Transatlantic trolling: What is Europe's answer to Musk's attacks?

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Transatlantic trolling: What is Europe's answer to Musk's attacks?

Edité par France 24 - 2025

Elon Musk is no longer just the billionaire boss of Tesla and SpaceX. He has been tapped for what is billed as a cabinet position by Donald Trump. He's no longer a private citizen and so it is all the more surprising that he's using his social medium X to furiously slam sitting governments in Britain and Germany and endorse far-right leaders and tropes.

Do not feed the troll, says the German chancellor. But as Olaf Scholz himself admits, Musk's unique positioning presents new challenges. Is the Trump whisperer inciting hate? Is it foreign meddling on the part of the incoming US administration? How do European leaders react?

And what do Musk's invectives signal for relations between Washington and Europe after Inauguration Day on January 20?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Ilayda Habip.

Note

Elon Musk really doesn't like British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This Monday saw Starmer hit back at Musk after days of silence, saying the world's richest man was spreading "lies and misinformation" with his attacks on the British leader and one of his ministers on X. More broadly, what is Europe to do about X owner Musk's trolling of sitting governments and support for the far right?

Langue: anglais

Date de publication: 06/01/2025

Collection: The Debate

Contributeurs: Marietje SCHAAKE Fellow, Stanford University; Author, The Tech Coup
Jérôme BARBIER Former Head of Cybersecurity, Paris Peace Forum
Felix KARTTE Senior Fellow, Mercator Foundation
Dorian LYNSKEY Author and cohost of the Origin Story podcast

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