German Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered a subtle criticism early Tuesday of the influence billionaire Elon Musk has had on President-elect Trump, saying the country's fate does not depend on the “owners of social media.” said.
“It's not unreasonable to think that in our debates, the more extreme the opinion, the more attention it gets,” Scholz said in a message on New Year's Eve, according to the paper, but especially when it comes to masks. He did not mention him or Trump. guardian.
He added that Germany's future “depends on the vast majority of rational and decent people.”
“After all, it's customary to make wishes on New Year's Eve,” Scholz said later. “My wish is that we don't betray ourselves to each other.”
His comments came days after the German government accused the billionaire of trying to influence February's election.
Musk wrote an op-ed in the country's Welt am Sonntag newspaper supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany party. In the article, Trump's staunch ally also called for Scholz's resignation.
Christiane Hoffmann, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister's office, acknowledged that Musk had the right to express his opinion, despite the perceived interference.
“At the end of the day, freedom of opinion includes the biggest nonsense,” Hoffman said Monday.
In his comments on Tuesday, the prime minister pointed to what he called disinformation on social media about the recent attack on a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg that left five people dead and 200 injured.
“However, a significant number of these rumors and speculations have in the meantime been debunked. They divide and weaken us,” he said, according to the Guardian. reported. “This is not good for our country.”
The exchange follows criticism from Democratic lawmakers over who is in control ahead of Trump's return to the White House. After the billionaire helped scuttle a bipartisan spending deal earlier this month and the president-elect appeared to follow suit, many are claiming that “President Musk” is actually in charge. They are making fun of him.
President Trump denied that claim over the weekend, repeating his team's statement that he is the “true leader” of the Republican Party.
“No, he's not going to be president, I can tell you that,” Trump said of Musk at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on Sunday. “And I'm safe, you know why? It can't be, he wasn't born in this country.”
Key Trump allies, including former adviser Steve Bannon and far-right activist Laura Loomer, are also scrutinizing the relationship in light of recent conservative infighting over the nonimmigrant H-1B visa program. There is.
When asked for comment, President Trump's press secretary Stephen Chan pointed The Hill to the president-elect's previous comments.
