For the world’s richest man, running a business empire isn’t enough.
Elon Musk, owner of some of the world’s most prominent technology companies, including automaker Tesla, social media platform X and aerospace company SpaceX, has also emerged as a visible figure in the political world.
As the United States prepares to elect a new president in November, Musk has endorsed former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate who has vowed to take a leadership role in his administration if re-elected.
Musk has regularly used the influence he wields through his companies to influence political debates in countries around the world, from Brazil to Germany.
The 53-year-old’s involvement in politics is unprecedented in its openness and visibility, giving a small number of private technology companies and their executives access to decisions traditionally reserved to governments. Digital rights experts warn that it highlights how increasingly unfettered power they hold.
“The type of technology that Mr. Musk operates is extremely important, and the companies that he owns are incredibly influential and sit at a critical juncture in terms of access to information and geopolitics. Marietje Schaake, a researcher at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center and author of “The World.” Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley.
“And Mr. Musk is not running these companies simply to maximize success,” Schaake, a former member of the European Parliament from the Dutch Liberal Democratic Party 66, told DW. “He also uses them as a tool for his own geopolitical purposes.”
From a self-proclaimed “moderate” to a right-wing hardliner
Since founding his first company in the mid-1990s, the South African-born entrepreneur has built a series of successful businesses and amassed a fortune estimated at more than $243 billion (€224 billion).
His talent for growing startups into major technology companies has given him greater control over critical digital infrastructure and allowed him to gradually expand his political influence.
Currently, the US space program NASA relies on Musk’s spaceflight company SpaceX to launch satellites. Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, brings broadband internet to some of the world’s most remote areas and has become an essential tool for militaries in conflict zones from Ukraine to Gaza.
The geopolitical implications of controlling these technologies are illustrated by the Wall Street Journal revelations. According to the paper, Musk has been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022. Among other things, Mr. Putin told Mr. Musk that the Starlink satellite communications system was installed in Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Musk’s acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) in 2022 also gave him control of one of the most influential social media platforms.
At the same time, entrepreneurs who once considered themselves “moderates” on the political fringes have increasingly aligned themselves with the positions of hardline conservatives and now left-wingers who they consider detrimental to the future of society. openly opposes the ideals of
break with tradition
Musk’s political involvement has reached new heights in the run-up to November’s US presidential election. After the assassination attempt in mid-July, Musk publicly supported Trump. Mr. Musk donated nearly $119 million to super PACs supporting Mr. Trump between July and mid-October, according to campaign finance reports.
Earlier this week, he made headlines by offering cash incentives to registered voters in seven battleground states to sign petitions. Each day leading up to the election, one signer will be randomly selected to receive $1 million.
Such overt political involvement is unusual among America’s business elite. “The relationship between Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump exposes a level of influence that most business moguls would prefer to keep under the radar,” Shirk said. “Mr. Musk’s actions seem to reflect that he believes he can do whatever he wants,” she added, calling out Mr. Musk’s attempts to insert himself into political debates in other countries. I mentioned it repeatedly.
What happens if Trump wins?
What is becoming clear is that these efforts are aimed at expanding Musk’s access and influence if Trump is re-elected in November.
“I can very well imagine that he would seek certain commitments from President Trump regarding foreign policy related to his business,” Shirk said.
The first glimpse of this potential influence came in late September. President Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, has suggested that the United States may reconsider its support for NATO if the European Union moves forward with regulations targeting social media platforms, particularly Musk’s X. . We are currently investigating X for possible breaches of new online platform regulations, which could result in significant fines.
Cyber policy expert Shaake warned that this concentration of power over critical digital infrastructure poses risks to democracy.
“Mr. Musk is unpredictable and his position can change overnight,” she says. “And when the people who control critical products and infrastructure change their minds, the impact can be significant.”
Edited by Lina Goldenberg
