Tech billionaire Elon Musk told Germans they should be proud of their heritage and “move beyond” the “guilt of the past” of older generations.
Musk appeared virtually on Saturday at a rally for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, reiterating his support for the party ahead of February's general election.
“First of all, I really wanted to say that I'm very excited about the AfD. I think you really are the best hope for Germany,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said in his remarks. .
“What I think is very important is that people are proud of Germany and being German. This is very important,” Musk continued. “It's okay to be proud of being German. This is a very important principle.”
Musk said that German children should not be held responsible for the crimes committed by past generations, an obvious reference to the Holocaust and crimes committed by the Nazi party.
“Frankly, I think there's too much focus on past guilt. We need to move beyond that,” Musk said. “Children should not commit the sins of their parents, much less the sins of their parents and great-grandparents.”
Musk, the world's richest man and leader of President Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, has raised eyebrows in recent weeks with his support for far-right parties in Europe, including the AfD.
Saturday's comments also come after Musk faced backlash after making a controversial gesture that some critics likened to a fascist salute during his inauguration speech on Monday.
In the face of backlash, Musk appeared to dismiss concerns with a social media post filled with puns based on the name of the Nazis' most notorious leader.
