Washington DC:
It is not unthinkable that the world’s richest particular person can pull greater than only a few strings with high politicians, however Elon Musk appears to be investing himself within the political world with such depth that analysts now marvel if there’s a bigger plan.
Last week Elon Musk created historical past by breaking his personal earlier file and changing into the primary particular person to have a internet value of greater than 400 billion {dollars}. In simply six days, he has added practically one other 100 billion ($86 billion) and is knocking on the 500-billion-dollar mark. In the final one yr, Musk has added $257 billion to his internet value – $7 billion greater than your entire internet value of Jeff Bezos – the second-most richest particular person globally.
Image and Data Credit: Bloomberg
But Musk isn’t just using the excessive wave in the case of enterprise, he’s now doing the identical in geopolitics. Having being included within the Trump Administration 2.0, Elon Musk finds himself immersed on this planet of politics. Though he was deeply concerned with Donald Trump’s marketing campaign and is partially credited for the latter’s win within the US elections, he now appears to be backing – or reasonably, influencing – leaders from past the United States.
US DONE, MUSK SETS EYES ON UK
From supporting one firebrand chief to now backing one other one – this time within the UK – Elon Musk has held in depth talks with anti-immigration hardliner Nigel Farage. The discussions between the 2 had been largely centered on Musk funding Farage’s hard-right get together ‘Reform UK’.
Elon Musk, who now freely makes use of Donald Trump’s Florida resort estate-cum-residence, Mar-a-Lago, as his political workplace, invited Nigel Farage for a gathering earlier this week.
Writing about it in British day by day The Telegraph, Mr Farage confirmed that “the problem of cash was mentioned”, although the 2 couldn’t agree on the quantity in query by the tip of that assembly. “There might be ongoing negotiations on that rating,” Mr Farage added.
Sharing particulars in regards to the assembly, that may most actually elevate eyebrows within the UK’s two essential political get together places of work – The Labour Party, now in authorities and the Conservative Party, at the moment the opposition – Mr Farage talked about about Elon Musk’s disdain for each events. He said that Musk “described the Labour and Conservative events because the uniparty, and left us (Reform Party) in little doubt that he’s proper behind us.”
In his article Mr Farage additionally talked about that he goals to study from Elon Musk’s money incentives for folks to be inspired to vote – a technique that labored for Donald Trump’s Republican get together in the course of the US elections. Mr Farage said that “I’ve come house with copious notes on how they elevated turnout, voter registration, and a lot extra, and all of this I intend to implement as a part of the professionalisation of our get together.”
Elon Musk is reportedly contemplating an preliminary donation of $100 million to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage stated, “He needs to assist us, he isn’t against the concept of giving us cash offered we are able to do it legally via UK corporations.”
It might be a steep ask for Mr Farage’s get together to even consider profitable a basic election within the UK. In the newest elections held this yr, the Reform Party gained simply 5 seats within the 650-seat UK Parliament. However, it scores impressively when it comes to vote share, accounting for 14 per cent of all of the votes solid. Mr Farage hopes that with Musk’s help – ethical and monetary – his get together would possibly simply do the unthinkable.
Concluding his article, Mr Farage wrote, “It is heartening to hearken to Elon talk about UK politics with such deep care. He regards the mom nation of the English-speaking world as being in very deep hassle.”
After their assembly, Mr Farage wrote on Musk’s social media platform X that “”Britain wants reform”, to which Elon Musk promptly replied “Absolutely”.
Absolutely
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024
ELON MUSK’S CALL WITH UKRAINE’S ZELENSKY
Last month Elon Musk was with Donald Trump on the President-elect’s residence and luxurious resort Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida when Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the cellphone.
During the cellphone name, Donald Trump reportedly handed the cellphone over to Elon Musk and supposedly requested the SpaceX founder to hitch the decision with President Zelensky.
Elon Musk then reassured President Zelensky that he’ll proceed to assist Ukraine by way of his Starlink satellite tv for pc constellation. Since the Russian invasion in 2022, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite tv for pc system has offered Ukraine with vital frontline benefit by permitting its armed forces to share real-time drone coordinates, information and pictures between items. It additionally gave Ukraine’s navy communications help in areas the place cell phone networks had been destroyed.
FRIENDSHIP WITH ARGENTINA’S JAVIER MILEI
Argentinian President Javier Milei was reportedly one of many few world leaders to have been invited for Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony on January 20, 2025 – an invitation he has reportedly accepted. Elon Musk has been a really robust supporter of President Milei.
In truth, as per a report within the New York Times, in a video uploaded on social media platform X by Elon Musk himself, the tech billionaire claimed that watching President Milei’s speech was “higher than having intercourse”.
Elon Musk had even met President Milei when information of his electoral victory was confirmed. In a submit on X earlier than that assembly, Musk had written “Prosperity is forward for Argentina”.
It have to be famous that Argentina has massive deposits of Lithium, which is essential for Elon Musk’s EV firm Tesla.
According to a report by CNN, Elon Musk is in talks with a minimum of a dozen different world leaders – for geopolitical causes in addition to for enterprise.
Only time will unravel whether or not Elon Musk’s political outreach is restricted to simply pulling just a few strings, or will it lead to him holding on to the very reins that may restructure international politics.