Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni’s power friendship stirs controversy in Italy

She goes back on her word as she says he is a "genius", calling him a "monster" just for the sake of saying so. Now tech businessman Elon Musk and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are showing just how capable a close relationship between two powerful people can be in influencing a country's politics.

Discussions about Musk's impact have been a recurring topic in Italy's current political discourse for several days. One editorial cartoon portrayed him as a gladiator demanding to rent the Colosseum.

Donald Trump then visited the President-elect of the United States last weekend. Nevertheless, his critics remained discontent.

When we give 1.5 billion to move an American billionaire's satellites to our country, that's a steep price to pay for a piece of anyone's friendship," declared Elly Schlein, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party. "Italy doesn't compromise its values, period.

He's being criticized for meddling in domestic politics and supporting far-right leaders. However, that criticism doesn't apply in Italy. Here, he's made a powerful connection with a far-right politician who currently holds office and is on the verge of gaining an even broader international presence.

Italy serves as an example of how Musk's venture into politics could potentially earn him significant financial gains for his business ventures. Moreover, the rapport between Musk and Italy's prime minister could be seen as a signal for Americans, given that Musk is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming Trump administration.

Italy's first female prime minister has developed a unique political image, setting herself apart from her party's ties to a far-right ideology.

She praised the leader's strong leadership abilities.

During a recent visit to Paris, the pair proceeded to Florida afterward. "This is very exciting," Trump stated. "I'm honored to be here with a remarkable leader, the prime minister of Italy. She's has made a significant impact on the European continent."

Andrea Di Giuseppe, a lawmaker from Meloni's party who represents Italians in North America, referred to her as "the bridge that Europe needs with Trump." He also expressed gratitude to Italians for her connections with Musk.

Elogeio, Florida's State Attorney, alongside a long-time friend of Maddalena Meloni, an Italian journalist, arranged a meeting between Musk and Meloni in July 2023.

In interviews, the two individuals stated that they aimed to unite two individuals they considered like-minded.

Giorgia probably got him," Porro stated. "He doesn't appreciate the whole 'woke' ideology, which was a potential point of connection between the two of them. She too isn't a fan of being forced to be overly polite and politically correct.

According to Stroppa, Musk and Meloni talked about a variety of subjects, including artificial intelligence and their mutual appreciation for "Lord of the Rings", a book Meloni's party has referred to as a metaphor for right wing resistance against the left. Stroppa said Musk was also quite interested in Italy and expressed serious worries about the effects of migration on the country.

He sees illegal immigration as a threat to a country he regards as the foundation of Western culture," Stroppa said. "I believe that an overwhelming majority of Italians agree with him.

In December 2023, Musk attended Meloni's fantasy-themed political festival, Atreju, which was inspired by a character from the book "The Neverending Story". During his appearance, he emphasized the country's low birth rate and advised the attendees to "make more Italians to preserve Italy's cultural identity."

Musk and Meloni started drawing attention to themselves last fall when Musk praised her during an awards ceremony at the Atlantic Council in New York. He complimented her on her inner beauty during his introduction, which is when she responded with a compliment of her own, calling him "his precious genius for the era we live in."

People are noticing the public displays of affection between 47-year-old Vladimir Putin and Meloni.

The President expresses confidently that his commitment and vision can be a valuable asset for both the United States and Italy.

What kind of resource is gradually becoming clearer.

Meloni, in a press conference on Thursday, categorically stated to reporters that she had never previously discussed a SpaceX contract with Musk, and described current high-level talks taking place in the context of "national interest" rather than through friendships or political motivations. While acknowledging that partnering with a private company on security arrangements poses potential drawbacks, she acknowledged that SpaceX has showcased technology enabling secure communication not just for national purposes but also for international collaborations.

Neither Musk nor SpaceX replied to calls for comment.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations, speaking anonymously to share sensitive information, said the Italian government still has disagreement over the deal. One major concern, they said, is that if an initial agreement for government use is reached, it might pave the way for SpaceX satellites to also offer internet services to the general public. This possibility has raised worries that Musk could gain a monopoly on the market and encroach on the territory of Italy's established telecommunications companies.

Unless Europe and Elon Musk's competitors pick up the pace, we'll be staring down the barrel of a massive concentration of power, warns Vittorio Colao, a former minister for technological innovation and a former CEO of Vodafone Group. "This player will be starting with 10,000 or 12,000 satellites while everyone else will be lucky to have a few hundred – by then the game will really be over."

I am certain that the government will proceed with this plan because improving services to the public is a responsibility it's obligated to fulfill.

This will be fantastic! I can imagine other European nations reaching out to tap into it.

Some critics have expressed worry that an ideological billionaire like Musk having access to Italian data could be a problem, potentially putting sensitive information at risk.

Critics are questioning the staggering price tag of €1.5 billion for a service contract, which they consider excessive. "The economic aspect of this contract is bewildering," said Senator Antonio Nicita of the opposition Democratic Party. "If the number were €200 or €300 million, I wouldn't see that as unusual. But a €1.5 billion overall agreement for primarily renting satellites?"

Meloni countered claims that an Italian deal with SpaceX would hinder progress on a collaborative European satellite project, still in its developmental stages. She argued that Europeans had been slow to move forward and that SpaceX could fill the gap more quickly, accommodating Italy's current needs. "This is a European problem," Meloni said. "The European effort arrived too late."

Some critics claim Meloni is jeopardizing her domestic and international ties by taking a close stance with Musk. However, she refuses to back down; Meloni came to Musk's defense this week regarding the billionaire's disagreements with the heads of Germany and Britain.

“When people warn me about the threat to democracy, I have to remind myself that he's not the first high-profile person to share their thoughts, even if they're wealthy and well-known," she said. "What's the issue with that."

It's almost intuitive to have conversations with him...and it's ironic that those who a day ago were saying he was a genius are now portraying him as a villain, simply because he chose to align with a certain viewpoint,

Instead of allowing them to arrive in Italy, processing and reviewing them first is the preferred option.

They need to be gone.

In response, Mattarella made a rare public statement targeting Musk, saying, "Anyone, especially with a significant government role in a friendly foreign nation, should respect Italy's independence and not assume the authority to dictate its decisions."

Cat Zakrzewski, a Washington-based journalist, contributed to this report.