Controversial floats of Trump, Putin and Elon Musk with swastika leave people shocked at German parade
Satirical parade vehicles displaying caricatures of US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have ignited intense online discussions about this mocking artistic expression.
As carnival festivities begin in Germany, global attention focused on particular parade vehicles in Cologne and Düsseldorf this week. These displays presented Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin in highly unflattering portrayals. The parade vehicles featured satirical designs with exaggerated caricatures of these individuals while making bold statements about them.
One display showed Musk wearing a diaper bearing the emblem of Alternative for Germany (AfD), a German far-right political organization, as he ran from someone attempting to restrain him with a straight jacket. The creators' intent behind this display appears quite evident.
Musk is depicted yelling into a megaphone decorated with the Twitter logo that emits fecal matter, while simultaneously waving an American flag shaped into a Nazi symbol. Most viewers interpret this message as deliberately provocative.
Another display features Trump and Putin, alluding to ongoing tensions between Trump and Ukraine. The figures shake blood-covered hands while squeezing a miniature Volodymyr Zelenskyy between them. This display also bears the text "Hitler-Stalin Pact 2.0," referring to the 1939 non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
Social media users have expressed varied reactions to these parade vehicles, particularly regarding the Musk portrayal, leading to heated exchanges. Some commend the boldness, with one user commenting: "Elon Musk performed a 'roman' salute, called Hitler a communist, and endorsed a far-right party in Germany—yet his fanboys are outraged because a Düsseldorf carnival float depicted him next to a swastika? The irony is almost painful."
Another supporter wrote: "Those Düsseldorf floats roasting Trump, Putin, and Musk are pure gold! Germany's carnival satire nails the absurdity of these leaders. Cheers to calling out their chaos with creativity!"
Others view the displays as ridiculous and disconnected. One critic remarked: "It's wild how quickly things escalate. Art and satire have always pushed boundaries, but this level of political commentary seems pretty intense. Everyone's got their own views, but it's important to keep conversations respectful and grounded in facts."
Another disapproving comment stated: "Imagine how obsessed and threatened they must be by Elon? This whole thing and he lives in another country."
