US Vice President JD Vance met with the leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, on Friday, venturing out of the Munich Security Conference building as Weidel was not invited to the conference, said public broadcaster ZDF.
US President Donald Trump supporter and billionaire Elon Musk publicly endorsed AfD before Germany’s February 23 election. Musk appeared at an AfD campaign rally in January via live video, addressing 4,500 attendees.
In his address, Musk claimed that the Germans cannot feel guilty about their past misdeeds, presumably Nazi Germany, and encouraged the safeguarding of national culture from what he said was the dilution of multiculturalism. He announced AfD as Germany’s “best hope” for elections.
AfD gained strength over the past few months and emerged as the first right-wing party to take control of a German state election since World War II. The German government blamed Musk for interfering in the elections, denouncing his remarks.
Vance Speaks Up for Musk’s Comment
Delivering a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Vance came to the defense of Musk, suggesting that sharing opinions no matter from where isn’t interference in the elections.
“Speaking out and voicing opinions isn’t election interference, even when those opinions are from powerful people outside the nation,” Vance said.
Musk, the richest person in the world, has increasingly supported far-right parties in Europe, such as AfD in Germany and Reform UK in Britain. His recent attacks on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, including demands for fresh elections and provocative comments on US intervention, have further heightened political tensions.
