“People who sit on the throne of their wealth,” according to Müller, “now see a chance to push their agenda,” as they have done on various occasions in the past and have even been punished for it. Thus said said the 73-year-old in an interview with the St. Boniface Institute, a Catholic organization.

The cardinal referred in particular to George Soros, a Hungarian-born billionaire and philanthropist. He describes Soros and Bill Gates as the ones who “rule the world” and use the coronavirus to “push their agenda.”

A Holocaust survivor, Soros is known for funding liberal and progressive causes worldwide and is often the target of antisemitic and conspiracy theories.

"[they] proclaim loudly that this is an opportunity to push their agenda, an agenda based on fraud, specifically the opinion that we can use modern technology to bring forth a new creation […]"
His Eminence Kardinal Müller, former Prefect of the CDF. pic.twitter.com/JSkWWFTSg4

— St. Boniface Institute (@Inst_StBoniface) December 6, 2021

Cardinal Müller’s statement and the reference to Soros prompted German Jewish organizations to react immediately. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis, which represents over 700 rabbis, called on the Vatican to “clearly distance itself from such crude statements and positions.”

Felix Klein, the German antisemitism commissioner, also called on the Vatican to condemn Müller’s remarks, adding that his “antisemitic conspiracy myths harm our society and only exacerbate existing problems.” Other Jewish leaders also complained about the cardinal’s statement.

Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said in an interview that Müller used “clearly antisemitic tropes.” He described the remarks as “irresponsible and unacceptable.”