It’s unclear what part of the inauguration Zemmour and Knafo were invited to, or who exactly contacted them. POLITICO has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.
At first glance, Trump and Le Pen appear to be built on the same political mold, fusing old-school protectionism with anti-immigrant, populist platforms, but neither has ever really succeeded the president-elect’s way. Other prominent hard-line politicians in Europe, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán or Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
Unlike Le Pen, Zemmour and Knafo advocate a liberal economic worldview more similar to the views of Musk, who has shaken mainstream European politics in recent weeks by intervening in the domestic affairs of Britain, Italy and Germany. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party faces snap elections next month, despite the party’s efforts to shake off accusations of Nazi sympathies.
Interestingly, Musk has yet to say anything publicly about France. The CEOs of SpaceX, Tesla, and
Zemmour’s invitation could be a political coup for a figure whose influence has been greatly diminished since the 2022 presidential election campaign dominated the headlines. Zemmour said at the time that he was receiving advice from Trump. But when the first votes were finally cast, the controversial pundit-turned-politician received just 7% of the vote.
Since then, Knafo, who is the only member of Zemmour’s party, Reconquest, in the European Parliament, has actively supported Trump’s return to the White House and cultivated contacts with his team. Napo attended a Trump event held in the United States last October.
