Tech billionaire and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk lashed out at a Democratic lawmaker on Friday afternoon who accused him of "endorsing a neo-Nazi party."
Following Trump's win over Vice President Kamala Harris, Musk has recently tried to use his influence to tilt Germany’s election, endorsing on his platform, X, the country’s far-right Alternative for Germany party. Musk wrote Thursday night, “Only the AfD can save Germany.”
He shared his comment while resharing a post from far-right influencer, Naomi Seibt, who said Germany’s "presumptive next chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is horrified by the idea that Germany should follow Elon Musk’s and Javier Milei’s example."
Seibt has pushed white nationalist ideology, according to The Guardian. She has also denied that climate change is largely driven by fossil fuels.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) slammed Musk on his platform.
"The AfD's mission is to rehabilitate the image of the Nazi movement. One leader's license plate is an open tribute to Hitler. A top AfD official said about migrants, 'We can always shoot them later...or gas them.' Another described Judaism as the 'inner enemy' in Germany," wrote Murphy.
Speaking with CNN anchor Dana Bash, Murphy railed that Musk's behavior is "not normal."
"AfD is essentially a neo-Nazi party in Germany," he said. "They exist to essentially rehabilitate the image of the Nazi Party," he said.
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The party has "all sorts of very dangerous ideas about ridding Germany of anyone that is not naturally born in that country," Murphy added. "They are an extremist group and it is just extraordinary that maybe the most important adviser to the United States, somebody that has been parading around the halls of Congress as a key adviser to the president is endorsing a neo-Nazi party inside of Germany."
Murphy warned the consequences could be "catastrophic" if the United States takes the official position in favor of neo-Nazis.
The criticism didn't sit well with Musk, who ripped Murphy on X.
"What a huge liar. The AfD policies are identical to those of the US Democratic Party when Obama took office! I don’t think there is a single difference."
While the AfD doesn't explicitly exhibit characteristics of white nationalism, the party's ideology and rhetoric closely align with far-right and right-wing populist ideologies, including elements of white nationalism.
The party's 2016 manifesto explicitly said, "Islam does not belong to Germany" and it has campaigned on slogans including "Burkas? We’re more into bikinis" and "Our country first!"
Furthermore, party co-chairman Alexander Gauland has talked of fighting an "invasion of foreigners."
Watch Murphy's clip at this link.