Giorgia Meloni has compared the roles of the two billionaires in global politics.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has claimed that philanthropist George Soros poses a greater threat to global stability than tech mogul Elon Musk. Her remarks follow Musk’s recent actions on the international stage, including attacks on the German and British governments ahead of assuming a role in Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
Speaking at a press event in Rome on Thursday, Meloni was questioned about Musk’s impact on global politics. “Is the problem that he is rich and influential, or that he’s not left-wing?”, Meloni replied. She claimed that Musk is not “dangerous to democracy” and that election interference happens when “wealthy people use resources to finance parties and associations around the world to influence policies, as in the case of George Soros.”
Meloni confirmed that Italy is in discussions with several private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, regarding the country’s telecommunications security system. However, she refuted any claims of having had private conversations with Musk on the matter.
“I never talked about this with Musk. It’s not my habit to use my public role to do favours to friends,” Meloni said.
The friendship between the right-wing Italian politician and the tech mogul has long been in the media’s crosshairs. Meloni defended her relationship with Musk, assuring Italian lawmakers that she would remain uninfluenced in areas where he has economic interests.
Musk is about to assume a role in the US president-elect’s cabinet, as Trump picked him and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an unofficial ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE). In recent weeks, Musk has increasingly taken aim at European leaders, particularly those in Germany and the United Kingdom.
He also lashed out at Soros, comparing him to the principal villain in the Star Wars movie series. The barb followed US President Joe Biden’s decision to bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom on the powerful financier. Through his Open Society Foundations network, the businessman has actively attempted to influence political processes in multiple countries around the world. Its activities have been outlawed in several nations, including Russia, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
