He is already the richest man in history, but also much more than that. To his credentials as an entrepreneur, founder of Tesla or Space X, owner of the social network in key strategies of a giant like the European Union (EU). Especially, with regard to the block security policies and those related to data and information management that reach its millions of citizens.
In the field of defense, Trump’s quasi-minister is already a relevant player in the space sector and satellite communication, and this is recognized by a European country as important as Italy. The Executive of Giorgia Meloni negotiates with the billionaire of South African origin to acquire the telecommunications security services offered through Starlink of the company Space X. Although the Italian Government has denied that any agreement has been closed, Bloomberg has reported that there is a five-year contract on the table that has already been approved by the Italian intelligence services.
“This is a no-bid public procurement agreement to provide satellite infrastructure to Italy. It gives it power to control the infrastructure or cryptography. It is contrary to the technological sovereignty of Virkunen’s portfolio in the European Commission“, he emphasizes elEconomista.es the expert the expert of the think tank of European political studies, CEPS, Andrea Renda. An example of the risk entailed by such a move is Ukraine. And the owner of X refused to give kyiv access in Crimea to its Starlink service, through which the drones are controlled. Musk claimed that his goal was to avoid being complicit in escalating the conflict.
The man in whom strong private sector interests and power in the public sphere coexist, captains a space and satellite communications empire with which the EU cannot, yet, compete. The Twenty-Seven club is more than a decade behind the US, according to the CEPS expert. Although it has deployed the Iris 2 satellite constellation, its development is progressing slowly and is far from Space X’s private infrastructure. The community initiative, which started last December, It will consist of 260 satellites in orbit and will be operational at the start of 2030. Meanwhile, Musk’s empire already has 7,000 satellites in orbit and offers global connectivity.
The entry of Musk’s satellite services into public contracts implies risks, in parallel, in the field of defense, which depends on space technology and satellite infrastructure. While the EU starts the legislature trying to coordinate its policies on space and defense, its obvious delay poses a risk since governments could look to the Musk’s private infrastructure to modernize their economies. The effects extend to the satellite manufacturing value chain, in which many industries participate, including the automotive industry.
Starlink penetration is increasing in Europe. For now, the owner of But in other areas its position is consolidating. In Italy, Musk already brings together more than 40,000 consumers. Its easy-to-use service offers connectivity in remote rural areas that other national providers do not reach.
The Internet of Things, with which not only the connected home or car but also the connected industry can see the light of day, will directly depend on the deployment of satellite infrastructure. Which in itself raises multiple questions about the legitimacy of leave data collection in the hands of an American tycoon lifestyle of Europeans or the bosses of their production facilities. “Each country must establish its rules for internet providers that prevent companies from using the data,” clarifies the expert from the think tank Bruegel, Fiona Scott.
This situation also implies a risk in terms of data, cryptography and cybersecurity. It would mean deviating from the purpose set for this legislature of achieving technological sovereignty and ceding control over data infrastructure to private companies that are not European. If we consider, on the other hand, that Musk is the founder of the implant company that connects the brain and computer, Neurolink, the avalanche of possibilities for using data is even close to science fiction.
In the background, there are other debates that are more theoretical than practical. This space and satellite communication infrastructure has strategic military value in the field of defense. But also in a more civil, economic and social sense, it would threaten to turn part of the EU’s industrial policy upside down, of the very idea of moving towards technological sovereignty, of reducing dependencies on a single supplier. In short, this mandate would compromise the objective of boosting the EU’s competitiveness.
Europe, for its part, is responsible for protecting user data. One of the alarms went off last summer following complaints filed by the Irish authorities and several European organizations against Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, which they accused of using data from the social network X to train its generative learning model. Finally, the businessman chose to backtrack and change X’s data configuration model in Europe.
The European Commission has opened several infringement procedures against the old Twitter for multiple reasons: for failing to comply with community regulations to mitigate risks related to civic discourse and electoral processes. Due to the lack of transparency and access to public data or due to trick users with their verification system checks blues.
The company could face a fine of 6% of its annual worldwide turnover and even see its activity suspended if it does not follow Brussels’ guidelines, although this last option is remote and no decision has yet been made. What Brussels has ratified is its concern and, for this reason, it focuses on guaranteeing that the platform operates within the legal limits of the Digital Services Law (DSA) and the Digital Markets Law (DMA).
Electoral processes
Musk’s influence reminiscent, in some ways, of Berlusconi’s stylewhose media empire preceded his jump to the Italian Executive. The American has used his influence to reiterate his support for ultra forces on multiple occasions. The most recent flirtation was with the German far-right formation. “Only AdF can save Germany”The old Twitter said in a post. He added to his comment, on a social network in which he has more than 210 million followers, the description of “fool” and “incompetent” for the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz. All of this on the eve of the German elections on February 23.
The situation has generated a stir at the community level. The leaders of European countries and Brussels itself kick in the face of the influence of the American tycoon who, with zero subtle messages, sows impotence among high-ranking European officials. Certainly, community legislation can do little to limit the billionaire’s statements that are protected by his right to freedom of expression. However, the Digital Services regulations could address the functionality of algorithms to promote and show certain types of content to users, usually more extreme, to the detriment of others.
Musk can enter European politics in different ways. However, “it doesn’t seem like he can do much more than he has done so far,” Renda said. At the same time, Bruegel’s expert rules out that it can clearly influence democratic processes. “It won’t have as much influence because it’s not subtle.” Its divide and conquer strategy sows, publicly, the seed in favor of ultra forces to promote greater fragmentation in the EU. Their interests are also economic, in the form of tax exemptions or less regulation. “It establishes a potential link not only with private companies, but with the governments of the countries”; evidenced by the CEPS expert. “It is dangerous for Europe to let it move unchecked, mixing economic and political power”.
The tycoon adds political strength to the greatest media, economic and business power in the world
Elon Musk had already been the richest man in the world for several years and was also the most powerful in the media since he made Twitter his own, possibly the most influential social network on the planet. Added to the above is the strength of its bold companies, diversified in the sectors that will shape the immediate future: the electric and autonomous car (Tesla), cross-border telecommunications (Starlink), the space race, with the conquest of the Moon and Mars between eyebrows (SpaceX);artificial intelligence (xIA); large transportation infrastructures (The Boring Company) and neurotechnology, with the disturbing possibilities of the interaction of the brain with computing and robotic implants in humans as a new source of health (Neutralink).
But all of the above was missing a piece that until now was not achieved solely with investments in the business field: political power. This pending subject has been passed with distinction with the alliance with Donald Trump, president of the most powerful country on the planet. From his new responsibility at the head of the “department of government efficiency” of the United States, Trump will more than make the $200 million invested in the Republican leader’s campaign profitable. In the new US administration, Musk will be in charge of “dismantling government bureaucracy, eliminating excessive regulations, cutting unnecessary spending or restructuring federal agencies” in the words of Trump himself. If the short-term effect is a long-term tax cut, it could undermine the foundations of democracy and the American public system, beyond the economic benefit that the tycoon can obtain for his empire.
But the US is too small for Musk, now wanting to extend his influence in the internal policies of the main European countries, with interference in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. As expected, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have condemned Musk’s criticism of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
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