruna |last4=Lubold |first4=Gordon |last5=Schechner |first5=Sam |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=January 1, 2025 |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113215332/https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/musk-putin-secret-conversations-37e1c187 |url-status=live }} The following month, U.S. senators Jack Reed and Jeanne Shaheen of the Senate Committee on Armed Services sent a letter to U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland and Robert Storch, the inspector general of the Department of Defense, requesting that they reassess Musk's security clearance.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0l3wl76gzo |title=Senators call for probe into Musk's alleged contact with Russia |date=November 14, 2024 |last=Cabral |first=Sam |publisher=BBC News |access-date=January 1, 2025}}

In December 2024, the leader of the right-wing populist party Reform UK, Nigel Farage, stated that the party was discussing a donation from Musk after they met at Mar-a-Lago with party treasurer Nick Candy.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kez8d2dygo |title=Musk in talks over Reform UK donation, says Farage |date=December 17, 2024 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231042726/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kez8d2dygo |url-status=live }} The negotiations were denounced by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who stated that the donation would be "counterproductive".{{Cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8332514c-2fdb-4daf-90c3-0a2f8652d6d2 |title=Donation by Elon Musk to Reform UK would be 'counterproductive', says Tory leader |date=December 23, 2024 |last1=Parker |first1=George |last2=Kelly |first2=Maxine |work=Financial Times |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=January 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103225550/https://www.ft.com/content/8332514c-2fdb-4daf-90c3-0a2f8652d6d2 |url-status=live }} In an interview with The Telegraph that month, Farage argued that Musk could court the youth vote for the party and assist in defeating the Conservative Party.{{Cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/12/27/nigel-farage-elon-musk-will-help-reform-to-beat-tories/ |title=Farage: Musk will help Reform to beat Tories |date=December 27, 2024 |last=Stanley |first=Tim |work=The Telegraph |access-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-date=December 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231163154/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/12/27/nigel-farage-elon-musk-will-help-reform-to-beat-tories/ |url-status=live }} In January 2025, Musk expressed support for Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist who was sentenced to over a year in prison on contempt of court charges. In response, several politicians who supported Brexit urged allies of president-elect Donald Trump to not endorse Robinson.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-03/uk-right-warns-trump-allies-that-musk-s-posts-have-gone-too-far |title=UK Right Warns Trump Allies That Musk's Posts Have Gone Too Far |date=January 3, 2025 |last=Wickham |first=Alex |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=January 3, 2025}} Musk later abruptly disparaged Farage as the leader of the Reform Party as not having "what it takes" after Farage disavowed Robinson.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/world/europe/musk-farage-starmer-uk.html |title=In About-Face, Musk Trashes Farage, U.K.'s Anti-Immigrant Populist |date=January 5, 2025 |last=Landler |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Landler |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 3, 2025 |archive-date=January 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250105194725/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/world/europe/musk-farage-starmer-uk.html |url-status=live }}

{{Main|2024 Southport stabbing|2024 United Kingdom riots}}

On July 29, 2024, a mass stabbing occurred at a dance studio in Southport in which three children were killed and ten other people were injured, later resulting in the violent disorder across the country. After Starmer said "large social media companies and those who run them" were contributing to the disorder, Musk criticised him for not condemning all participants in the riots and only blaming the far-right.{{Cite news |last1=Riley-Smith |first1=Ben |last2=Penna |first2=Dominic |date=August 5, 2024 |title=Starmer clashes with Musk over UK riot remarks |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/08/05/starmer-attacks-musk-over-claims-uk-civil-war-is-inevitable/ |access-date=August 5, 2024 |work=The Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |date=January 8, 2025 |title=A history of Elon Musk and Keir Starmer's relationship |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/elon-musk-keir-starmer-grooming-gangs-b2675713.html |access-date=January 13, 2025 |website=The Independent |language=en}} Musk also responded to a tweet which said the riots were due to "mass migration and open borders" by tweeting, "Civil war is inevitable". His comments were condemned by Starmer's official spokesman.{{cite news |last1=Gregory |first1=Andy |last2=Cooke |first2=Millie |date=August 5, 2024 |title=Downing Street condemns Elon Musk for claim 'civil war is inevitable' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/elon-musk-civil-war-uk-riots-b2591213.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805174350/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/elon-musk-civil-war-uk-riots-b2591213.html |archive-date=August 5, 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024 |newspaper=The Independent}}{{cite news |last1=Cecil |first1=Nicholas |date=August 5, 2024 |title=UK riots: No10 slaps down Elon Musk for 'civil war is inevitable' post |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/riots-social-media-southport-rotherham-liverpool-twitter-elon-musk-b1174760.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805184022/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/riots-social-media-southport-rotherham-liverpool-twitter-elon-musk-b1174760.html |archive-date=August 5, 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024 |newspaper=Evening Standard}}{{cite web |title=What is Elon Musk's game plan? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze5gd1jzkeo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807125803/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze5gd1jzkeo |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024 |publisher=BBC News}} Musk further said Starmer was responsible for a "two-tier" policing system which did not protect all communities in the United Kingdom,{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2024 |title=Elon Musk lashes out at the UK again as Sunak holidays in California |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/elon-musk-riots-rishi-sunak-b2593155.html |website=The Independent}}{{cite news |date=August 6, 2024 |title=Musk brands Starmer 'two-tier Keir' amid row over riot policing |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/08/06/riots-police-tackle-all-sides-equal-ferocity-two-tier/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807004921/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/08/06/riots-police-tackle-all-sides-equal-ferocity-two-tier/ |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |access-date=August 7, 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2024 |title=UK disorder: What's Elon Musk's game? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze5gd1jzkeo |access-date=August 7, 2024 |website=BBC News}} and subsequently shared a conspiracy theory that Starmer's government was planning to build detainment camps in the Falkland Islands to hold far-right rioters. In response, Starmer said: "my focus is on ensuring our communities are safe. That is my sole focus. I think it's very important for us all to support the police in what they're doing".{{cite web |title=Musk shares faked far-right 'detainment camp' for rioters post |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp35w0kj2y4o |website=bbc.com |publisher=BBC |access-date=August 9, 2024 |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808133009/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp35w0kj2y4o |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/bdd100a8-4817-44f6-9838-bda760aaebf1|title=Elon Musk and the danger to democracy|newspaper=Financial Times|date=August 9, 2024 |last1=Luce |first1=Edward }}

{{Main|Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal}}

In January 2025, Musk began commenting on several child abuse scandals in the UK, including the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal, in which many young girls were exploited by predominantly British Pakistani men.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/03/world/europe/elon-musk-britain-social-media.html |title=Elon Musk Has a Strange Fixation With Trolling Britain |date=January 3, 2025 |last=Landler |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Landler |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2025 |quote="An estimated 1,400 girls were exploited by "grooming gangs" composed largely of British Pakistani men." |archive-date=January 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109112225/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/03/world/europe/elon-musk-britain-social-media.html |url-status=live }} Musk said that Jess Phillips, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, "deserves to be in prison", when she denied requests for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham (Greater Manchester).{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/starmer-musk-grooming-gangs-phillips-uk-oldham-b2675022.html |title=Why are people calling for a review of grooming gangs cover ups? |date=January 7, 2025 |work=The Independent |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107161207/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/starmer-musk-grooming-gangs-phillips-uk-oldham-b2675022.html |url-status=live }} He claimed that Phillips was a "rape genocide apologist" by rejecting calls for a national investigation. In addition, Musk castigated Keir Starmer, who served as the director of public prosecutions when the abuses were publicized, though he had published guidelines about handling the sexual exploitation of children. During an event for the National Health Service, Starmer indirectly denounced Musk for "lies and misinformation".{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/world/europe/starmer-musk-uk-child-sexual-abuse.html |title=U.K.'s Starmer Slams 'Lies and Misinformation' After Elon Musk Attacks |date=January 6, 2025 |last=Landler |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Landler |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 7, 2025 |archive-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106165443/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/world/europe/starmer-musk-uk-child-sexual-abuse.html |url-status=live }}

In early 2025, Elon Musk publicly endorsed Spain's far-right party, Vox, predicting its success in the country's upcoming elections, stating "Vox will win the next election."{{Cite web |last=Jiménez |first=Miguel |date=February 24, 2025 |title=Elon Musk shows support for Spain's far-right party: 'Vox will win the next election' |url=https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-02-24/elon-musk-shows-support-for-spains-far-right-party-vox-will-win-the-next-election.html |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=EL PAÍS English |language=en-us}} Musk expressed his support through a series of posts on X (formally known as Twitter), where he praised the party's stance on immigration, economic deregulation, and its opposition to European Union policies that he deemed restrictive to technological innovation.{{Cite web |last=Picheta |first=Rob |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Analysis: Elon Musk is causing trouble in Europe. What's in it for him? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/europe/elon-musk-europe-politics-x-disinformation-gbr-cmd-intl/index.html |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}} His endorsement sparked significant debate in Spain and across Europe, as political analysts viewed it as part of his broader engagement with right-wing movements globally.

Musk's comment led to speculation about potential business interests tied to his endorsement, particularly regarding Spain's lithium mining industry, which is crucial for Tesla, Inc.'s electric vehicle battery production.{{Cite web |date=May 2, 2024 |title=The lithium project promising to meet the demand of 800,000 Tesla Model 3s arrives in Spain - Mobility Portal |url=https://mobilityportal.eu/lithium-project-tesla-spain/ |access-date=February 27, 2025 |language=en-US}} Some analysts suggested that a Vox-led government might pursue policies more favorable to Musk's business operations in Europe, including regulatory adjustments or tax incentives for tech investments.{{Cite news |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Why Is Elon Musk destabilising UK and EU politics? |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/why-is-elon-musk-destabilising-uk-and-eu-politics/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121232503/https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/why-is-elon-musk-destabilising-uk-and-eu-politics/ |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=British Politics and Policy at LSE |language=en-US |url-status=live }} However, neither Musk nor Vox confirmed any direct discussions about such agreements.

The endorsement also drew criticism from political opponents, who accused Musk of using his vast online influence to interfere in European Democratic Party processes. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dismissed Musk's comments as foreign meddling, while European Union officials expressed concerns about the growing role of tech billionaires in shaping political discourse.{{Cite web |date=January 6, 2025 |title=European leaders denounce Elon Musk's influence on the continent |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/elon-musk-macron-uk-politics-starmer-european-rcna186445 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=NBC News |language=en}} Despite the controversy, Vox leaders welcomed Musk's support, leveraging it in their campaign to appeal to younger, business-oriented voters.

Musk's involvement in Spanish politics reflects a broader patter of his engagement with global right-wing movements, including his previous support for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany. His endorsements continue to fuel his discussions about the political power of billionaire entrepreneurs and their impact on international affairs.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last=Isaacson |first=Walter |author-link=Walter Isaacson |date=2023 |title=Elon Musk |title-link=Elon Musk (Isaacson book) |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-1-9821-8130-7}}

{{Elon Musk}}

Musk

Category:America Party