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Tech billionaire Elon Musk speaks live via a video transmission during the election campaign launch rally of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party as AfD supporters wave German flags on January 25, 2025 in Halle, Germany.
"All the people who were shrugging and equivocating over Elon and whether he was aligning with Nazi, far-right forces should be launched into the sun," wrote one observer.
Billionaire Elon Musk made virtual appearance at a Saturday campaign event for the far-right Alternative for Germany party—known by the initials AfD—ahead of a snap federal election in Germany next month. The campaign appearance comes less than a week after Musk was accused of performing a Nazi salute twice on stage at a post-inauguration celebration for U.S. President Donal Trump.
"A nazi speaking at a nazi rally. It's really not deeper than that," wrote the independent journalist Marisa Kabas on Saturday.
Musk has endorsed the AfD, known for it's strong anti-immigrant stance, and earlier this month hosted AfD co-leader Alice Weidel—who was also at Saturday's campaign event—for an interview on his platform X. Members of the AfD have been accused of downplaying the crimes of Nazi Germany and using Nazi slogans.
Musk told onlookers at the event, which took place in Halle, that he thinks AfD is the best hope for Germany and said that it's good to be proud of German culture, according to Reuters and The Guardian.
"It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything," Musk said, according to Reuters, addressing the crowd via a live video.
"Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents," Musk also said, which, per Reuters, apparently referred to Germany's Nazi past.
Musk's "Nazi-like salutes" earlier this week drew sharp rebuke from some, but not all. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization whose mission is to combat antisemitism, called the move "an awkward gesture" and "not a Nazi salute."
For his part, Musk wrote on X that the reaction was an example of Democratic "dirty tricks." He also said that "the 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah, reacting to the news of Musk's appearance at the rally, wrote that "all the people who were shrugging and equivocating over Elon and whether he was aligning with Nazi, far-right forces should be launched into the sun. May they never be taken seriously again."
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Billionaire Elon Musk made virtual appearance at a Saturday campaign event for the far-right Alternative for Germany party—known by the initials AfD—ahead of a snap federal election in Germany next month. The campaign appearance comes less than a week after Musk was accused of performing a Nazi salute twice on stage at a post-inauguration celebration for U.S. President Donal Trump.
"A nazi speaking at a nazi rally. It's really not deeper than that," wrote the independent journalist Marisa Kabas on Saturday.
Musk has endorsed the AfD, known for it's strong anti-immigrant stance, and earlier this month hosted AfD co-leader Alice Weidel—who was also at Saturday's campaign event—for an interview on his platform X. Members of the AfD have been accused of downplaying the crimes of Nazi Germany and using Nazi slogans.
Musk told onlookers at the event, which took place in Halle, that he thinks AfD is the best hope for Germany and said that it's good to be proud of German culture, according to Reuters and The Guardian.
"It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything," Musk said, according to Reuters, addressing the crowd via a live video.
"Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents," Musk also said, which, per Reuters, apparently referred to Germany's Nazi past.
Musk's "Nazi-like salutes" earlier this week drew sharp rebuke from some, but not all. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization whose mission is to combat antisemitism, called the move "an awkward gesture" and "not a Nazi salute."
For his part, Musk wrote on X that the reaction was an example of Democratic "dirty tricks." He also said that "the 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah, reacting to the news of Musk's appearance at the rally, wrote that "all the people who were shrugging and equivocating over Elon and whether he was aligning with Nazi, far-right forces should be launched into the sun. May they never be taken seriously again."
Billionaire Elon Musk made virtual appearance at a Saturday campaign event for the far-right Alternative for Germany party—known by the initials AfD—ahead of a snap federal election in Germany next month. The campaign appearance comes less than a week after Musk was accused of performing a Nazi salute twice on stage at a post-inauguration celebration for U.S. President Donal Trump.
"A nazi speaking at a nazi rally. It's really not deeper than that," wrote the independent journalist Marisa Kabas on Saturday.
Musk has endorsed the AfD, known for it's strong anti-immigrant stance, and earlier this month hosted AfD co-leader Alice Weidel—who was also at Saturday's campaign event—for an interview on his platform X. Members of the AfD have been accused of downplaying the crimes of Nazi Germany and using Nazi slogans.
Musk told onlookers at the event, which took place in Halle, that he thinks AfD is the best hope for Germany and said that it's good to be proud of German culture, according to Reuters and The Guardian.
"It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything," Musk said, according to Reuters, addressing the crowd via a live video.
"Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents," Musk also said, which, per Reuters, apparently referred to Germany's Nazi past.
Musk's "Nazi-like salutes" earlier this week drew sharp rebuke from some, but not all. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization whose mission is to combat antisemitism, called the move "an awkward gesture" and "not a Nazi salute."
For his part, Musk wrote on X that the reaction was an example of Democratic "dirty tricks." He also said that "the 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah, reacting to the news of Musk's appearance at the rally, wrote that "all the people who were shrugging and equivocating over Elon and whether he was aligning with Nazi, far-right forces should be launched into the sun. May they never be taken seriously again."