German Chancellor Angela Merkel on February 14, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
Felix Zahn | Photo gallery via Getty Images
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the influence of tech billionaires like Elon Musk on US President-elect Trump a “huge concern”.
The job of politics is ultimately about balancing the interests of ordinary and powerful citizens, Merkel said in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel on Friday ahead of the release of her memoirs.
“If that final recourse is disproportionately affected by a company, whether it’s through capital power or technological capabilities, then that’s an unprecedented challenge for all of us,” she said.
She cited the example of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk, whom Trump tapped to co-lead the newly created Department of Government Effectiveness, which the incoming president has said will operate outside of government.
Merkel said: “If someone like him (Musk) owns 60% of all satellites operating in space, then in addition to political issues, this has to be a huge concern for us.”
SpaceX operates satellite network provider Starlink, which has more than 6,000 satellites in space for use by consumers, companies and government agencies.
Merkel’s memoir, written before Trump was re-elected, is titled “Freedom: Memories 1954-2021” and will be published in more than 30 countries on November 26.
Markle told Spiegel that his victory filled her with sadness.
“If politicians do not allow for win-win situations but only recognize winners and losers, then this is a very difficult task for multilateralism,” she said.
Merkel will launch the book in December at an event in the United States with former U.S. President Barack Obama, which describes her interactions with Trump, including Russian President Vladimir Putin (Vladimir Putin) and other world leaders.
The report comes as she faces pressure to defend the legacy of her 16 years in power given Germany’s current economic and political difficulties and the deepening international crisis.
