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Elon Musk says his critics need ‘better dirty tricks’ after ‘Nazi salute’ accusations
- by The Independent
- Jan 22, 2025
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Wednesday 22 January 2025 04:44 GMT
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Elon Musk is now responding to the controversy he sparked when he delivered back-to-back gestures during his speech at Donald Trumpâs inauguration celebration, which many saw as him performing a âNazi salute.â
Rather than outright deny that he was emulating a fascist salute when he shot his right arm in an angular direction with the palm facing down, the Tesla CEO and âfirst buddyâ instead said his critics needed âbetter dirty tricksâ because attacking their political opponents as Adolf Hitler is âsooo tired.â
Following Trumpâs swearing-in ceremony, Musk â who provided significant funding to the presidentâs successful campaign and is tasked with running a meme-based government efficiency council â took the stage at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., to sing Trumpâs praises in a short and excitable speech.
While the crowd roared in approval, the worldâs richest man told the MAGA supporters he wanted to âsay thank you for making it happenâ before emphatically slapping his right hand into his chest. At that point, he threw his right arm diagonally into the air, fingers together, and his palm down.
With the audience going wild, the Tesla CEO turned around and repeated the salute, this time towards the back of the stage where an American flag was hanging above. âMy heart goes out to you,â he added, putting his hand on his chest again. âIt is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured. Thanks to you!â
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Elon Musk is now responding to accusations that he gave a âNazi saluteâ during a speech at Donald Trumpâs inauguration celebration.
(AFP via Getty Images)
With the Anti-Defamation League defining a Nazi salute as âraising an outstretched right arm with the palm down,â and Musk having already come under fire for sympathizing with extremists and far-right political parties with neo-Nazi ties, the reaction to the gesture was swift and severe. On top of that, the backlash comes after Democrats repeatedly warned during the campaign that a Trump victory would lead to âfascism.â
During CNNâs inaugural coverage, anchors Erin Burnett and Kasie Hunt noted that Musk had given an âodd-looking saluteâ that was evocative of things that we have seen through historyâ and ânot something you typically see at American rallies.â The network also immediately replayed the moment, saying their âviewers are smart and can take a look at it.â
Others, however, felt what they had just seen was explicitly clear.
âOur new co-president Elon Musk gives a Nazi salute on day one of Trump presidency,â Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett tweeted while sharing a clip of the X (formerly Twitter) owner. âYeah Elon gave a Sieg Heil,â another user posted on Bluesky. Spainâs deputy prime minister even quit X over the salute.
Additionally, other observers noted that Musk was performing a âRoman saluteâ and that far-right extremists were excited over the gesture being aired to a television audience of millions. While the Roman salute was initially performed by soldiers in the ancient empire as a greeting to commanders to show loyalty and respect, it was later adopted by the Italian fascist regime â and a form of it was eventually used by Nazi Germany.
Historians of fascism and neo-Nazism also weighed in following Muskâs speech, saying that they believed Muskâs gesture was a âsieg heilâ and that viewers âshould believe your eyes. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University, added: "Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too."
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Musk was hardly the only tech billionaire to enjoy a choice seat at Trumpâs inauguration on Monday
(AP)
Defenders of Musk pushed back, however, suggesting that the gesture was just another example of the tech billionaire exhibiting social awkwardness on a big stage. âAs a person with a *strong* track record of criticizing Elon Musk, I feel extremely confident asserting that this was not a Nazi salute. Elon Musk is a friend to the Jews,â Newsweek opinion editor Batya Ungar-Sargon claimed. âThis is a man with Aspergers exuberantly throwing his heart to the crowd. We donât need to invent outrage.â
The ADL, which Musk had previously threatened to sue for accusing him of platforming antisemitism, also ran to the tech mogulâs defense. The organization and its chief, Jonathan Greenblatt, have been criticized for flip-flopping on Musk following the October 7 Hamas attacks and subsequently praising his âleadership in fighting hate.â
âThis is a delicate moment. Itâs a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety. It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge,â the ADL said in a statement. âIn this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Letâs hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.â
The organization waving off Muskâs gesture only sparked more backlash, prompting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to blast the group for âdefending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity.â This resulted in Muskâs top acolytes on X pushing back against the progressive lawmaker, leading to Musk finally weighing in on the outcry.
âShe had just 100% lost her marbles,â Musk posted after far-right influencer Ian Miles Cheong claimed Ocasio-Cortez was âJewsplaining hate speechâ to the league.
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