‘Shame On Him’: Tech Mogul Elon Musk Takes Swipe At German President Steinmeier

Last Updated:January 01, 2025, 20:03 IST

Elon Musk’s comments came while interacting with a social media post which called German President Steinmeier “an anti-democratic tyrant”.

Elon Musk said he will be hosting an X Spaces conversation with AfD’s Alice Weidel. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Elon Musk continued his streak of personal jabs at European politicians on Tuesday, this time targeting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a new post.

The remarks from Musk, a supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, were in reference to Steinmeier’s comments on external interference during his speech on the dissolution of the Bundestag.

Musk’s post on the social media platform X, previously Twitter, came as a reply to criticism of Steinmeier, Germany’s head of state, by far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)-linked influencer Naomi Seibt.

“Steinmeier is an anti-democratic tyrant!" Musk wrote in English. “Shame on him".

Steinmeier’s office acknowledged the post but declined to comment on it. Following the collapse of Germany’s three-way coalition government in November, Musk posted in German about Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him “Olaf ist ein Narr" (Olaf is a fool). In an earlier post, Musk had also predicted that Scholz would lose the upcoming German elections in February, albeit misspelling his name.

The spokesperson for AfD leader Alice Weidel mentioned that plans were in the works for an online meeting between her and Musk. This came after Musk himself proposed the idea of a meeting through X’s Spaces chat feature.

“Wait until Alice and I do an X Spaces conversation. They will lose their minds," he posted.

Germany’s Vice Chancellor, Robert Habeck, criticized Musk on Tuesday for his alleged efforts to influence the upcoming German elections.

“Elon Musk is equipped with billions and unbridled communication power," Habeck wrote on X. “His call for the AfD is systematic: He wants to weaken Europe. Power must be limited: no business model must destroy our democracy. Europe must now use its power consistently."

New York, United States of America (USA)

News world ‘Shame On Him’: Tech Mogul Elon Musk Takes Swipe At German President Steinmeier