Amirali Abolfath, in an interview with the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations’ website, said, “Elon Musk’s behavior cannot be considered merely the actions of a media figure; rather, he is practically acting as a transnational political actor.” The senior US affairs analyst says: “The history of these actions predates the 100,000-strong right-wing rally in London; back when billionaires like Musk believed that the victory of the right-wing movement centered around Trump in the 2024 US elections could provide a golden opportunity to revive similar movements in Europe.” According to him, “These individuals and groups, inspired by the slogans of the American right, are organizing, drafting agendas, and mobilizing forces to challenge the liberal and left-leaning governments of Europe.”

Abolfath emphasizes that “examples of this trend can be seen in Musk’s support for Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland party, the right-wing governments of Italy and Hungary, and even nationalist movements in Latin America in Brazil and Argentina.” According to this international affairs expert, “Billionaires like Musk believe that developments in Europe can, in a way, reflect trends in the United States; for this reason, they are seriously trying to turn Europe into a stage for global right-wing movements.”

Amirali Abolfath, referring to Musk’s unique personality among American economic elites, notes that “unlike traditional oligarchs, he is interested in being directly at the heart of political decision-making.” In his view, “Musk possesses wealth, media, and social popularity all at once.” For this reason, he believes that “the era when the super-rich were merely behind-the-scenes supporters of politics has ended. Today, they aspire to be leaders of political movements themselves. This trend is particularly evident in Trump’s second administration, during which Musk served as an advisor for a time. Still, after separating, he tried to establish his own party to play the role of an independent leader.”

According to this senior US affairs analyst, “Musk’s intervention in European developments is part of a larger strategy aimed at strengthening the right-wing in the United States.” He explains: “The potential victory of right-wing movements in Europe could inject fresh energy into the American right-wing and solidify their position in upcoming elections, particularly in Congress.” Abolfath recalls that “currently, the right-wing has a decisive superiority in the US Supreme Court and also controls the executive branch, but they still face limitations in the legislature; therefore, they are seeking to create conditions that silence opposing voices and pave the way for a kind of authoritarian rule.”

This US affairs expert highlights the transnational dimensions of Musk’s role-playing, noting that “Musk has not only had media and even field intervention in the Ukraine crisis and the Gaza war but has also tried to build a political image for himself by traveling to these regions.” Abolfath says: “A new phenomenon has emerged in which the super-rich possess not only financial resources but also the necessary media tools and social legitimacy to influence global politics directly.”

According to this analyst, “The emergence of such actors could pose new challenges to the international order. Existing institutions are primarily designed to curb the behavior of states and effectively lack effective tools against the intervention of non-state figures like Musk.” Abolfath warns that “The continuation of this trend could threaten the principle of national sovereignty and even the political security of countries, without there being a clear mechanism to counter it.”

Finally, this US affairs analyst emphasizes that “The recent experience in Britain is a serious warning for governments and international institutions to reconsider the growing power of non-state actors in the global political arena. In his view, the emergence of billionaires like Elon Musk as ‘shadow politicians’ could shatter the boundaries between the state, social movements, and media empires and outline a new perspective for international politics in the twenty-first century.”