Elon Musk Goes Global With His Playbook for Political Influence

Elon Musk starts 2025 by exerting significant influence in global politics through his X posts, highlighting conservative figures like Rupert Lowe in the UK and Pierre Poilievre in Canada. He plans live-stream conversations with far-right candidates, mirroring his earlier support for Donald Trump. Critics express concerns over his promotion of misleading information and extremism, while speculation rises about his financial influence on conservative politics abroad. His recent comments reflect a continued focus on U.S. issues, emphasizing his escalating international political ambitions.

Elon Musk has commenced 2025 with an ambitious strategy for global political maneuvering, engaging his massive following on X with a cascade of provocative posts. In just the initial three days of the year, Musk highlighted a post from Rupert Lowe, a member of the Reform UK party, who spoke about the need for justice for rape gang victims, dismissing mere “thoughts and prayers” from politicians.

Musk’s influence stretched across the Atlantic as he praised Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre and touted an upcoming live-stream with Alice Weidel of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany ahead of their snap elections. Last year, he made significant waves in U.S. politics by wielding his wealth and popularity to support Donald Trump and other Republican figures. With the GOP seeking to regain power, Musk finds himself in a position of increased influence.

Now, as Musk’s fortune continues to soar, he’s not just an influencer in U.S. politics. His focus appears to be shifting toward fostering conservative movements and politicians in key allied nations. Some in the political sphere, however, worry about his tendency to share misleading information and give a platform to far-right figures, raising concerns among liberal leaders globally.

British Health Minister Andrew Gwynne offered a sharp critique of Musk’s engagement in UK issues, suggesting he ought to concentrate on American matters instead. Much of Musk’s recent commentary revolves around child exploitation scandals in Britain, especially the findings from a 2022 review on local agency failures.

Historically, these child exploitation cases have resonated with voters and have become a focal point for Reform UK. A prior investigation revealed that 1,400 children faced abuse over a span exceeding fifteen years in Rotherham, with concerns lingering over the ethnic backgrounds of perpetrators and fears of being labeled as racist for discussing these issues.

Despite these grave matters, Gwynne highlighted that multiple inquiries already address these allegations, asserting that Musk’s assessment is misinformed. Claims that too much focus is placed on the Labour Party by some media outlets were refuted by Gwynne, who emphasized ongoing local investigations into child exploitation.

Speculation is rife about Musk potentially extending financial support to conservative candidates abroad, following his record of $277 million spent on U.S. elections last year. Recently, he met with Nigel Farage, the head of Reform UK, where discussions included a possible $100 million donation, though Musk expressed uncertainty about the legality of such a move.

Controversially, Musk has backed figures like Tommy Robinson, a known provocateur in the UK, drawing criticism for promoting individuals with extremist views. Robinson, who faced jail time for libel, has a history of leading anti-Islam protests, raising concerns about Musk’s choices to endorse him publicly.

Musk’s actions have caught the attention of the German government, especially after he penned a supportive op-ed for the Alternative for Germany party, which has faced scrutiny as a suspected extremist group. His characterization of the party as “the last spark of hope” for Germany has not sat well with many observers.

Domestically, Musk’s behavior has raised eyebrows as well. Critics dubbed him a “shadow president” after he used his platform to influence legislative processes in the U.S. Congress that pertained to government funding, leading to intense negotiations over a bipartisan deal. His statement on the shrinking text of a funding bill was seen as misleading, with the actual costs remaining largely unchanged despite the surface-level reductions.

Returning to his roots, Musk kicked off the new year at Mar-a-Lago alongside Trump. In the midst of sharing satirical comments online about UK politics, he also acknowledged House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reelection—yet another sign he’s not diverting his attention from U.S. politics amidst his global pursuits.

Musk’s actions this week provide a glimpse into how he plans to engage with international politics while cultivating relations that could also serve his business interests. Recently, he noted that the UK’s Online Safety Act would come into effect before Trump’s return to power, which could impact content regulation on social media platforms significantly. As 2025 unfolds, Musk’s path in world politics is closely being monitored, with potential repercussions for democratic processes in several nations.

Original Source: www.washingtonpost.com