Elon for president? Father Errol Musk says son ‘not cut out for politics’…yet

In an interview on Al Arabiya News’ GNT, presented by Tom Burges Watson, Errol Musk, father of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, said his son is “not cut out for politics.”

When asked whether Elon would consider running for president in the United States should the Constitution be amended, Errol Musk stated that his son is not yet suited for politics, particularly in dealing with the full spectrum of people needed for political success.

“Elon is not cut out for politics. Politics is where you have to deal with everyone, from the very incredibly clever to the very somewhat not clever, the highly sophisticated to the very unsophisticated. If you can’t do that, don’t get into politics,” the father said.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

His son is used to working only with top-tier people, Musk Sr. explained, adding that his tech entrepreneur son would face significant challenges in connecting with a broader audience.

Meanwhile, Errol also compared Elon’s potential political journey to Donald Trump, citing how the US president’s New York brashness made it harder for him to connect with ordinary voters, a challenge that he said would also affect Elon.

Elon Musk in the US government

During the wide-ranging interview, Musk Sr. also discussed his son’s role in the US government, including his work with the president.

Musk Jr. has been tasked with overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed at eliminating wasteful government spending. According to Musk Sr., corruption was so extensive in some government agencies that it led to entire departments being shut down.

“They found that the rottenness was so enormous that the only solution was to completely close down the entire department immediately,” Errol said. “The problem wasn’t just bad employees; it was an entire system of waste.”

Elon Musk ‘Nazi salute’ controversy

Errol also addressed the media criticism over Elon’s public appearances, including a recent hand gesture that was labeled a “Nazi salute” when the tech entrepreneur slapped his right hand on his chest before shooting his arm diagonally upward, palm facing down, twice.

Musk’s father dismissed the critics as “nonsense,” adding that his son’s actions are often misunderstood.

“Elon is a terrible public speaker. He has a lot to learn. We all do…Knowing him as well as I do, I mean, I know him very well, that he was struggling to get through his little speech as fast as possible and to try and look as charming as possible as he could. But he's struggled,” Musk Sr. said.

He also defended the controversial arm gesture, describing it as an “international salute.”

“It was an international salute that we have had maybe for the last 10,000 years or more, perhaps, and the old German hail Caesar (salute) obviously emanated from the Persians, the Sumerians, and so on. It simply meant, my right hand is empty,” he said.

He then went on to explain the difference between the different hand gestures including “the original Hitler” salute and the “hail Caesar” gesture.

“It was nonsense, but somewhat comical that they picked it up like that. So, it’s a bit funny.”

Read more:

Musk says all US government staff must justify their work or lose jobs

Trump says wants Musk to be ‘more aggressive’ in reform push