Der Spiegel Defends Reporting Amidst Elon Musk’s Criticism
German magazine Der Spiegel has staunchly defended its investigative reporting on Elon Musk after the billionaire accused the publication of inciting violent threats against both himself and former US presidential candidate Donald Trump. Musk took to the social media platform X to share a photo of a Der Spiegel article that featured a photo montage of him alongside Trump, accompanied by the provocative caption, “Enemy number two.”
Musk expressed his outrage, tweeting, “With their relentless hit pieces, legacy mainstream media are actively encouraging the assassination of Donald Trump and me.” During a town hall rally in Pennsylvania, he reiterated his discontent, questioning, “I’m like, enemy number two of what? Uh, democracy? I mean I’m pro-democracy.” He humorously remarked about having to bolster his security measures to protect against perceived threats to his life.
In response to Musk’s claims, Der Spiegel published a follow-up article emphasizing that the original piece aimed to illuminate Musk’s transition from a business magnate to a political figure, as well as his involvement in promoting disinformation. The magazine stated, “The report also draws on numerous statements made by Musk himself or by former employees, analyzing the extent to which these can be perceived as attacks on liberal democracy.” They asserted their responsibility to critically assess Musk’s growing influence and concentration of power.
Comparisons to Historical Figures
Musk further reacted to the original article, which had drawn parallels between his alignment with right-wing populist movements in the United States and the historical figure Alfred Hugenberg, a German businessman who became a media mogul and later joined Hitler’s cabinet in 1933. Musk quipped, “I did Nazi that coming!” while sharing a video of German right-wing influencer Naomi Siebt critiquing the Der Spiegel article. He added, “Those fools will Goebbels anything down.”
Der Spiegel detailed how Hugenberg acquired a vast media empire in the 1920s, employing it to influence election campaigns before being appointed as the Reich Minister of Economics by Hitler. The magazine pondered, “Hugenberg, Hitler? Does that overestimate Musk’s historical role?” They clarified that the comparison was intended to highlight the potential dangers Musk poses to contemporary democracy.
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Former US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, who faced political isolation during his tenure due to his affiliations with the far-right, also weighed in on the controversy. He claimed, “Der Spiegel has a history of antisemitism and anti-Americanism,” while sharing various images of past magazine covers to support his argument.
Despite previously asserting that X needed to maintain political neutrality to thrive, Musk has now aligned himself and his financial resources firmly with Trump. Last week, he announced plans to distribute cash rewards to individuals who signed a petition advocating for free speech and the right to bear arms, provided they are registered voters in Pennsylvania and support Trump. Additionally, he hosted a solo rally for Trump in the Philadelphia suburbs and has committed over $70 million (€64 million) to a Political Action Committee aimed at aiding Trump and other Republican candidates in their upcoming elections scheduled for November 5.
