On the other hand, Musk disparages Farage

It was a surprising shift, even given the easy-going nature of the alliances in Donald J. Trump’s political orbit.

For weeks, Elon Musk, the billionaire Trump supporter, has been rallying around British populist politician Nigel Farage, promoting his anti-immigrant insurgent party, Reform UK, as the solution to the country’s problems.

But on Sunday, Mr. Musk posted“The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage does not have what it takes.”

Mr. Musk did not explain his change of heart. But it appears to be linked to Mr Farage’s refusal to support Mr Musk’s request to release far-right instigator Tommy Robinson from prison. Mr Farage has distanced himself from Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who has multiple criminal convictions as well as a history of anti-Islamic statements.

“Well, this is a surprise!” hard-working Mr. Farage posted an hour after Mr. Musk. “Elon is a remarkable person, but I’m afraid I don’t agree with that view. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not fit for reform and I never give up on my principles.

Mr. Musk’s split from Mr. Farage was a new development in a days-long barrage of harsh and misinformation-filled statements. Posts about Britain from Mr MuskHe seems determined to exercise the same influence in European countries that he exercised during the American presidential elections.

He falsely accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute child rapists when he was Director of Public Prosecutions. He supported a pamphlet calling on King Charles III to dissolve Parliament and call elections to remove the British Labor government, which was constitutionally impossible.

Mr Musk targeted Britain after promoting a far-right party in Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). In Britain, where Mr. Musk has condemned the Labor government for prosecuting online hate speech, among other issues, Mr. Farage appears to have won Mr. Musk’s support.

But Mr Farage appears to have had trouble dealing with Mr Robinson. Speaking to the BBC on Sunday Before Mr Musk’s post, he described the tech billionaire as a “friend” and “champion” for free speech. But he added that just because Mr. Musk “supports me politically and supports reform, doesn’t mean I have to agree with every statement he makes about X.”

Mr. Farage campaigned for Mr. Trump and made pilgrimages to his Palm Beach home, Mar-a-Lago. But Mr. Musk did not hesitate to clash even with longtime Trump allies. His support for visas for tech workers has put him at odds with some Trump supporters, including Stephen K. Bannon, who accused him of betraying Trump’s “America First” doctrine.

The rift between Mr Musk and Mr Farage could have unexpected consequences for both men. Mr Farage, who won a seat in Parliament last July after eight attempts, is an accomplished politician who has ridden the populist wave for decades. While Mr Musk’s posts have attracted a lot of attention, the number of X users in Britain has declined since he took office.

Mr Musk appeared to be flirting with another Reform Party MP, Robert Lowe. In response to a post about whether he should replace Mr Farage as party leader, Mr. Musk wroteHe added: “I have not met Robert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”

The most immediate impact of Mr Musk’s rebuke is likely to be on fundraising from the UK Reform Foundation. When asked during an interview with the BBC whether he expected Mr Musk to donate, he said: “Maybe he will; Maybe he does. But it must be legal. He should be comfortable with that.