Speaking at a festive rally in Washington, Mr. Musk twice reached out his arm with his palm facing downward, eliciting comparisons to the Nazi salute.
Elon Musk ignited speculation and chatter online when he made a hand gesture twice during a speech celebrating President Trump on Monday.
Speaking at a festive rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington shortly after Mr. Trump took the oath of office as president, Mr. Musk expressed his gratitude to the audience for selecting Mr. Trump during “a critical juncture in the course of human civilization.”
Mr. Musk, who heads Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, and who supported Mr. Trump last year during his presidential campaign, mentioned, “I simply want to express my gratitude for bringing it to fruition — thank you.”
The billionaire then grunted and put his hand on his heart before stretching his arm out over his head with his palm facing downward. Once he turned around, he duplicated the action for those behind him.
On CNN, analysts highlighted Mr. Musk’s action. Erin Burnett, a host, commented on how significant the gesture was. The action quickly sparked online comparisons to the salute made famous by Adolf Hitler, while others viewed it as a Roman salute, also referred to as the “Fascist salute,” which was subsequently embraced by the Nazis. The Nazi form of the gesture is prohibited in several European nations, including Germany.
“Did Elon Musk just perform the Roman salute during his inauguration speech? ” Hasan Piker, a well-known streamer, inquired on X.
The Anti-Defamation League, which has clashed with Mr. Musk previously, subsequently stated on X that Mr. Musk had “performed an uncomfortable gesture in a moment of excitement” and that it was “not a Nazi salute. ” The organization also mentioned that “all parties should extend a little grace to each other.”
Masha Pearl, the executive director of the Blue Card, a foundation that aids Holocaust survivors, stated that she was “profoundly disturbed” by Mr. Musk’s gesture, which she referred to as “a Nazi salute.”
She remarked: “Elon Musk has been involved with antisemitic events previously. Due to this, it was a clear representation of hate, of violence, of genocide. ”
Others seemed to rejoice in Mr. Musk’s action. Andrew Torba, the creator of the far-right social platform Gab, posted a picture of the billionaire making the gesture, including the caption, “Incredible things are happening already.”
Mr. Musk, 53, did not reply to an email seeking comment. Late on Monday, he reposted a user’s message on X that claimed the “salute hoax” was a component of a Democratic “dirty tricks campaign” targeting Mr. Musk.
“Honestly, they require more effective dirty tricks,” Mr. Musk continued. “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ tactic is incredibly worn out. ”
After completing the gestures, Mr. Musk proceeded with his speech. He fervently addressed “safe cities, secure borders, sensible spending” and the potential of transporting humanity to Mars.
“My heart reaches out to you,” Mr. Musk remarked, putting his hand over his heart. “It is because of you that the future of humanity is guaranteed.”
Kimbal Musk, the younger sibling of Mr. Musk, subsequently shared on X that it was “the best speech” of Mr. Musk’s life.
“Great job! ” Kimbal Musk posted, sharing a clip of the address. “This is what achievement feels like.”
