Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy Monday after making a gesture at an event celebrating U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, with some calling it a "Nazi" or "fascist" movement.
The X, SpaceX and Tesla chief appeared on stage at the Capital One Arena in Washington, where supporters of the newly inaugurated president had gathered for a rally.
Upon thanking the crowd for returning the 78-year-old Republican to the White House, Musk tapped the left side of his chest with his right hand and then extended his arm with his palm open, repeating the gesture for the crowd seated behind him.
Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, agreed Musk's gesture was a "sieg heil," or Nazi salute.
"My professional opinion is that you're all right, you should believe your eyes," Aubin posted on X, aligning with those who found the gesture was an overt reference to Nazis.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of fascism, also found the gesture "was a Nazi salute -- and a very belligerent one too," she said on X.
Democratic Party members also quickly responded with alarm.
Congressman Jimmy Gomez reacted to the moment by posting on X: "Well, that didn't take long."
Musk, who has posted a dozen times on his social network X since making the gesture, did not immediately react to the swirling controversy.
One attendee at the rally told AFP he thought Musk was making the gesture as a joke.
"He's very humorous, and he uses a lot of sarcasm. So when he did that on the stage, I don't think he meant it," said Brandon Galambos, a 29-year-old pastor and tech worker.
Reports by Wired and Rolling Stone magazines said far-right personalities in the United States were celebrating the move, like the writer Evan Kilgore, who called the salute "incredible."
Musk has also made several statements in recent weeks in support of Germany's far-right AfD party and British anti-immigration party Reform UK.
The Anti Defamation League (ADL), an organization founded to combat anti-Semitism which has criticized Musk in the past, defended his actions this time around.
"It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute," the organization said in a statement posted on X.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted the ADL's reaction, saying on X: "Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity."
Another historian, Aaron Astor, also rebuffed accusations of Musk's Nazi emulation.
"I have criticized Elon Musk many times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform," he wrote on X, adding: "But this gesture is not a Nazi salute."
"This is a socially awkward autistic man's wave to the crowd where he says 'my heart goes out to you.'"
In 2021, Musk announced he had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.
© 2025 AFP
67 Comments
stormcrow
That salute looks frighteningly familiar.
Isn’t it illegal to do that in Germany?
Negative Nancy
Wow. Just wow.
Seeing Trump surrounded by the richest people in the world in Musk and Bezos et al. was sicking but not suprising.... but nobody could have expected this. It appeared to be very deliberate to me.
virusrex
There is a minimum of coherence necessary for an excuse to be believable.
WA4TKG
He did it ALL for YOU
Burgerland
Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy Monday after making a gesture at an event celebrating U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, with some calling it a "Nazi" or "fascist" movement. "
Anti MAGA camp trying to make it out to be something it clearly it was not.
independent.co.uk - While getting extremely excited about the prospect of landing a man on Mars and planting an American flag, the X (formelyTwitter) owner pounded his chest and shot his right arm in an angular motion toward the sky, saying he felt it in his “heart.” He also turned his back to the audience and repeated the gesture towards the American flag hanging over the stage. “Standing ovation for Elon Musk. By far the biggest reception of the day,” CNN anchor Erin Burnett noted. “You saw him come out with that odd-looking salute.”
Liberals and Maga detractors flooded social media with videos of Musk’s provocative wave to the crowd, there was nothing in Musk’s excitable pro-Trump speech that explicitly referenced fascism and Nazism "
Peter Neil
he's gone off the deep end.
his years-long biographer says he gone mad. he's unwell.
rainyday
Man, day one and the new President's boss has already gone full Nazi.
This won't end well.
lincolnman
You wanted it MAGA-world, you got it...
Fascism and Neo-Nazi-ism...
Proud of yourselves?
Blacklabel
More nonsense from the losers.
“then made the same gesture of gratitude to those those behind the stage, saying, “Thank you! My heart goes out to you!”
Cephus
"Musk raises eyebrows with salute gesture at Trump rally"
AND
"The Anti Defamation League (ADL), an organization founded to combat anti-Semitism which has criticized Musk in the past, defended his actions this time around.
"It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute," the organization said in a statement posted on X."
Case closed, and don't you have better things to do?
JJE
"My heart goes out to you"...
...is what he said, placing his hands firmly over his heart. He earlier gave little salutes of a military nature.
Not even one day in and the dreadful distortions are flowing.
JJE
At least the article mentions two sources that contradict this is a nazi salute, which it clearly wasn't - one being the ADL.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Ah, a Nazi Salute at the Trump rally. Well, this is what people voted for.
Fighto!
Well considering the grub supports the AfD in Germany - of course he copies their signals and salutes.
Musk is so drug addled he is a major loose cannon for the administration.
TorafusuTorasan
The salute is among the top five weirdest things about the photo. Number one surely is, why are there no preschoolers draped over his dome, and how many munchkins can he fit up there at one time?
Tokyo Guy
It no longer matters. Very little does these days. He knows exactly what the gesture represents. At the very least it was incredibly tactless. At the worst it was what people assume it was.
The lines have clearly been drawn. Musk could have said "I am happy that millions of Jews were gassed during World War Two" and his stans would either openly agree, or find a way to twist it.
It's open season on decency.
antibotter
In case people think it's just an accidental sieg heil salute:
He did it twice.
The video makes it much worse than still photo.
Desert Tortoise
My wife and I were shaking our heads. He is Autistic to beat the band and it was never treated. We have a boy who is on the spectrum so we recognize the lack of self control or recognition of what is appropriate behavior. The drug abuse is not helping things either.
falseflagsteve
And the madness begins…
Desert Tortoise
Following in the footsteps of Howard Hughes.
Some dude
I wonder what would happen if Jared Kushner asked Trump to condemn that gesture. Kushner has been on record as saying that his father in law is not an anti-semite.
Then we'd know where Trump's loyalties lie. Either he condemns it and risks losing his unofficial VP (and his money) or he declines, showing his son-in-law just what he really thinks of him.
plasticmonkey
The American voters have spoken. Clear mandate for fascist salutes.
Bad Haircut
Jeeez, talk about being desperate to find offence under every grain of sand. It was just a stiff wave of the arm. Biden had the habit of making a stiff wave of acknowledgement like Stalin, but none of his opponents ever accused him of emulating that beast. In both Musk's and Biden's cases, it's merely a stiff wave.
plasticmonkey
lol
lincolnman
Well, this really just brings things full-circle...
Trump's rallies have always been "Nazi-like" with their cult of devotion and outright hatred of "others"...
Now Elon the Autistic has blown away the pretense and given us a clear admission - it's 'Heil Donald" from now on...
Makes it a little easier to understand how Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes got a MAL dinner invite...
And it puts that "very fine people" comment in much clearer context...
Welcome to MAGA-Nazi-world...
bass4funk
His grandkids are Jewish, proof right there.
We do know since his son-in-law is Jewish.
I think the left is once again stepping way over their skies on this one.
JJE
Watch the video: He says "my heart goes out to you" and gestures twice in rapid motion, once to the rear for audience behind him. His hand is clearly splayed on his heart each time.
This is nothing but a smear job.
plasticmonkey
Given Musk's recent flirtations with fascist-adjacent groups and ideas, this seems to be more than just an awkward "stiff wave of the arm" to show gratitude.
rainyday
I just watched an unedited video of it. Its a very clear and deliberate Nazi salute, done twice as if to erase any doubt, by a guy who openly supports neo-Nazis.
Just own it, the denials in the face of what everyone can see in plain sight are just pathetic.
spinningplates
It looks like a moment of exuberance and adrenalin...dumb awkward and embarrassing: Yes, sure.
a fascist salute, I think less so.
rainyday
Funny, I've never seen anyone, no matter how much exuberance they were experiencing or how high their adrenalin levels were, deliberately express that with a Nazi salute before, let alone two Nazi salutes.
Well, except for Nazis in old clips of Nazi rallies of course.
itsonlyrocknroll
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gesture is nothing more than a misconstrued photo op,
From a man that has openly stated he suffers from a neurodevelopmental disorder Asperger syndrome.
Simply humour the fellow.
iknowall
Musk is great! He will take the first Americans to Mars.
JJE
The obsession with twisting and branding this a nazi-salute, or Musk a nazi, is incredible. The Anti Defamation League find the whole assertion completely baseless.
itsonlyrocknroll
This won't be the last in a long line of public displays of "look at me" Elon Musk overwhelming desire need to attention.
I feel nothing but saddened for his malady.
Bad Haircut
It seems we're getting a taste of the desperation the left is resorting just hours into Trump's presidency. Who knows how deep it'll go over the next few years, but they're already making fingernail marks in the bottom of the barrel. Can't wait to see what they come up with next!
plasticmonkey
Have fun with that!
rainyday
Its the Trump defenders bending themselves over backwards trying to explain away their new leader's Nazi salute as anything but a Nazi salute just hours into Trump's presidency that reek of desperation.
Geeter Mckluskie
Settle down
virusrex
Are people not allowed to express themselves now?
Actual historians of Nazis, fascism and holocaust have clearly expressed their opinions about this:
https://x.com/waitmanb/status/1881446968679088467
https://x.com/ruthbenghiat/status/1881460628164120641
Bad Haircut
The delusion is strong in this one.
Ricky Kaminski13
Don't worry yall, I know you guys are easily whipped into a Nazi ghost-chasing frenzy, especially on the day of this historic inauguration. All your worst nightmares are coming real, it must be terrifying. Project at will, do what you have to do because Israel and the Jewish nation know perfectly well who their friends are, and who their friends were not!
They won't skip a beat. Welcome to planet Bitter! Bet those parties are fun ;P
For the adults in the room, let's see what happens ay? ;)
Burgerland
"Welcome to MAGA-Nazi-world...
Musk could have said "I am happy that millions of Jews were gassed during World War Two" and his stans would either openly agree, or find a way to twist it. It's open season on decency.
Its a very clear and deliberate Nazi salute, done twice as if to erase any doubt, by a guy who openly supports neo-Nazis."
More over the top anti MAGA hysteria by Dem fans. Major part of why Biden/Harris team lost the election so badly. Keep it up, good way to ensure Dems loose again in 4 years time.
Moderator
All readers, please control your emotions. If you have already posted here and made your point, there is no need to post any further comments.
nishikat
I'm sure this will be great for Tesla sales.
See if people will still buy Tesla. At this point I'm looking at other EVs and there are lots of choices.
We are talking about President Musk, not the sidekick Trump.
wallace
I would not be surprised since Musk voiced his support for the extreme rightwing parties in Europe, has an "eye" for the Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, and told King Charles to dissolve parliament and call a new general election.
The_Beagle
Prior to WWII, the pledge of allegiance used a very similar gesture. With Musk, it comes across more like Buzz Lightyear.
David Brent
Who cares?
NCIS Reruns
The LA-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organization of Holocaust survivors, posted these comments on its web site:
URL: https://www.wiesenthal.com/about/news/statement-from-the-simon-4.html
Elon Musk has become a prominent figure on the global stage, but his actions today at President Trump’s inauguration have raised serious concerns. His unexpected double salute, which resembled gestures associated with troubling historical connotations, is challenging to understand—especially as he has recently engaged with Germany’s domestic politics by seemingly supporting the AfD party, known for its far-right elements.
The Nazi salute, officially known as the “Hitler salute,” originated in Nazi Germany as a gesture of loyalty and obedience to Adolf Hitler and the ideals of the National Socialist Party. The Nazi salute was inspired by the ancient Roman salute, a gesture thought to symbolize strength and unity in classical antiquity.
Now, serving as a key member of the Trump administration, Mr. Musk has significant responsibilities and a new international platform. It would be appropriate for him to clarify or apologize for today’s gesture and focus his energy on tackling the critical challenges ahead.
fxgai
So much complaining.
nishikat
That might be the future of Tesla sock holders.
Michael Machida
Ya'll voted for him. Now it's time to watch what your vote does for the next 4+ years.
Desert Tortoise
His rallies remind me more of Benito Mussolini's but I guess that is kind of splitting hairs. We have a dark four years ahead. The US will be fortunate if it has even one democratic friend when this is over. Even without the Greenland and Panama Canal threats the proposed tariffs are going to create enemies for American around the world and do tremendous damage to the US economy.
I also fear using the uniformed military against civilians will tear the military apart and weaken it greatly. A large proportion of the active and reserve forces come from immigrant families like mine, and a lot of DoD employees likewise come from immigrant backgrounds and share their ethnic heritage with groups the administration seeks to target. I would not be surprised to see mutinies among some units as members refuse to go against their own people. It will cost the military much good will among the US population. Or the US will send troops into Mexico chasing drug gangs and get bogged down in an unwinnable war where the cartels corrupt our military as they have corrupted the Mexican and other Latin American armed forces.
I also fear that China will take advantage of a weakened US economy and a military in turmoil to attack Taiwan and the US will be incapable of stopping them.
Daisaku
How long will the Musk-Trump bromance last how Trump has gone all anti-EVs even though Musk spent billions supporting his election?
Nibek32
Not sure why this raised eyebrows. The Republican Party has been preaching the same ideals as Nazis for years. Makes perfect sense and was 100% an intentional salute to the Nazis that now occupy the White House.
Geeter Mckluskie
have at it...but take note of the moderators comment above...basically saying exactly what I have...settle down
Eat the left
It's more of a 'To infinity and beyond' gesture.
Has keeping the arm straight now become a cancellable offence?
Great Bird
Musk clearly enjoys the adulation of the Trump fans. Not fully used to it yet, carried away, so does the Nazi salute without thinking, just wanting to thank people for their vote. Possible, but autistic or not, he has to be aware of what that gesture means historically. He has to have enough self control to realize even in the heat of the moment what he does.
Other possibility is that he knew exactly how it would look, and is either trolling or means it.
Whatever the reasons, it was a Nazi salute, it looks bad and is bad. But that's the guy you now have as sort of government supervisor...Good luck with that.
But of course as long as he isn't "woke" our rightist sheep will love him.
Bob Fosse
Nobody knows what his intention was except the man himself. But it sure was a dumb thing to do.
maga usually like saying stuff like “judge a man by his action, it it quacks like a duck etc” Ok then.
CaptDingleheimer
Listen, I know it's fun to sit around and get all worked up into a tizzy about Trump and all that crap, but come on- do you really think he meant to salute Hitler or whatever? Give me a break.
maxjapank
Why is it always right-wingers who "mistakently" make a nazi salute?
KnightsOfCydonia
pretty sure he did this in jest, knowing full well what the reaction would be.
people gotta stop taking the bait.
Negative Nancy
The defensive of this seems to be based on 'he's got a mental condition' or 'he has a behavioral disorder'.
If so, why is he anywhere near the presdential office?
bass4funk
Very true
Why?
I judge a man by their intentions, speaking of Schiff.....
Eat the left
Not a Nazi salute. More of a 'To infinity and beyond' gesture.
Try to forgive him for keeping his arm straight as he did it.
rainyday
Um yeah, there is a reason they stopped doing that around the same time WW2 happened you know.
iknowall
I remember when the Colorado Supreme Court removed Trump from that state's 2024 ballot.
Remember how giddy and elated you felt, believing that Trump would not even be eligible to run for president? And you thought Biden would roar into office?
You do?
Then you are part of the woke movement that was erased today with one signature by PRESIDENT Trump.