Unease grows over Elon Musk's influence as US government shutdown looms
There is a strong possibility of a government shutdown in the US. Many point to the growing influence of billionaire Elon Musk as a major cause. In Germany, there is also much unrest over Musk's support for Germany's far-right party AfD.
The US House of Representatives earlier today rejected a new proposal for the US budget. If Congress does not reach an agreement, on the night of Friday to Saturday, government funding will end.
During a full shutdown, all non-essential US government agencies and programmes close since they depend on annual government funding. Government workers carrying out essential services, such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officials, continue to work but do not get paid until the shutdown ends.
Republicans had submitted the new proposal and it was backed by president-elect Donald Trump. A day earlier, Republicans had shot down a compromise that House Republican speaker Mike Johnson had agreed with the Democratic group. They did so under pressure from Trump, who seemed to have been prompted to do so by billionaire Musk, the future head of the US department of government efficiency.
According to Musk, the original proposal contained far too much additional spending. He posted around 100 messages about it on his social network X, calling the budget “criminal” and “wacky”. He argued that politicians who voted for it deserved to be voted out in two years' time.
There was strong criticism of Musk's growing influence. “Here we are once again in chaos,” said House Democratic whip Katherine Clark. “And what for? Because Elon Musk, an unelected man, said, ‘We're not doing this deal’, and Donald Trump followed along.” Bernie Sanders, senator for the state of Vermont, called Musk's role in the case an example of an oligarchy.
Unrest in Germany
In Germany, Musk caused unrest after he expressed support for the far-right party AfD. In a post on X, he said that only AfD could save Germany. Early parliamentary elections will take place in the country in February. Musk also previously expressed support for Nigel Farage's far-right Reform UK party.
An MP from chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party, Axel Schäfer, called Musk's tweet “completely unacceptable”. “We reject any interference with our election campaign,” he told the Tagesspiegel newspaper.
An MEP from the conservative opposition, Dennis Radtke, judged Musk to be “a threat”. “The erosion of our democracy is fueled internally and externally,” he said. “Trump, Farage and now AfD.”
Elon Musk © PHOTO ALGI FEBRI SUGITA / ZUMA PRESS WIRE
Related news
