Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., and Julian Assange have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The nominations were made by Norwegian lawmakers, recognizing Musk’s contributions to global connectivity and free speech, and Assange’s exposure of Western war crimes.
What Happened: Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, was nominated by Norwegian MP Marius Nilsen for his unwavering support of dialogue, free speech, and the promotion of diverse viewpoints in an increasingly polarized world. Nilsen also credited Musk’s tech companies for making the world a more connected and secure place, as reported by Politico.
Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was nominated by Norwegian MP Sofie Marhaug for exposing Western war crimes, which she believes has contributed to global peace. This nomination comes amid Assange’s ongoing legal battles, including the U.S. government’s efforts to extradite him.
Other notable nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize this year include Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was nominated in January by U.S. Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. Trump has been nominated in previous years as well.
Other previous nominees include Russian President Vladimir Putin (nominated in 2020), Joseph Stalin (nominated in 1945 and 1948), and Adolf Hitler (nominated in 1939).
Why It Matters: Musk has previously declared himself a “free speech absolutist” after refusing to block Russian news sources on his Starlink satellite internet service, despite being approached by some governments. However, in June, Musk’s commitment to free speech was called into question when an Australian watchdog discovered a surge of online hate on Twitter following Musk’s acquisition of the platform.
Musk’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize also comes amid a series of controversial incidents. In November, Musk apologized for an antisemitic tweet at the New York Times DealBook Forum but also told advertisers to “go f*** yourself.” In December, he engaged in controversial conversations with far-right figures following Alex Jones’ account reinstatement.
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