Assessment of Elon Musk's Utilization of X to Boost the Influence of European Far-Right Movements
Revisiting Elon Musk's Social Media Strategies: Amplifying Extremist Ideologies Across Europe
In the aftermath of Donald Trump's return to the White House, our site, RTBF, and France 24 collaborated to analyze Elon Musk's communication strategies on his social network, X. Over 15,000 tweets published between November 4, 2024, and April 4, 2025, were scrutinized using a French semantic analysis AI tool. This investigation unveiled that the head of X employed his network to amplify the far-right in Europe.
Digging into the Data:Thanks to the AI tool, Arlequin, recurring themes in Musk's tweets could be identified (immigration, freedom of expression, national identity) and correlated with major electoral events. Arlequin was also instrumental in mapping the networks of accounts boosted by Musk.
This examination pinpointed 189 thematic sub-categories, with about 20 focusing explicitly on Europe. A meticulous, tweet-by-tweet analysis was conducted to comprehend which narratives Musk boosts, which influencers he engages with, and which current events elicit his activity spikes.
Aiming for the Far Right in Germany:Among European countries, Germany appears to be one of Musk's primary targets. Out of all tweets concerning Europe, around 10% targeted Germany. In over 7 out of 10 cases, Musk shared messages about immigration, the supposedly endangered freedom of expression, or the AfD – the far-right party that garnered a historic score in the February 2025 legislative elections.
Starting in December, after Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost the confidence of the deputies and following the assault on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Musk intensified his tweets. Between December and February, he repeatedly disseminated a false piece of information that in Germany, one could face imprisonment for sharing a simple "meme" – a humorous image. This message was reinforced by the propagation of caricatures and out-of-context news report excerpts.
On the eve of the legislative elections, February 22, Musk shared a caricature depicting two prisoners: one incarcerated for terrorism, the other for an internet insult. He validated this message with a simple comment: "Actually true" or "Clearly true". The tweet amassed nearly 60 million views.
Musk typically avoids directly supporting the AfD with slogans. Instead, his strategy is more subtle: amplifying emotional or contentious content that reinforces the party's discourse, including through accounts of far-right influencers.
Naomi Seibt and her Influence:The far-right influencer that Musk boosts the most in Germany is Naomi Seibt. A young German militant often referred to as "the anti-Greta Thunberg," she advocates for climate skeptic, anti-immigration, and sovereigntist positions.
Musk interacted with her over 40 times during the analyzed period. Consequently, Naomi Seibt's posts achieved seven to eight times more engagement when they received a boost from Musk.
The United Kingdom: A New Battlefield:Musk is especially active in the UK, publishing 606 tweets in six months. His primary focus seems clear: Keir Starmer, who became Labour Prime Minister in July 2024.
For months, Musk has attacked Starmer. He accuses him of concealing networks of collective rapes, also known as "grooming gangs," while serving as Director of Public Prosecutions between 2008 and 2013. These are significant accusations that Musk fails to substantiate, yet he consistently shares them in a tense electoral context with local elections in May 2025.
Like in Germany with Naomi Seibt, Musk relies on a radical figure in the UK: Tommy Robinson, former leader of the English Defence League and known for his xenophobic and Islamophobic positions. Musk openly supports him and shares a nearly two-hour documentary, published on X.
This documentary alleges that British institutions are suppressing truth in the name of political correctness. A particularly highlighted part claims: "It's a documentary about the alliance between the media, the judicial system, and our politicians, and how they conspire to suppress freedom of expression."
On X,Musk seems to be distancing himself from Nigel Farage, a more conventional far-right figure considered less radical.
RadioGenoa: Sowing Fear:Another key player in Musk's strategy is the RadioGenoa account. Anonymous and boasting over 1.3 million followers, this far-right account publishes anxiety-inducing news from all over Europe every day.
Violent incidents, attacks, and crimes are reported without context, but find immediate resonance thanks to Musk's shares.
France's Turn?Musk has been more discreet about France, but early April 2025 saw a reaction to the conviction of Marine Le Pen for misappropriation of public funds at the European Parliament. He then spoke of an "abuse of the judicial system," invoking a well-rehearsed narrative that denounces any judicial action against a far-right figure as an attempt at political censorship.
With over 200 million subscribers, Musk is today one of the most powerful communicators in the world. His political tweets regularly reach tens of millions of views in a few hours. During electoral periods, their impact on public opinion is far from neutral. Through a selective, emotional, and consistent amplification of far-right narratives, Musk is becoming a significant political influencer in Europe.
- The semantic analysis AI tool, Arlequin, revealed that Elon Musk used his social network, X, to amplify far-right ideologies, particularly in Europe, during a focused period.
- In Germany, approximately 10% of Musk's tweets concerning Europe targeted the country, often sharing messages about immigration, freedom of expression, or the far-right party, the AfD.
- Naomi Seibt, a German far-right influencer, was boosted by Musk more than any other, resulting in her posts having seven to eight times more engagement.
- In the United Kingdom, Musk focused on Keir Starmer, the Labour Prime Minister, accusing him of concealing networks of "grooming gangs" without providing substantiation.
- Another key player in Musk's strategy is the anonymous RadioGenoa account, which publishes anxiety-inducing news from all over Europe, often finding immediate resonance through Musk's shares.
