Björn Höcke, a senior representative of the national conservative Alternative for Germany, was fined earlier this week for using the criminalized slogan “Everything for Germany!”.
In Germany, most things that can be associated in any way with Adolf Hitler, National Socialism and the German political regime of 1933-1945 are strictly forbidden – including this slogan. The phrase “All for Germany!” was used by the National Socialist SA stormtroopers, among others, which is why this and similar phrases are not allowed to be uttered.
Höcke is the state leader of the AfD in Thuringia, and for his statement during a campaign speech in the city of Merseburg, he is now being fined €13,000. His lawyers have consistently said that the politician did not know that the phrase was banned, nor did he know its origin.
It should be noted that Mr. Höcke got off relatively “lightly”, as he was risking a three-year prison sentence and being barred from all public office.
The AfD figure has already been officially classified as a “right-wing extremist” by Germany’s domestic intelligence service – which, among other things, gives the authorities wide-ranging powers to monitor and map his activities.
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A public feud has erupted between tech billionaire Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. What began with Musk’s criticism of Trump’s budget proposal has escalated into serious allegations of Trump’s involvement in the Epstein investigation and threats to terminate government contracts with Musk’s companies.
The conflict began when Musk publicly criticized Trump’s budget proposal, calling it a “disgusting abomination” full of unnecessary waste.
“I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination”, he wrote on X on Tuesday.
The criticism marked a departure from the previously close relationship between the two, in which Musk has served as an advisor to the White House and led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), among other things.
Trump responded during a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and expressed disappointment with Musk.
– I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot, and I’ll be honest, I think he misses the place, Trump said. He continued on his platform Truth Social:
“Elon was ‘wearing thin’, I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!”
Musk escalates
Musk went on the counterattack by accusing Trump of being part of the Epstein investigation. In a post on X, he wrote:
“Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public“.
Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.
The dispute has had concrete consequences. Tesla’s share price fell after the public dispute escalated, and there is now uncertainty surrounding SpaceX’s government contracts. Trump has threatened to terminate these and wrote on Truth Social:
“The easiest way to save money in our budget – billions and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon’s governmental subsidies and contracts”.
In response, Musk announced that SpaceX will phase out its Dragon spacecraft, which delivers supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately pic.twitter.com/NG9sijjkgW
Reports claim that the situation has led to crisis meetings in the White House, where both Musk’s and Trump’s teams are working to resolve the conflict. The background to Musk’s budget criticism is believed to be partly due to frustration over a lack of benefits from the Trump administration, according to some sources.
How this public dispute will affect the relationship between Musk and Trump, as well as their respective businesses, remains to be seen as the situation develops.
Support for Israel is collapsing in Western Europe. A new poll shows record low confidence and growing anger over the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
After the ceasefire in Gaza collapsed, Israel announced plans to take control of three-quarters of the Palestinian territory in the coming months. Recently, more and more voices have also warned that what is happening is genocide, and that the Israeli plans aim to completely and permanently empty Gaza of Palestinians – so that they can then take control of the area themselves.
At the same time, a new survey by YouGov EuroTrack shows that support for Israel in Western Europe has fallen to record lows since the ground invasion and bombing of Gaza began.
The survey, which covers the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, shows a sharp decline in public opinion toward Israel. Net favorability – the difference between positive and negative ratings – has reached its lowest level since the survey began:
• Germany: -44
• France: -48
• Denmark: -54
Western Europeans’ sympathy for Israel is rapidly declining. Photo: facsimile/Yougov
In Italy (-52) and Spain (-55), the figures are also at record lows or shared lowest levels compared with previous surveys. Only 13–21 percent of respondents in any of the countries have a positive view of Israel, while 63–70 percent express a negative opinion.
Few Western Europeans support Israel’s actions
Support for Israel’s invasion of Gaza is weak. Only 6–16 percent of respondents in the six countries believe that “Israel were right to send troops into Gaza and have generally responded in a proportionate way to the Hamas attacks”. This represents a marginal decline compared with the corresponding survey in October last year.
A minority believe that Israel’s response has been proportionate. Photo: facsimile/Yougov
The perception that Israel’s attacks were justified has also weakened:
• France, Germany, Denmark: 24–25 percent still believe that Israel’s actions are justified.
• United Kingdom: 18 percent
• Italy: 9 percent (lowest)
At the same time, only 5–9 percent believe that Hamas’s initial attacks in late 2023 were justified.
Sympathies shift toward Palestine
Support for Israel has declined significantly. Only 7–18 percent today say they sympathize most with the Israeli side—the lowest or joint lowest rating in five of six countries since the Hamas attacks.
In contrast, between 18 and 33 percent sympathize more with the Palestinian side. In otherwise very pro-Israel Germany, support for each side is now almost evenly divided: 17 percent for Israel, 18 percent for Palestine.
Today, significantly more Europeans sympathize with the Palestinians. Photo: facsimile/Yougov
Confidence in lasting peace in the Middle East is also low among Europeans. Only 15–29 percent believe that both sides will be able to put their differences aside within the next decade.
The French are the most optimistic, with 29 percent believing in a peaceful solution, while the Danes are the most pessimistic, with only 15 percent. Belief in peace has declined by 4–10 percentage points in all countries.
According to analysts, the survey clearly shows how public opinion in Western Europe has shifted since the Hamas attacks in October 2023.
Criticism of Israel’s abuses and war crimes in Gaza is growing rapidly in many countries, while sympathy for Israel appears to be declining as more and more abuses and cases of gross violence against civilians come to light.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning citizens from twelve countries from entering the US, while imposing partial restrictions on seven additional countries.
– I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people, the president said.
The countries subject to a complete ban on entry are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The ban applies to both immigrants and temporary visitors.
Partial restrictions are also being introduced for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Among other things, the measures restrict the ability to obtain visas or permits to enter the country.
Trump referred to Sunday’s firebomb attack in Colorado, in which 15 pro-Israel demonstrators were injured. The attack, which was reportedly carried out by an Egyptian citizen with an expired tourist visa, was cited as a reason for the new entry ban.
– The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social.
The opposition: “Discriminatory”
The presidential order builds on an executive decree from January 20, in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio was tasked with identifying countries with inadequate traveler screening. Trump accuses several of the countries of abusing the US visa system and refusing to accept citizens who have been deported from the US.
– I am committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing, he added.
The new ban is expected to lead to legal challenges and court cases similar to those that followed Trump’s first entry ban in 2017 – the so-called “Muslim ban” – which was ultimately approved by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Criticism has been sharp from activists and several Democratic representatives. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal called the ban “dangerous” and “discriminatory”.
– This ban, expanded from Trump’s Muslim ban in his first term, will only further isolate us on the world stage, she said in a statement. She also warned of alleged economic consequences and increased global uncertainty.
Tech billionaire and former White House Efficiency Chief Elon Musk sharply criticizes US President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which was recently passed by a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
According to Musk, the budget proposal is a “disgusting abomination” – and he is supported by several prominent libertarian figures.
The budget proposal, which aims to prevent a tax increase at the end of the year while raising the ceiling on the US’s already staggering national debt by an additional $4 trillion, has now been sent to the Senate.
Musk, who recently resigned as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has repeatedly criticized the budget, claiming that it undermines his efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit.
“I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination”, he wrote on X on Tuesday.
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it”, he added.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.
This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.
Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.
In an interview with CBS News last week, Musk emphasized that the legislation “undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing” because it “increases the budget deficit”.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed Musk’s criticism, saying that the legislation actually secures $1.6 trillion in savings, reduces spending, and provides tax breaks.
– With all due respect, Elon is simply wrong about the One Big Beautiful Bill, he told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, adding that “Congress is working hard to get this to President Trump’s desk by July 4th”.
When asked about Musk’s criticism, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt replied that Trump is aware of the former presidential adviser’s views on the matter.
– It doesn’t change the president’s opinion, she told reporters on Tuesday.
I agree with Elon. We have both seen the massive waste in government spending and we know another $5 trillion in debt is a huge mistake.
Trump himself seems to wholeheartedly support the budget:
“Passing THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL is a historic opportunity to turn our country around”, he wrote on social media, urging the Senate on Monday “to work as fast as they can to get this bill to MY DESK before the fourth of JULY”.
Even libertarian senators Thomas Massie and Rand Paul have criticized the budget, pointing out that it raises the US debt ceiling by several trillion dollars.
