Key takeaways:
- The tech billionaire has been a vocal supporter of Alternative for Germany, celebrating its September 6 victory in Saxony-Anhalt.
- His political endorsements extend to Marine Le Pen in France, Vox in Spain, Restore Britain in the UK, Javier Milei in Argentina and Nayib Bukele in El Salvador.
- Musk has intervened directly in domestic political debates in Brazil and Italy and spent more than $290 million helping Donald Trump return to the White House.
After the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD, Alternative for Germany) secured a historic election victory, the party’s candidate singled out one person to thank: the tech billionaire Elon Musk and the world’s richest man. “Thank you, @ElonMusk, for your support and for your clear and highly important perspective on the political developments of our time — including here in Germany,” wrote Ulrich Siegmund on X, AfD’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt. He added: “If we take responsibility here, I would very much welcome the opportunity for strong and constructive cooperation. Germany would once again be a place worth investing in.”
Siegmund was responding to a congratulatory message from Musk to Alice Weidel, the AfD’s co-leader, in which Musk said “well done!” in German. On September 6, AfD won 43.8% of the vote, the strongest result for a far-right party in the country’s post-World War II democratic history.
Musk has been a vocal supporter of AfD. In 2024, the billionaire declared: “Only the AfD can save Germany.” In 2025, he made a surprise appearance at an AfD campaign event in Halle, eastern Germany. Apparently referring to Germany’s Nazi past, he said that “children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents.”
U.S.
In the U.S., Musk also made a clear bet. The billionaire invested more than $290 million to help return Donald Trump to the White House in 2024. He became his main campaign financier and, after the election, one of his closest allies in the early months of Trump’s second term. Musk then took charge of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which drove the chaotic effort to develop extensive cuts across the federal governments and dismantle entire agencies. Although Musk eventually left the Trump Administration amid growing tensions with the president, their relationship appears to have since improved.
France
In July 2026, Musk backed Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN, National Rally), after she decided to run in France’s 2027 presidential election despite a fraud conviction. “She is France’s last hope,” he wrote on X. The post has received more than 8 million views.
Musk backed Marine Le Pen in July 2026. (Source: X).
Recent opinion polls put Le Pen ahead in the presidential race. French voters will choose Emmanuel Macron’s successor in two rounds, scheduled for April 18 and May 2 next year.
The endorsement was downplayed by the Rassemblement National. “What matters isn’t the opinion of people abroad,” said Laurent Jacobelli, a spokesperson for the French far-right political party. “It’s the opinion of the French people.”
Spain
Spain is also set to hold elections in 2027, which must take place no later than August. Musk already has his preferred option: the national far-right party, Vox. “Vox will win the next election,” the billionaire posted to his more than 240 million followers.
Musk predicts a Vox victory in Spain’s next general election. (Source: X).
The endorsement was made in February 2025. He commented on another user’s post that included a video of Trump greeting Vox leader Santiago Abascal at CPAC 2025. Vox is currently polling as Spain’s third-largest political force, with more than 17% support.
Greece
Ilias Kasidiaris, the former spokesperson for Greece’s neo-nazi party Golden Dawn, has received support from Musk on X. In July, the tech billionaire reacted to a post about Kasidiari’s imprisonment, writing: “This is messed up.”
Musk reacting to a post about Ilias Kasidiaris’ imprisonment in July 2026. (Source: X).
On September 15, Kasidiaris was released from prison after serving seven years of a 13-year sentence for his role as a leading member of the Golden Dawn, which carried out attacks against migrants and political opponents, and the 2013 murder of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas. Upon his release, he announced his intention to return to politics and create a “new, strong national party, such as those dominating all of Europe.” He was also seen sporting the Fred Perry shirts that are popular with the white supremacist Proud Boys.
Italy
Since Giorgia Meloni became Italy’s prime minister in 2022, she has developed a personal relationship with the tech billionaire. In 2024, Musk commented on Italian politics by abruptly criticizing Italian judges for blocking the government’s plan to deport migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh to Albania. Meloni did not respond, but President Sergio Mattarella did, saying that Italy “knows how to take care of itself.”
Musk’s post asking, “Do the people of Italy live in a democracy or does an unelected autocracy make the decisions” received 53 million views.
Musk criticized an Italian judicial decision in 2024. (Source: X).
United Kingdom
In the U.K., Musk’s political support has shifted over time. His relationship with Reform UK initially appeared to be strengthening. In December 2024, Nigel Farage said the tech billionaire was giving “serious thought” to providing a donation to the party after the two met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Following the meeting, Farage posted a picture of the two of them on X with the caption “Britain Needs Reform. @ElonMusk.” Musk’s response was direct: “Absolutely.”
Just days later, in January 2025, Musk distanced himself from the far-right British politician writing on X that “the Reform party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
The split appeared to center on Tommy Robinson, an anti-Muslim extremist and founder of the far-right English Defense League (EDL), whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. At the time, Robinson was serving an 18-month jail sentence for contempt of court for repeatedly making false allegations against a Syrian refugee. Farage, however, rejected Robinson’s involvement with Reform. In September 2025, Musk appeared virtually at an anti-immigration protest organized by Robinson that drew more than 110,000 supporters to London.
Musk endorsing Restore Britain in June 2026. (Source: X).
More recently, the tech billionaire has thrown his support behind a Reform UK splinter party led by Rupert Lowe, an MP who left Farage’s party before launching his own, Restore Britain. In June 2026, Musk stated on X: “Only Restore Britain can save Britain. It is the only way.”
Hungary
Musk has publicly praised the policies of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In 2023, he stated that “Hungary is trying hard to address their birth rate problem.” The post, which promoted a Tucker Carlson interview with Orbán, reached 110 million views.
Musk praising Orbán’s policies in 2023. (Source: X).
His support for Orbán was also visible after the Hungarian leader lost the April 2026 national election, ending his 16-year grip on power. Musk reacted to a post by Alex Soros, son of philanthropist George Soros, celebrating Péter Magyar’s victory. “Soros Organization has taken over Hungary,” Musk wrote on X.
Argentina
In Latin America, Musk has also reacted to election results. In November 2023, he celebrated the victory of far-right politician Javier Milei. “Prosperity is ahead for Argentina,” the tech billionaire said.
The relationship between Milei and Musk has grown closer over time. In January 2025, the two exchanged warm words after the Argentine president thanked Musk “for his enormous work on X that has saved humanity” at a gala in Washington, D.C. Musk responded just hours later, posting in Spanish on X: “I love Javier Milei,” in a post viewed more than 50 million times.
Milei and Musk exchange warm words on X. (Source: X).
Brazil
In Brazil, Musk has targeted the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stating that investing in the country “under their current administration is insane.” He added: “When there is new leadership, that will hopefully change.”
However, the Brazilian figure Musk has singled out most frequently on X is Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In 2024, the Court ordered the platform to block several X accounts accused of spreading disinformation and hate speech online. Musk responded by directly attacking the judge: “This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached.”
During this conflict, Musk spoke out in support of a September 2024 demonstration organized by far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters against the Court’s decision to suspend X in Brazil. In 2025, Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a military coup and seeking to “annihilate” Brazilian democracy, while he was trying to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Lula da Silva.
Musk criticizing Lula’s government in September 2024. (Source: X).
El Salvador
“El Salvador has an amazing leader,” Musk wrote in 2024 about authoritarian President Nayib Bukele. Since taking office in 2019, El Salvador’s president has consolidated power through a security-driven model that weakens democratic institutions, undermines pluralism, and restricts fundamental rights.
Musk praising El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in 2024. (Source: X).
Their relationship has also extended into the commercial sphere. In December 2025, the Salvadoran government announced a partnership with Grok, X’s artificial intelligence chatbot, to bring its technology into more than 5,000 public schools across the country, where it will be used to develop curricula for more than one million students. Just weeks later, in January 2026, Grok faced an international scandal over the creation of sexualized AI-generated content, including images of minors.
