Elon Musk is no longer just disrupting industries, he’s playing the role of a self-proclaimed global power broker. He is the kind of person who would be more at home in a dystopian novel than in today’s international political arena. If Jeff Bezos is the corporate embodiment of the American dream, Musk is rapidly becoming the tech fraternity equivalent of an African warlord. Unpredictable, unforgiving, and unashamedly self-righteous. Mr. Musk’s journey into political theater began in his home country of the United States, where he has gleefully upended traditional power structures. His Twitter takeover (sorry, Mr. X) was more than just a rebrand. It was a declaration of war against the system. From shadowbanning critics to amplifying far-right rhetoric, Musk has turned his platform into a digital echo chamber for disruption. By threatening Republicans who don’t support his liberal fantasies and whispering economic advice into Donald Trump’s ear, Musk has wielded significant influence, unfettered by electoral power. He positioned himself as a kind of super-president.
Musk targets World War rivals and 1966 World Cup finalists
Not content with reshaping American politics, Musk has turned his attention across the Atlantic, simultaneously targeting Germany and Great Britain, who clashed in the 1966 World Cup final. This is a geopolitical two-for-one strategy that only Mr. Musk can orchestrate, seamlessly blending petty grievances and algorithmic warfare.
Germany has already felt the ire of Mr. Musk, with Tesla’s European operations frequently clashing with the country’s strict environmental laws. But it is in the UK where Mr Musk’s campaign has taken on an uncomfortably personal tone. He has focused on Labor Party leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of failing to prosecute grooming gangs while he was prosecutor general. Musk’s weapon of choice
Act 1: The rise of Musk as a political power broker in the United States
Musk’s transformation from technology mogul to political influencer began in the United States. There, his close relationships with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance cemented his position as an unofficial but highly influential advisor.
From transforming Twitter (now known as X) into a megaphone for libertarian and populist ideals to championing hard-right policies on immigration and federal spending, Musk has become a de facto political player. His tweets regularly function as policy court balloons, amplifying far-right talking points and creating divisions within the Republican Party.
For example, Musk recently clashed with Trump supporters over immigration policy, calling for mass deportations while criticizing the inefficiency of existing enforcement mechanisms. This sparked a feud within the Trump campaign, with some MAGA supporters accusing Musk of overstepping his bounds. Despite the frictions, Mr. Musk’s influence on the administration’s priorities remains undeniable, particularly when it comes to deregulation and austerity.
Act 2: Britain and Keir Starmer’s target for Rotherham
Mr. Musk’s vision is not limited to the United States. In the UK, it has inserted itself into one of the country’s most politically sensitive topics, particularly the treatment of grooming gangs in Rotherham. Mr Musk used his platform to target Labor leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of failing to prosecute perpetrators while he was prosecutor general.
Mr Starmer has dismissed Mr Musk’s attacks as “misinformation”, but others have accused Mr Musk of using the X algorithm to amplify far-right discourse about the scandal. Mr Musk’s alignment with figures on the UK right, including Reform UK and some Conservative MPs, adds to the perception that he is deliberately sowing division.
Musk deepened polarization over race, crime and justice by weaponizing the Rotherham scandal, one of Britain’s most notorious examples of institutional failure. Critics have accused him of focusing on inflammatory statements that benefit political factions opposed to Labour, while ignoring comprehensive investigations and systemic reforms that have already been carried out.
Act 3: Supporting the far-right AfD in Germany
Musk’s foray into German politics represents perhaps his boldest move yet. His public support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has transformed political debate in a country highly sensitive to extremist ideology.
In a guest opinion piece for Wert am Sonntag, Musk denied the extremist nature of the AfD, citing party leader Alice Weidel’s same-sex partnership with a Sri Lankan woman as evidence. “Does that sound like Hitler? Please!” Musk wrote, dismissing Germany’s domestic intelligence agency’s classification of the AfD as a suspected extremist.
The article sparked an immediate backlash. The newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief of Opinion, Eva Marie Kogel, resigned in protest at the publication’s violation of journalistic integrity. Meanwhile, Welt’s leadership defended the decision to publish Musk’s paper as a commitment to free speech and public debate.
Below Musk’s essay, Jean-Philippe Bourgaard, the paper’s appointed editor-in-chief, published a rebuttal, calling Musk’s support for the AfD a “fatal mistake.” Burgaard stressed that the AfD’s Eurosceptic, pro-Russian and anti-China positions are contrary to Germany’s national interests.
Musk’s claim to global influence
Mr. Musk’s justification for these interventions is as bold as his actions. He argues that “heavy investments” in Germany, the United States and Britain have given him a vested interest in their political stability and direction. In Germany, he cited Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin as evidence of his commitment to the country’s future, while in Britain he framed his criticism of Starmer as part of broader efforts to reform the judiciary.
This narrative of global responsibility has allowed Mr. Musk to frame his actions as benevolent rather than destructive, but many see his intervention as a dangerous consolidation of power. By leveraging X’s algorithms to amplify his viewpoints, Musk has created an unprecedented feedback loop in which his influence directly shapes public debate and political agendas.
global pattern of destruction
Mr Musk’s movements in the US, UK and Germany reveal a consistent pattern of using populist rhetoric to exploit existing cleavages in society. In each case, he aligns himself with far-right movements and figures and frames his intervention as a defense of free speech and democratic values.
Risks of Musk’s global power play
Elon Musk’s rise as a global disruptor has drawn comparisons to modern-day Ubermensch, who use technology, wealth and influence to reshape or destabilize the world. Like Superman, The Mask is a figure of immense power, but unlike comic book heroes, his motives remain opaque, his loyalties fluid, and his responsibilities non-existent. . What happens when this self-styled savior decides the world doesn’t align with his vision?As Mr. Musk’s interventions grow bolder, so does his anxiety. Not because Mr. Musk can destroy nations with a flick of his wrist, but because he may already be doing so, algorithm by algorithm, tweet by tweet.
