- Elon Musk’s one-armed gesture at Trump’s inauguration likened to a Nazi salute, sparking global debate.
- Historians specializing in Nazism, like Claire Aubin, confirm the gesture as a “sieg heil”, or Nazi salute.
- The Anti-Defamation League defends Musk, attributing the gesture to enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.
- The controversy highlights Musk’s increasingly right-leaning politics and sparks discussions on the influence of public figures.
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and a staunch supporter of President Trump, recently made a one-armed gesture during a speech at Trump’s inauguration. This act, which involved Musk placing his right hand over his heart and then extending the same arm straight out in front of him, has been likened to a Nazi salute by many on X, the social media platform he owns. Musk was speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC when he made the gesture. In response to the backlash, Musk posted on X, Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.
Musk’s Gesture: A Historical Perspective
Historians specializing in Nazism within the United States, such as Claire Aubin, have also weighed in on the controversy. Aubin stated that Musk’s gesture was a sieg heil, or Nazi salute, and encouraged people to trust their instincts. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University, echoed Aubin’s sentiments, stating, Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too. Andrea Stroppa, a close confidant of Musk who has connected him with far-right Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, was reported by Italian media to have posted the clip of Musk with the caption: Roman Empire is back starting from Roman salute.
The Aftermath and Reactions
The Anti-Defamation League, an organization founded to combat anti-Semitism, defended Musk, stating that his gesture was a result of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute. However, the controversy has highlighted Musk’s increasingly right-leaning politics, with recent statements in support of Germany’s far-right AfD party and British anti-immigration party Reform UK. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, was asked about the comparison to a Nazi salute, something that is banned in Germany. He stated, We have the freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany, but added that they do not accept support for extreme right positions.
The controversy surrounding Musk’s gesture comes at a time when Trump has begun his first full day as President. Trump’s inauguration was marked by a series of executive orders and pardons, and he promised a golden age of America after being sworn in. Trump’s return to the White House has been marked by a focus on climate change and deportations, with the President telling the military to seal the borders and ordering officials to deny the right to citizenship to the children of migrants either in the US illegally or on temporary visas.