With Elon Musk, we have a new ally in the freedom fight of families and the peace mission
Among other topics, Katalin Novák discussed ways to solve the world's demographic crisis with Elon Musk, founder and CEO of the automotive company Tesla, at the company's recently opened headquarters in Austin, Texas.
The businessman received Hungary’s Head of State accompanied by one of his young sons, after which followed a private meeting between the President and the CEO. In the first minutes of their two-hour conversation – a duration much longer than planned - Katalin Novák said that, while climate change poses problems that need to be addressed, the demographic crisis is receiving comparateively less attention. She recalled that her interlocutor had recently said that the demographic crisis was a more serious issue than climate change.
The President of Hungary noted that while climate change requires a solution, "if there are no future generations, there is no point in taking care of the Earth".
Katalin Novák emphasized that she is committed to the cause of families and to tackling the demographic issue. Family policy has been a key priority in Hungary for the past decade. That is why Hungary has managed to improve its demographic situation, she informed Elon Musk, whom she recently invited to the Budapest Demographic Summit. Assessing their meeting, Katalin Novák said that the meeting "has given us a new ally in the freedom fight of families, someone who knows and appreciates Hungary's pro-family agenda".
The President of Hungary stressed that while she is Hungary's first woman head of state, she is still first and foremost a mother. A message she wishes to send by her visit is that career and having children are not mutually exclusive. She underlined that this was another matter she intended to discuss with the billionaire CEO.
Elon Musk confirmed that he agrees with the importance of having children. During the meeting he took to his social media page, summarising the meeting by posting "having children is saving the world".
The American businessman has recently expressed his views on the demographic challenges facing the world on several occasions, and has spoken up for traditional values, including freedom of expression.
Elon Musk has also shared an X post of the President of Hungary, something he did not do after his recent discussions with several other world leaders. The world's wealthiest individual, the CEO of the automotive company Tesla and the space company SpaceX as well as owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has recently met with French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Georgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, among others.
The businessman, who is the father of 11 children, presented the developments at the world's leading electric car manufacturer and gave the delegation of the Hungarian Head of State a tour of the Austin plant boasting an annual capacity in excess of 250,000 vehicles.
According to Sándor Palace, the topics discussed included the war in Ukraine, where the parties agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace. Katalin Novák informed the owner of the social media platform X about the situation of Transcarpathia’s Hungarian community and was delighted to hear that her negotiation partner expressed support for the rights of national minorities.
The visit by Hungary’s Head of State coincided with the opening ceremony of Tesla's head office built next to the company's production facility, which was opened last year and is currently undergoing further expansion.
Vajk Farkas, Head of Communication of Sándor Palace, told the Hungarian state media that one of the key goals of the presidential visit to the United States was to find allies for steps to address population challenges. The meeting with Elon Musk, as well as earlier meetings with Texas Governor Greg Abott and Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, were a part of this agenda - the communications director said.