Elon Musk was so excited about President Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday that he threw out two stiff-armed salutes that looked just like what the bad guys in World War II movies do, but to some, it looked like a Nazi salute.
Before appearing to “heil” the crowd, Musk told Trump supporters at a post-inauguration rally in Capitol One Arena: “There are elections that come and go, and some elections are important and some are not, but this one really mattered. And I just want to say thank you for making it happen.”
He then thumped his heart with his right hand and thrust the same arm into the air at an angle that, quite frankly, I did Nazi coming. Then he did it a second time, with a big, dopey grin on his face. The move sent “Nazi salute” trending on Google and various social media platforms.
The Anti-Defamation League posted a statement on social media saying: “It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath.”
Musk, one of Trump’s closest advisers, was among the speakers on stage before Trump’s arrival at the Capital One Arena in Washington.
Musk thanked supporters, then placed his right hand on his heart and quickly extended it upwards.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said, before repeating the gesture.
Users on Musk’s online platform X noted that the gesture resembled a Nazi salute.
U.S. broadcaster CNN replayed the footage multiple times during its programme, with a presenter stating viewers were smart enough to form their own opinion on the matter.
Initially, Musk did not provide an explanation for the action.
However, he shared footage of his remarks, and the gesture, via X.
Ahead of Trump’s swearing-in, Musk enthused about the “Return of the King,” sharing a screenshot of Trump’s once-banned Twitter account alongside the official presidential profile.
Twitter banned Trump in the wake of the January 6, 2021 riots, before Musk reinstated the account when he purchased the social media platform in 2022.
