Elon Musk, a close confidant of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has asserted that his substantial financial contributions in Germany warrant his voice and opinions about the continent’s biggest economy.

Musk expressed his dissatisfaction with the traditional political parties in Germany, stating, “The conventional parties have been ineffective in Germany.” He further added, “The AfD, despite being labeled as far-right, embodies a political reality that strikes a chord with numerous Germans who believe that their concerns are overlooked by the establishment.”

He also rebutted the portrayal of the AfD as a far-right party, pointing out that the party’s leader, Alice Weidel, has a partner from Sri Lanka who is of the same sex. Musk asked rhetorically, “Does that seem like Hitler to you? Be serious!”

Musk’s endorsement of the AfD has sparked controversy ahead of the imminent elections in Germany scheduled for February 23. The upcoming elections are anticipated to be dominated by a conservative alliance, with Friedrich Merz predicted to succeed Olaf Scholz as the next chancellor.

Following the publication of Musk’s commentary online, Eva Marie Kogel, the opinion editor of Welt, announced her resignation. She linked to the piece in her post, stating, “Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I tendered my resignation yesterday after it was sent to print.”