Elon Musk used his social network

“I really strongly recommend that people vote for the AfD,” said Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, in addition to its role at X, said about half an hour after the conversation began. “That is my strong recommendation.”

The AfD was classified as a “suspicious extremist organization” by the German domestic intelligence service. The party’s program calls for strict asylum laws, mass deportations, cuts to welfare and social assistance in Germany and the lifting of restrictions on vehicles with internal combustion engines.

Thierry Breton, former European Union Commissioner for the Internal Market, said in a January 4 post addressed to Weidel on I think it is important to remind you that a live discussion about

Although the AfD has achieved around 20% public support, according to broadcaster DW, the party is unlikely to become part of a coalition government as most other parties have promised not to work with it.

The AfD previously protested against the construction of the Tesla electric vehicle factory outside Berlin, also because the factory would create jobs for people who were not German citizens.

Musk’s past endorsements of the AfD, including tweets praising the party and an editorial in a German newspaper, have infuriated European government officials. Musk, the world’s richest person, has also supported far-right and anti-establishment candidates and causes in the United Kingdom

Political leaders in France, Germany, Norway and Britain condemned his influence, NBC News previously reported, and warned that Musk should not interfere in their countries’ elections.

Musk, who was one of President-elect Donald Trump’s biggest supporters in the November election, previously promoted Trump in a live-streamed discussion on X. He previously moderated a conversation with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who lost to Trump in the Republican primary.

During Thursday’s call, Weidel asked Musk what Trump could do to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, as the president-elect suggested he could do quickly.

Musk disagreed.

“To be clear, this is on President Trump, he’s the commander and the boss, so it’s really on him,” Musk said. “I don’t want to speak for him, but you know, I think there is a path to a solution, but it will take strong leadership in the United States to make it happen.”

Musk also commented on what he believes should be done in Gaza, which has been under attack by Israel since Hamas’ deadly invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.

“There is no choice but to eliminate those who want to eliminate the state of Israel, you know Hamas essentially,” Musk said. “Then the second step is to design education so that Palestinians are not raised as children to hate and want the death of Israel.”

“The third thing, which is also very important, is to bring prosperity to the Palestinian territories.”

– CNBC’s Sophie Kiderlin contributed to this report.

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