Headline: Elon Musk Criticized by Norwegian Prime Minister Støre for Political Meddling Abroad
Subheadline: Fake News Exposed: Musk Shares Bogus Post of Støre Warning Gates
Article:
Elon Musk’s penchant for weighing in on politics abroad has drawn criticism from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Ghar Støre, who warned that such intervention is “troublesome” and “not how it should be between democracies and allies.”
In a televised interview on Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, Støre acknowledged Musk’s influence as the world’s richest person and X-platform owner but stressed that his political activity abroad is problematic.
“We have rules against this sort of thing in Norway, and I imagine it’s similar in other democracies,” Støre said. “It’s concerning when individuals with vast resources start using them to influence democratic elections in other countries.”
Støre’s Comments Go Viral
Støre’s remarks gained international traction after Musk shared a fake news post on his X account, purporting to show Støre warning Bill Gates about Musk’s political meddling. The post, created by a Norwegian but written in English, has racked up over 10 million views since Monday.
Fake News Condemned by Norwegian Officials
The Norwegian government swiftly dismissed the fake news post as “completely untrue,” with a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister’s chief secretary, Kristoffer Thoner: “This is fake news, and it’s hurting public discourse and threatening democracy.”
Støre met with Gates recently to discuss global health initiatives, not Musk’s political activity, Thoner clarified.
Politicians React to Fake News and Musk’s Interference
Sveinung Rotevatn, the first deputy chair of Norway’s Liberal Party (Venstre) and a member of the Norwegian Parliament, denounced the fake news post, stating, “This is entirely false. Støre said this in a radio show, had nothing to do with Bill Gates, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Norway’s prime minister had similar concerns.”
Rotevatn also decried Musk’s political meddling in other countries, arguing that individuals with vast resources should not influence democratic elections abroad.
Musk has publicly supported foreign political parties, such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the UK’s Reform Party, raising concerns among European and Norwegian politicians.
International Media Picks Up Støre’s Critique
International news outlets like Reuters, Al Arabiya, The Economic Times, and Ekstra Bladet, among others, have since picked up Støre’s criticism of Musk’s political influence.
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