His comments to the hard-right Alternative for Germany party escalated efforts by the billionaire to influence the country’s election for chancellor next month.

American tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise address at the campaign launch for Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as thousands of people gathered across the country to protest the rise of the far-right party.

There is no direct evidence to support the claim that Elon Musk's maternal grandparents, Joshua N. Haldeman and Winnifred "Wyn" Josephine (Fletcher) Haldeman, were "Nazi party members in Canada," nor that they moved to South Africa "because they supported apartheid."

Musk made a virtual appearance at a campaign event for Germany’s far-right AfD party, saying “children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents.”

Musk's support for AfD has helped what was once a fringe political party enter the mainstream, lifting it up in front of a global audience.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk addressed a rally for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Saturday, urging attendees to move on from past guilt related to the country's Nazi history. Newsweek has contacted Musk via an email to Tesla for comment.

The billionaire was received by cheers while addressing a rally for Alternative for Germany where he told attendees they shouldn’t be ashamed of their history.

“In study after study, as well as our lived experiences, X has become a platform that promotes hate, antisemitism, and societal division. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, X has reduced content moderation, promoted white supremacists, and re-platformed purveyors of conspiracy theories.”

Readers discuss the Auschwitz anniversary and a Musk speech. Also: Threats against Dr. Fauci; resign, or else; police use of tasers; aging women; an invitation to letter writers.

I find it worrying that a man with enormous access to social media and large financial resources is so directly involved in the internal affairs of other countries,” said Norway's prime minister Monday.

CNN panelists descended into a shouting match Monday night as senior political commentator Scott Jennings defended tech mogul Elon Musk