Elon Musk set to visit Auschwitz months after ‘foolish’ endorsement of antisemitic theory

The tech billionaire was criticised by the White House in November over his endorsement of an antisemitic theory on X

Tech and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk is due to take part in an online antisemitism panel next week and visit the death camp Auschwitz, months after he faced criticism for endorsing a Jewish conspiracy theory on his social media site X.

Musk faced accusations of antisemitism in November when he replied, “You have said the actual truth” to a post on X that made the false claim that Jewish communities push hatred against white people.

Elon Musk is due to visit the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz (AP)

The White House immediately condemned his comments, while Musk was scolded by President Isaac Herzog during a trip to Israel. Musk said the endorsement was a mistake, describing it as “one of the most foolish” things he had done on the platform.

He is now reported to be going on a two-day trip to Poland to begin on Monday, just one week before International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January, which commemorates the six million Jewish people killed by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party.

He is also taking part in a panel discussion with political commentator Ben Shapiro (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The visit has been organised by the European Jewish Association to raise awareness of the surge in antisemitism since Israel’s invasion of Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas attacks on 7 October.

Polish deputy foreign minister Andrzej Szejna said “Everyone acknowledges what a great threat nationalism, populism, racism, and all manifestations of xenophobia and hatred are to democracy, human rights and the EU.

“I think this is probably the reason why Mr Musk is among the invited guests who have confirmed their presence.”

Musk has also publicly criticised the Anti-Defamation League, another organisation tackling antisemitism, with their spokesperson adding that the entrepreneur would benefit from the visit.

“Anyone who has the opportunity to bear witness to the atrocities that took place in Auschwitz-Birkenau should go,” Todd Gutnick, from the group, said. “Auschwitz serves as the ultimate reminder of what can happen when a society or its leaders are consumed with antisemitism.”

He will be joined on the panel by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro, who has been outspoken in his support for Israel.