Elon Musk has found himself at the center of controversy after making a gesture at Trump’s inauguration that some have likened to a Nazi salute. As the billionaire entrepreneur faces backlash, he has taken to social media to defend his actions. But what really happened and why has Musk’s gesture sparked such outrage?
Elon Musk’s Hand Gesture: Understanding the Controversy
On Monday, January 20, 2024, during Donald Trump’s inauguration, Musk thanked the crowd for “making it happen”, before placing his right hand over his heart and then thrusting the same arm out into air straight ahead of him. He then turned and repeated the action for those sitting behind him.
The “Nazi Salute” Controversy
There was immediate backlash on social media, with several users on X (formerly Twitter), the social medial platform he owns, have likened the gesture to a Nazi salute.
In response, however, Elon Musk shared on X: “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”
Musk, the world’s current richest man and a close ally of President Trump, had been speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC when he made the alleged Nazi hand gesture.
“My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilisation is assured,” the 53-year-old Tech billionaire had said, after giving the second one-armed salute.
The Reactions
Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, remarked that Musk’s gesture was a “sieg heil”, or Nazi salute.
“My professional opinion is that you’re all right, you should believe your eyes,” the historian had posted on X, in reference to individuals who believed the gesture to be an overt reference to Nazis.
Additionally, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University, had said: “Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too.”
