Elon Musk engaged in a heated exchange with The Economist’s editor-in-chief during an interview at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas, arguing that public distrust of the media far exceeds negative views of him after being challenged over his influence on European politics.

The confrontation took place Thursday when Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes questioned Musk about his support for conservative political movements across Europe and suggested that his enormous wealth, ownership of X, and massive online following give him outsized influence over political affairs outside the United States.

“I think a lot more people hate you and the media more than you realize,” Musk responded.

Beddoes pressed Musk over why he believed he should have a role in shaping political debates in Europe despite not living there.

“Why should you be able to shape European politics? You don’t even live there,” Beddoes said.

She went on to argue that many people are troubled by the level of influence Musk wields because of his global prominence.

“But do you see why this makes people think that this man who has all this power, he’s the world’s richest man, he thinks he has a right to influence our politics?” Beddoes said. “It’s why people loathe you. I mean, some people do loathe you.”

Musk brushed aside the criticism, pointing instead to his enormous audience on X, where he has roughly 250 million followers, as evidence that his supporters significantly outnumber his critics.

“Maybe some people do loathe me, and that’s probably true. I don’t care,” Musk said. “But the fact that, as you pointed out, a quarter billion people follow me is that I think a lot more people actually like me than don’t.”

The Tesla and SpaceX chief then shifted the discussion to the declining reputation of the news media, arguing that journalists are viewed far less favorably by the public than he is.

“Do you realize the media is despised?” Musk said. “Do you realize that journalists, the view of journalists is like, it’s like a favorable view of journalists is like 15%?”

Beddoes acknowledged that confidence in American journalism has eroded but argued that social media polarization, including content promoted on X, has played a major role in fueling that distrust.

“I think in part there have been mistakes by journalists and journalism. I totally acknowledge that,” Beddoes said. “But I also think that the kind of polarized environment, particularly on social media, fostered by the kinds of things you are pushing on X, actually helps make this worse.”

Musk rejected that argument and insisted that journalists—not him—have become the primary target of public anger.

“The shoe is on the other foot. They hate you. They hate you far more than they hate me,” Musk said. “I think you’re the problem. The media.”

The sharp back-and-forth came during a broader discussion in which Beddoes questioned Musk about his warnings that Britain could face civil war and his support for several European political parties that she characterized as far right.

Musk rejected that description of his political views, saying his positions center on basic issues such as border enforcement, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.

“I literally said, look, I believe in safe cities, secure borders and sensible spending with respect to government,” Musk said. “That doesn’t make me right wing at all in the least.”

The interview follows Musk’s increasingly active involvement in European politics. Ahead of Germany’s 2025 federal election, he publicly urged voters to support the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and hosted its leader, Alice Weidel, for an interview on X. Reuters has reported that Musk promoted the party in more than two dozen posts over a two-month period.

The debate also comes as public confidence in the American news media continues to decline. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, just 28% of Americans said they have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in newspapers, television, and radio to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly—the lowest level Gallup has recorded.

{Matzav.com}