Elon Musk, newly appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to become anti-bureaucracy czar, proudly raised his hand after the speaker at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s private club in Florida, asked the crowd, “Where is the George Soros of the Right?”
Many social media users shared a video of the moment.
Musk has recently accused George Soros’s foundation of wanting to destroy Western civilization. Musk commented on a reply to a post by a user sharing footage of people arriving on the Italian island of Lampedusa from North Africa that referred to a “George Soros-led invasion” of Europe.
“The Soros organization appears to want nothing less than the destruction of Western civilization,” X’s owner posted.
The ideological roots of the Musk-Soros rivalry
Musk claims Soros isn’t just a billionaire philanthropist, but someone using his fortune to control narratives, shape public opinion, and push his own political agenda.
According to Musk, Soros is funding progressive causes and media outlets to steer society away from open debate and true freedom.
Soros, a Hungarian-American businessman and philanthropist, has been the subject of multiple antisemitic conspiracy theories.
His Open Society Foundations, which supports civil society groups including some working on issues affecting the safety and well-being of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, is a regular target of the far right.
In 2023 he handed over the running of his financial and charitable empire to his son Alex. The financier said his son had “earned it”, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
As of October 2023, he had a net worth of $6.7 billion, having donated more than $32 billion to the Open Society Foundations, of which $15 billion has already been distributed, representing 64 percent of his original fortune. In 2020, Forbes called Soros the “most generous giver” (in terms of percentage of net worth).
The Holocaust survivor champions progressive causes through his Open Society Foundations. He funds initiatives he believes in — social justice, human rights, democracy pouring billions into what he sees as a mission to make the world more fair and just.
To his supporters, Soros is a force for good, actively guiding society toward positive change. To his critics, he’s meddling in global politics, using his wealth to shape social and political outcomes.
Many people see Soros’ influence as a top-down approach to social change, one that doesn’t come from the people but is instead imposed upon them. Musk believes that real progress and real social change happen when people are free to think for themselves, debate openly, and make their own decisions.