In brief
Amid backlash, Musk defends himself stating the criticism is outdated and misinterpretation.
Elon Musk finds himself at the center of controversy following a gesture he made during a post-inauguration rally for Donald Trump. The billionaire entrepreneur thanked attendees for "making it happen" before placing his right hand over his heart and extending the same arm forward. This action led many observers on social media, including X, the platform Musk owns, to draw parallels to a Nazi salute.In response to the criticism, Musk took to X to dismiss the accusations, writing, "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired." The rally took place at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., where Musk expressed gratitude to the crowd, saying, "My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured."Historians and observers quickly condemned the gesture. Claire Aubin, a historian specializing in Nazism within the United States, labeled the gesture a "sieg heil," urging viewers to trust their interpretations. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at NYU, echoed this sentiment, calling Musk's movement a "belligerent" Nazi salute. There were also social media comments linking Musk's action to the Roman salute used by the Fascist regime in Italy, a suggestion further fueled by a deleted post from Andrea Stroppa, a close associate of Musk.Stroppa later attempted to clarify the incident by stating that Musk, who has autism, was simply trying to express affection. "That is exactly what he communicated into the microphone. ELON DISLIKES EXTREMISTS!" he claimed. This incident comes as Musk's political stances lean increasingly right, with recent statements supporting Germany's far-right AfD party and British anti-immigration party Reform UK.Despite the uproar, some continue to defend Musk's actions. The Anti-Defamation League publicly stated they believe Musk's gesture was an awkward display of enthusiasm rather than an extremist salute. Musk's relationship with Trump has strengthened, with the entrepreneur being appointed to co-lead what Trump calls the Department of Government Efficiency.
