Elon Musk made a surprising appearance at a rally for Germany’s Alternative for Deutschland party on Saturday, urging Germans to embrace their culture and suggesting it's time they should move on. The timing of the rally couldn't be more controversial, as the Tesla CEO is accused of performing a “Sieg Heil” salute at Trump’s inauguration event earlier this week.
Elon Musk addresses Germany's far-right Afd party rally
“It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values" Musk who made a virtual appearance at the campaign event in Halle, Germany, said according to Forbes. He then urged AfD’s candidate for chancellor Alice Weidel and her supporters, "not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.”
Also read: Bill Gates admits divorcing Melinda left him ‘miserable’ and full of regret: ‘Greatest mistake’
The Tesla CEO expressed his hope that Weidel would become Germany's chancellor after the February 23 election after mentioning that Germany faces ‘too much bureaucracy’ from the European Union. He emphasised that Germans should protect their culture and not let the country be overwhelmed by multiculturalism. Musk pointed out that people prefer places with a unique identity, rather than those that feel the same as everywhere else because of globalisation.
‘Make Germany Great again’
{{/usCountry}}‘Make Germany Great again’
{{/usCountry}}Elsewhere during his rally speech, the SpaceX CEO encouraged people to move past their history and stop feeling guilty about the actions of their ancestors. He told the crowd that Germans carry too much guilt over the atrocities of the past and need to let it go.
He said there’s "too much focus on past guilt" and that "children shouldn't be blamed for the sins of their parents or great-grandparents."
Weidel commended Musk for his support and echoed President Donald Trump’s slogan by stating her intention to “Make Germany Great Again,” Forbes reports.
Musk, who played a significant role in helping Trump return to power as America's 47th president, has been backing the AfD party for weeks. This comes after a week in which he faced accusations of sympathising with Nazis. Musk clarified and has repeatedly defended himself saying that this was not his intention.