Elon Musk has shown no qualms about weighing in on this weekend’s German election. Since endorsing the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party — declaring on Dec. 20 that “only the AfD can save Germany” — the billionaire White House appointee has posted about the party and its leader more than 70 times on his social media site X,

STORY: While Elon Musk is playing a central role in the U.S. government as head of President Donald Trump's task force to slash government spending, the world’s richest person has also weighed in prominently on politics in Germany.

The next German government’s response could be political, legal, or possibly target Musk’s gigafactory near Berlin, center-right leader says in interview.

Friedrich Merz has warned of potential political or legal consequences for Elon Musk after he endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on X. Merz stated he would assess the matter after the election campaign.

Elon Musk is under scrutiny for influencing Germany's election, with Friedrich Merz, a leading political figure, planning responses. Musk's support for the AfD and criticisms of Chancellor Scholz have sparked controversy ahead of the February 23 elections.

In the first major European vote since President Trump’s re-election, influence campaigns are targeting Germany from two sides.

All other German parties see the far-right AfD as a threat to democracy, but the anti-immigration party has a powerful friend abroad: Elon Musk, the loudhailer voice of Team Trump.

As the world seeks ways to retaliate against U.S. tariffs, so-called "first buddy" Elon Musk appears to be high on the list of targets. Why it matters: Targeted retaliation is designed to give supporters of Donald Trump an incentive to try to persuade him to deescalate any trade war.