Vice President-elect J.D. Vance joined Elon Musk in appearing to defend the policies of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, and also seemed to take aim at a pro-Israel Washington think tank whose staffer had criticized the party.

Elon Musk has caused outrage after he threw his support behind a far-right political party in Germany, lauding them as the country’s saviour. In a post on Musk’s own social media platform X, he wrote that “only” the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party can “save Germany”.

Germany searched for answers on Monday on possible security lapses after a man drove his car into a Christmas market, killing at least five people and casting a renewed spotlight on security and immigration ahead of a snap election.

Officials say five people have been killed, including a 9-year-old, after a Saudi doctor drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday.

A judge in Germany has ordered the suspect in the dedly Christmas market ramming attack to be held in pre-trial detention following a late-night court appearance on Saturday, according to a statement from police early Sunday.