Bill Gates Criticizes Elon Musk’s Political Influence and Far-Right Support

Bill Gates has raised concerns over Elon Musk’s increasing involvement in global politics, particularly his support for far-right movements in countries like Germany and the U.K. Gates expressed alarm over Musk’s ability to influence political landscapes, describing it as “insane” and urging nations to establish safeguards to prevent wealthy individuals from impacting elections.

“It’s really insane that he can destabilize the political situations in countries,” Gates stated. “In the U.S., foreigners aren’t allowed to donate to campaigns; other countries might need similar safeguards to stop super-rich individuals from distorting their elections.”

Musk recently attended a campaign event for Germany’s far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), where he encouraged support for the group, calling for unity and optimism about Germany’s future. In the U.K., Musk reportedly advised the right-wing Reform Party to replace its leader, Nigel Farage, and called for the removal of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He even conducted an online poll suggesting that “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government.”

Gates criticized Musk’s political moves, saying, “You want to promote the right-wing but then say Nigel Farage isn’t right-wing enough… I mean, this is insane stuff. You are supporting the AfD in Germany. If someone is super-smart, and he is, they should think about how they can help. But this is just populist stirring.”

Musk has also drawn attention for his commentary on controversial grooming cases in the U.K., which far-right activists have linked to immigration. Gates questioned Musk’s involvement in such narratives, given his extensive global business interests. “It’s difficult to understand why someone with car factories in China and Germany, a rocket business dependent on sovereign relationships, and a role in cutting $2 trillion in U.S. expenses is obsessing over this grooming story in the U.K. I’m like, what?”

During the discussion, Gates also reflected on a three-hour dinner with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024. Describing the meeting as “constructive,” Gates shared that they discussed HIV funding, polio eradication, energy, and nuclear innovation, with Trump showing a willingness to engage on these topics.

“He is the most powerful person in the world, and even a small decision on something like HIV funding would make the trip worthwhile,” Gates explained. He added that he had met with Trump more frequently during his first term than he had with Joe Biden, commenting, “Whoever gets to inspire President Trump about the right things, that’s God’s work.”

As of now, Musk has not publicly responded to Gates’ remarks.