German President’s X account hacked, displaying Nazi references and Bihar water dept handle

The official X (formerly Twitter) account of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been hacked, causing a stir on social media. The account was reportedly compromised when hackers altered the username to @adolf_gov and changed the description to read "Make Germany Great Again." This alteration appeared to mimic the popular slogan used by former US President Donald Trump, but with a focus on decentralisation.

The hacked account, which had over 57,000 followers at the time, was quickly flagged by users who noticed the unusual changes. In addition to the name and description changes, the hackers posted a highly controversial image of Adolf Hitler alongside Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The accompanying caption, "Remember: when you stand together, when your goal is the same, when your spirit is unshakable, nothing can stop you. #MGGA," was intended to promote the slogan, which was likely meant to stand for 'Make Germany Great Again.'

These actions raised concerns among social media users who questioned the motives behind the breach. The account was briefly suspended after the changes were reported. However, the account reappeared shortly thereafter, now displaying the name of the Water Resources Department of Bihar, though it still retained the original handle @FrankWalterGER.

Despite the changes, the account continued to gain followers, with the count rising to 59,000 after the breach. The hacking incident drew attention due to the high-profile nature of the account, which is verified as the official page of the German President. The alterations to the account’s identity, including the reference to the Bihar government and Nazi-era figures, added an unexpected twist to the situation, drawing widespread attention from social media users.

The original content, which had been posted prior to the hack, was removed after the changes were flagged. As of now, there has been no official communication from the German government regarding the breach, and it remains unclear how the hackers gained access to the verified account.