In October 2022, Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, renamed it X, and made it on his favorite toy. From the first moment, the billionaire has used the social network to spread any idea that crossed his mind and allow others to do so, regardless of whether the comments are racists, homophobesencourage conspiracy theories or incite hatred.
Later, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla also decided to use the platform to interfere in US politics. Specifically, to fervently support the then former Republican president, Donald Trump, in his race back to the White House, despite officially being a convicted criminal and having called into question the functioning of American democracy.
Now that Trump has finally been re-elected to office after winning the presidential election on November 5, Elon Musk has reaped the rewards: this Tuesday, the president-elect announced that Musk —with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy—, would be in front of the Department dand Government Efficiency (DOGE), in charge of reshaping the Government. Thus, since he is going to directly influence American politics, the tycoon has decided to use X to condition the politics of other countries. And it’s Italy’s turn.
“These judges have to go.” With this phrase, the billionaire tried on Tuesday to support Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, in her battle against the Italian courts, which have rejected for the second time the president’s plan to deport migrants to Albania. “This is unacceptable. Do Italians live in a democracy or in an unelected autocracy that makes decisions?” Musk insisted in another comment on Wednesday.
The truth is that Meloni and Musk maintain a special friendship for years. In 2023, the prime minister invited Musk to the annual party of her party, the far-right Fratelli d’Italia, with all honors. This 2024, the tycoon gave Meloni to him in New York the Global Citizen awardfrom the Atlantic Council think tank, and described her as a person “even more beautiful on the inside than on the outside.” This good harmony, captured in a photograph in which they were seen having dinner together, sparked rumors about a possible love relationship which they both later denied.
Nelle scorse pray ho sentito l’amico @elonmusk. Sono convinta che il suo impegno e la sua visione potranno rappresentare un’importante risorsa per gli Stati Uniti e per l’Italia, in uno spirito di collaboration volto ad adfrontare le sfide future. pic.twitter.com/sAqHNG1kaG
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) November 7, 2024
Perhaps that is why Musk has come out in defense of Meloni’s controversial immigration policy, which has shaken the foundations of even the European Union, and has not caught anyone by surprise. But it has raised blisters in the country. Although the head of government has remained silent, the president, Sergio Mattarellahas harshly charged against the businessman.
“Italy is a great democratic country and knows how to take care of itself. Everyone, particularly who, as has been announced, is about to assume an important government role in a friendly and ally countrythey must respect sovereignty and cannot take on the task of issuing prescriptions,” requested the Italian head of state.
However, due to his closeness to Musk and his sympathy for Trumpthere are many who suggest that Meloni could emerge as Europe’s main interlocutor with the new US Administration. Especially because the president-elect has already announced that the relationship will be complicated: he has promised impose tariffs on European products and cut off funding to Ukraine to confront the Russian invasion.
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