Elon Musk
By Chris Williams
During a recent event, Elon Musk made a one-armed gesture that has led to widespread debate over its interpretation as either a Nazi salute or a heartfelt gesture. Critics from the political left and media have accused Musk of the former, prompting a strong defense from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the accusations against Musk a ‘false smear.’ Musk himself has responded with humor, continuing to engage with the controversy through social media posts.
The Gesture in Question
On 20 January 2025, at a rally shortly after the second inauguration of Donald Trump, Elon Musk gave a speech during which he made a gesture that was viewed as a Nazi salute or Roman salute by many, including politicians Yolanda Díaz, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Jerry Nadler, as well as historian of fascism Ruth Ben-Ghiat. 
Public and Political Reactions
The gesture quickly sparked online comparisons to Adolf Hitler’s salute, while others saw it as a Roman salute, also referred to as the “Fascist salute”. Many users on X, the social media platform which Musk owns, criticized the gesture saying it resembled a Nazi salute. Southern Poverty Law Center, a 501(c)(3) specialized in civil rights, referred to it as an “apparent Nazi salute” and noted it had “ignited a firestorm of controversy”. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history and fascism at New York University agreed with this description, saying on X that “That was a Nazi salute – and a very belligerent one too”. 
The incident also provoked reactions in Europe. In Germany, Michel Friedman, a publicist and former deputy chair of the Central Council of Jews, described Musk’s gesture as a “disgrace” and a dangerous provocation. Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Jewish community in Munich and Upper Bavaria, found the gesture “highly disconcerting” and expressed concern over Musk’s political support for far-right groups. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz deemed Musk’s support for the far-right unacceptable. 
Defense and Support
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Elon Musk amidst accusations of making a Nazi salute during a speech to Trump supporters. Netanyahu called Musk a “great friend of Israel” and criticized the allegations as “false smears” against him. Musk, who was speaking at an event following Trump’s inauguration, made a gesture which some interpreted as a Nazi salute. He dismissed the accusations, suggesting they were politically motivated attacks. Key figures, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerry Nadler, condemned the gesture. The Anti-Defamation League described the reaction as possibly overblown, urging for grace and unity. Additionally, Musk has faced criticism related to his support of controversial comments about Jewish influence, which the White House denounced. 
Musk’s Response
Elon Musk responded to criticism of his gesture on January 21 on his X account, including calling all news outlets criticizing him of being biased. He wrote: “The legacy media is pure propaganda” and “they need better dirty tricks”. He also said: “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired”, while not explicitly denying the accusation. 
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