Elon Musk: How the world's richest man made his billions – and became a political powerhouse
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Rarely a day (or night) goes by in the current news cycle without Elon Musk dominating the headlines. The world’s richest man — with a net worth of $425 billion and counting — is addicted to posting outspoken tweets, mainly on the social media platform he owns, X — formerly known as Twitter. His companies dominate everything from electric vehicle production and space exploration, he has a bromance with the next US President, and has his sights seemingly set on disrupting other country’s political systems.
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In the opening weeks of 2025 alone, Musk has attacked the UK government online, calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his safeguarding minister Jess Philips to be jailed. The billionaire has been looking into how to oust Starmer before the next election, according to a report in the Financial Times. He has taken potshots at Canada’s outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
He has mooted financial support for political party Reform UK, although he appears to have switched allegiance from current leader Nigel Farage to imprisoned far-right activist Tommy Robinson. On the other side of the Channel, he has also been busy supporting the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, hosting a live interview with her on X.
World leaders are not happy. French President Emmanuel Macron has accused Musk of “directly intervening” in European elections. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has also voiced concern. “I find it worrying that a man with enormous access to social media and huge economic resources involves himself so directly in the internal affairs of other countries,” said Støre.
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