Donald Trump on Tuesday brushed aside concerns about his ally Elon Musk’s repeated attacks on European governments.
Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the president-elect said Musk was “doing a very good job” — and claimed ignorance about his major donor’s specific attacks on leaders across the pond.
Musk, who will co-direct Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has beefed in recent weeks with the U.K. government over the state’s approach to child sexual exploitation.
And he’s endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany in forthcoming federal elections.
It’s earned him strong pushbacks from leaders including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who criticized “lies and misinformation,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who said Musk’s interventions were “worrying,” and French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron who warned that Musk was now backing “a new international reactionary movement.”
Pressed Tuesday on whether Musk’s interventions were appropriate, Trump replied: “You mean where he likes people that … tended to be conservative? I don’t know the people. I can say Elon’s doing a good job. Very smart guy.”
The president-elect added: “I don’t know the people you’re talking about. I know he said some negative things about a couple of people that are running for office, but it’s not so unusual.”
Trump’s comments come as pressure mounts on the European Commission to use its extensive digital rulebook to rein in the X platform Musk owns in response to his planned hosting of a livestream with German far-right leader Alice Weidel.
The post Trump shrugs off ‘smart’ Elon Musk’s European meddling appeared first on Politico.
