The extremists enabling the far right to expand its network

Is it a coincidence that the far right growth is linked to Trump’s presidency? The extremists enabling the far right expand its network on a global scale, shows the enemies are no longer Russia or China, they are from Wall Street. 

Enabling the far right to expand its network

Representatives of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party alongside Argentina‘s President Javier Milei, Italy‘s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Nigel Farage from the UK were all among the guests at US President Donald Trump‘s inauguration in January 2025. 

No prizes for guessing the common link between them, but significantly the rapture they gave when Elon Musk when he performed his Nazi-salute was bellowing.

One day before, Trump’s former chief ideologue Steve Bannon, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an AfD lawmaker and numerous influencers held an informal meeting in Washington to exchange ideas. One right-wing influencer from Germany posted a video from the sidelines, boasting that he had just received an invitation from El Salvador’s ambassador.

Donald Trump is promoting his “America First” agenda, but he has become a magnet for ultra-nationalists around the world — even some anti-American ideologues. This loose global alliance of anti-globalists is only a paradox at first glance but it is the driving force enabling the far right to expand its network.

Elon Musk is so mad he could have done the Nazi salute for a bet to his mates

Against immigration and a modern society

“The key political issues that unite these far-right networks include opposition to migration, nationalism, traditional family values, and anti-globalization,” sociology professor Katrine Fangen from the University of Oslo in Norway.

“These networks are not only fighting for more political influence but also for cultural hegemony. Their ultimate goal is to reshape the global ideological landscape in favor of nationalism, social conservatism, and opposition to liberal democracy,” she explained.

Musk hosts X talk with German far-right leader Weidel

The radical right is quickly learning from each other, with a simple strategy, follow the money. Strategies and successes in one country are soon adopted by other movements. The extent of the radical right’s networking to be historically unprecedented. Nigel Farage famously providing support to the now Dutch Prime Minister Geert Wilders, whilst he was MEP. 

Overwhelming the political opponent with lies

In his book ‘The International Network of the Radical Right’ he describes the strategy: “For example, Bannon’s strategy of ‘flooding the zone with shit’ is very successful internationally: that means constantly overwhelming the political opponent with lies, new ideas and hostility,” Greven explained in an interview with EU News.

“This communication strategy is now used everywhere by actors on the radical right,” he said as he explains how the far right to expand its network on an international level.

An instrument they need to come to power

These actors do not value democracy as a principle, they see it as an instrument they need to come to power, according to Greven. They believe that once that has been achieved “the person who has been elected should be able to rule without restrictions,” according to Greven.

Protagonists of the radical right

He points to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an example, saying that he argues he need not act in compliance with European laws and regulations, saying “I was elected with a clear mandate to keep migration out of Hungary, and I don’t want European institutions, courts, civil society resistance or any foreign-funded media to stop me from governing.”

Musk is himself a player on the radical right

“Protagonists of the radical right are bothered by the fact that there are too many obstacles to the will of the majority due to increasing legalization, bureaucratization and supranational structures,” Greven explains. “And the goal is to enforce this majority will in a hyper-majoritarian or illiberal democracy.”

Funding for the radical right

The radical right has a lot of money at its disposal for its ideological struggle. Protagonists of the radical right include the world’s richest man, Elon Musk and the Koch brothers, some of the billionaire entrepreneurs who support the radical ideology. But the Far-right also have other allies namely agricultural producers and Alcohol. 

Musk is himself a player on the radical right. On his platform X, he raves about the AfD in Germany, supports the radical right in the UK and rails against liberal parties.

It is not only private donors who support the right-wing networks. Russia and China are also accused of fueling right-wing populist networks in order to destabilize liberal societies.

The threat from the far-right

The threat from the far-right is real and they are here to stay, but that is exactly how it all started in Germany in the 1930s. However, the far right is also benefiting from those whom they have declared as their enemies. In Germany, for example, the state is the AfD’s most important donor. In 2021, the year of the previous general election, around 45% of the party’s revenues came from state coffers: more than €10 million. In Germany, political parties get financial support dependent on their success in elections.

“Many far-right parties have significant financial resources thanks to state party funding, which enables them to expand their outreach. Moreover, the European Parliament(EP) provides them with a venue for international cooperation, including access to additional resources that are enabling the far right to expand its network and help sustain their networking efforts,” political scientist Katrine Fangen points out.

Trump led the way for right-wing networks

In early 2025, it seems like the strategy of radical right-wing networks is working: Donald Trump has been re-elected in the US and right-wing populist parties continue to gain support in countries such as Germany, France, the UK and Austria.

So are they unstoppable? Political scientist Thomas Greven says no. He points out that the threat from the far-right or radical right-wing parties has benefited from the fact that they have never had to govern and have had an easy time as political opposition. Their election successes serve to cover up numerous cracks in movements that are often only superficially united, Greven explains.

Greven is convinced that moderate forces can again turn things around. “But there is one prerequisite for this: that the democratic institutions work,” he warns and the protagonists of the far right are kept in check.