JD Vance, the US Vice President-elect, has defended Elon Musk’s op-ed supporting Germany’s far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Musk expressed support for AfD in a guest opinion piece published in German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, claiming that only AfD can save Germany.
Vance said he was not endorsing AfD in the upcoming German elections but rather found Musk’s observation “interesting”. He also criticized US media outlets for their portrayal of AfD as “Nazi-lite”, arguing that AfD is most popular in areas of Germany that were historically resistant to Nazism.
The op-ed sparked controversy, with the paper’s commentary editor resigning and the German government accusing Musk of trying to influence its February election. The country’s ambassador to the US, Andreas Michaelis, called Vance’s tweet an “interesting observation” but warned against extremism in all its forms.
Musk has been involved in Germany’s politics since December last year, calling for the resignation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and making significant investments in the country’s technological and industrial sectors. The AfD has maintained its position as the second most popular party in Germany despite ruling out coalition government with major parties.
Source: https://thehill.com/policy/international/5063826-musk-elon-vance-afd-germany