Musk's escalating criticism and mocking of European leaders and governments, which he has done repeatedly via X, the social media platform he owns, has sparked a backlash from

WASHINGTON − Elon Musk is keeping the pressure on European leaders. Musk frequently wields his 211.5-million-follower account on X, the social media platform he bought for $44 billion in 2022, to air political grievances and promote far-right issues.

Elon Musk's online chat will be monitored by watchdogs from the European Commission, which has accused X of violating the 27-nation bloc's sweeping digital rulebook for cleaning up social media platforms and protecting internet users from online harm.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is preparing to host a live-streamed chat on his social media platform X with a leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party

After exerting significant influence over the U.S. elections in November—using millions in PAC funding to support President-elect Donald Trump's win and a GOP majority in Congress—Musk is now making his political preferences clear in Europe.

Fresh off his winning bet on President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 election, Elon Musk has been ramping up his efforts to replicate his political influence across the pond.

Musk's Tesla stake rose by $111 billion — 65% — last year. All but $2 billion of Musk’s Tesla gain and about 98% of what other Tesla shareholders gained came after Election Day, when Musk began hanging out extensively with Donald Trump and started calling himself Trump’s “first buddy.