Elon Musk says Nigel Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’ to lead Reform UK

Elon Musk has said Nigel Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead Reform UK, just weeks after the pair had a “great” meeting in the US.

The owner of Tesla and X – the social media site formerly known as Twitter – met with Farage in December at US President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, which Mr Farage described as “historic”.

That meeting came amid reports Musk was considering donating up to 100 million US dollars (£79m) to Reform UK.

The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025

Farage has defended the tech billionaire’s attacks on the UK Government over its handling of grooming gangs in a series of posts on X, although he distanced himself from Musk’s support for jailed political activist Tommy Robinson, saying he was “not what we need”.

But in a post on X on Sunday, Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”

In an interview broadcast hours earlier, Farage defended the South African-born US businessman’s criticism of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.

Musk had used “very tough terms” but “in public life, tough things get said”, Farage told the Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

Asked if he was reluctant to criticise Musk because of a potential donation, Farage said: “I think I made it perfectly clear that I don’t agree with everything he stands for, but I do believe in free speech.

“I think he’s a hero, and I said that well before any potential money was offered.”

After the Mar-a-Lago meeting, Farage said the two had discussed money and that there would be “ongoing negotiations”.