Billionaire Elon Musk faced online scrutiny over a hand gesture he made while celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration. Critics compared it to a Nazi salute, but the Anti-Defamation League dismissed the claim, calling it an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”
Musk took the stage at Washington’s Capital One Arena to thunderous applause, shouting, “Yesssss.” He called the event “a fork in the road of human civilization” and expressed gratitude to the audience. At one point, Musk thumped his chest, extended his arm upward, palm down, then repeated the gesture toward the crowd behind him, saying, “My heart goes out to you.”
The gesture quickly sparked controversy online. The Jerusalem Post questioned if Musk had performed a Nazi salute. Musk dismissed the criticism as a “tired attack” and accused detractors of overreach.
“It seems Musk made an awkward gesture, not a Nazi salute,” the Anti-Defamation League posted, acknowledging heightened sensitivity.
Musk later shared a Fox video of his speech on his platform, X, omitting the contentious gesture. “The future is so exciting,” he captioned it.
Supporters defended Musk, arguing the gesture symbolized gratitude and criticizing attempts to misrepresent it.
However, Musk’s political ties added fuel to the debate. He has endorsed Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and hosted a broadcast with its leader earlier this month. The AfD is labeled as extremist by German authorities.
A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to requests for comment.
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