Elon Musk Says Only the AfD Can Save Germany: Why Is He Doing This?
Reza Mehman examines Elon Musk’s extensive involvement in German politics. Why does he recommend the AfD? What lies behind his posts, his guest article in Welt and his support for influencer Naomi Seibt? An analysis centred on one important question: should this be allowed?
Originally published on 9 January 2025. This episode reflects the political debate and Reza’s views at that time. His suggestions about Musk’s motives are interpretations, not established facts. The transcript below is translated in full from the published German article.
Elon Musk and the AfD: The Debate
Elon Musk is becoming heavily involved in German politics. He recommends the AfD, reposts influencer Naomi Seibt, publishes a guest article in Welt and writes on X: “Only the AfD can save Germany.” Reza Mehman asks why he is doing this and what lies behind it. The central question is whether it should be allowed, or whether it amounts to improper influence on Germany’s federal election.
Summary
In one sentence: Reza Mehman examines Elon Musk’s extensive involvement in German politics and asks why he recommends the AfD and whether this should be allowed.
In three sentences: Elon Musk recommends the AfD, reposts Naomi Seibt and publishes a guest article in Welt. Reza Mehman considers possible motives, from Tesla’s interests to personal beliefs and political influence. His conclusion is: “He has simply stated his preference. That is his right—but what do you think?”
In five sentences: Elon Musk is becoming heavily involved in German politics through AfD endorsements, reposts of Naomi Seibt and a guest article in Welt. Reza Mehman has been following this for months and considers possible motives. He suspects Musk is thinking primarily about Tesla’s interests: “I can’t imagine that he wants the country to be destabilised. It is a very important market for him.” At the same time, Reza asks whether a billionaire should be allowed to campaign so openly for a political party. His invitation is: “What do you think? I’ll leave that question with you.”
Context: Who, What and Why
Who is speaking: Reza Mehman, host of the Project Mindset podcast.
What this is about: Elon Musk’s involvement in German politics, his endorsements of the AfD and the question of whether such intervention is acceptable.
Why it matters: The influence of one of the world’s richest people on a national election raises important questions for democracy.
Three central themes in this episode:
- Elon Musk’s endorsements of the AfD and his support for Naomi Seibt.
- The guest article in Welt and the reactions to it.
- Should this be allowed? Freedom of expression or improper influence?
Contents
- Introduction
- Summary
- Context
- Themes and perspective
- Key takeaways
- Frequently asked questions
- Highlight quotes
- The full conversation
- Keywords
- Names and terms
- Quotable passage
Themes and Perspective
1. Elon Musk’s AfD endorsements and Naomi Seibt
Elon Musk wrote on X: “Only the AfD can save Germany.” He reposted influencer Naomi Seibt, born in 2000 and known for climate-sceptic positions and criticism of Greta Thunberg. Reza says: “What really surprises me is that he keeps recommending the AfD, over and over.”
Keywords: Elon Musk, AfD, Naomi Seibt, X, Twitter, endorsement
2. The guest article in Welt
Elon Musk published a guest article in Welt that caused an upheaval in the media debate. Welt also published an opposing commentary. Reza says: “I think, at first, it really is just about what Elon Musk wants to say.”
Keywords: guest article, Welt, media, freedom of expression
3. Should this be allowed? Free expression or political influence?
Reza considers possible motives, including Tesla’s interests and personal beliefs. His conclusion is: “He has simply stated his preference. That is his right—but what do you think? Should a man like Elon Musk be allowed to stand up and publish his opinion in a newspaper? Or is this direct interference?”
Keywords: freedom of expression, political influence, democracy, Tesla, German federal election
Key Takeaways
- Elon Musk wrote on X: “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
- He reposted influencer Naomi Seibt and supported her positions sympathetic to the AfD.
- He published a guest article in Welt.
- Reza suspects that Musk is thinking primarily about Tesla’s interests in Germany.
- Reza says: “I can’t imagine that he wants the country to be destabilised.”
- The central question is whether a billionaire should be allowed to campaign so openly for a political party.
- Reza says: “What do you think? I’ll leave that question with you.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Elon Musk recommend the AfD?
Reza Mehman considers several possible motives: Tesla’s interests in Germany, Musk’s personal political beliefs and his affinity with right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt. He says: “I think he has simply stated his preference. In effect, he is openly campaigning for a political party.” Reza leaves the question of whether this is acceptable open for discussion.
Who is Naomi Seibt?
Naomi Seibt is a German influencer born in 2000, known for climate-sceptic positions and criticism of Greta Thunberg. The media sometimes describe her as the “anti-Greta”. Musk reposted her several times and supported her positions sympathetic to the AfD.
Should Elon Musk be allowed to campaign for the AfD?
Reza Mehman poses this as an open question rather than providing a legal conclusion: “That is his right, even if I and many others disagree. But should a man like Elon Musk be allowed to stand up and publish his opinion in a newspaper? Or do we have to say that this no longer falls under freedom of expression and instead amounts to direct interference?”
Highlight Quotes
“Elon Musk is getting heavily involved in German politics right now.”
— Reza Mehman
“I can’t imagine that he wants the country to be destabilised. It is a very important market for him, for Tesla.”
— Reza Mehman
“He has simply stated his preference. In effect, he is openly campaigning for a political party. That is his right—but what do you think?”
— Reza Mehman
“Should a man like Elon Musk be allowed to stand up and publish his opinion in a newspaper? Or is this direct interference?”
— Reza Mehman
The Full Conversation
Introduction: Elon Musk Gets Involved
Reza Mehman: Elon Musk is getting heavily involved in German politics right now. And the question we can ask is: why is he doing this? Why is he such a strong supporter of the AfD? He keeps recommending it, saying that only the AfD can still save Germany, and publishes several tweets about it. I have been following this a little over the past few weeks and months. I have noticed that Musk is commenting more and more often.
His Support for Naomi Seibt
Reza Mehman: This involves influencer Naomi Seibt, born in 2000, so still relatively young. She is a German influencer who became known primarily for her climate-sceptic positions and criticism of Greta Thunberg. The media sometimes portray her as the anti-Greta. In this case, Musk has often retweeted her and commented that only the AfD is really the right solution for Germany.
The Guest Article in Welt
Reza Mehman: The question now is: why is Elon Musk doing this? Why has this huge article appeared, one that has really stirred up Germany’s media landscape? It is a big article by Musk, a guest contribution. In other words, it does not represent Welt’s opinion. Guest articles reflect only the opinion of the person writing the commentary.
Possible Motives: Tesla’s Interests
Reza Mehman: From what I have seen of Musk, my sense now is that he is absolutely thinking about his company, about Tesla and this huge investment. He also writes about that in the Welt article. I can’t imagine that he wants the country to be destabilised. It is a very important market for him, for Tesla. So I can’t imagine that he intends to destabilise it in any way.
The Central Question: Should This Be Allowed?
Reza Mehman: What is your opinion? I’ll leave that question with you. I think he has simply stated his preference. In effect, he is openly campaigning for a political party. That is his right, even if I disagree, even if many others disagree. But what do you think? Should a man like Elon Musk be allowed to stand up and publish his opinion in a newspaper? Or do we really have to say: no, this no longer falls under freedom of expression, but is direct interference? Something that should not be possible or allowed in Germany? What is your opinion? Thank you for listening. Until next time. Bye, bye.
Keywords
Tags: Elon Musk, AfD, Germany, Naomi Seibt, German federal election, political interference, freedom of expression, Reza Mehman
Names and Terms
Reza Mehman, Elon Musk, AfD, Naomi Seibt, X (Twitter), Welt, Tesla, German federal election, guest article, freedom of expression, Project Mindset
Quotable Passage
Reza Mehman: “Elon Musk is getting heavily involved in German politics right now.”
“I can’t imagine that he wants the country to be destabilised. It is a very important market for him, for Tesla.”
“Should a man like Elon Musk be allowed to stand up and publish his opinion in a newspaper? Or is this direct interference?”
For another perspective on political responsibility, see episode 178 on democracy and trust.
