Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO and owner of X (formerly Twitter), ignited a storm of criticism after making a one-armed gesture during a speech celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration. The event took place at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena, where Musk addressed the crowd as a staunch ally of the newly inaugurated president.

Musk, 53, thanked supporters, saying, “My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.” He placed his hand over his heart before thrusting the same arm straight ahead, repeating the motion for the audience behind him. The gesture drew immediate comparisons on social media to the Nazi salute.

Gesture is ‘Roman Empire is Back’

Critics were quick to react.

Historian Claire Aubin, an expert on Nazism in the U.S., called it a clear “sieg heil,” while Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of fascism, described it as “a belligerent Nazi salute.”

Even Andrea Stroppa, a close Musk confidant and ally of Italy’s far-right PM Giorgia Meloni, reportedly captioned a clip of the incident: “Roman Empire is back starting from Roman salute.” Stroppa later deleted the post and clarified the gesture was an expression of Musk’s emotions, citing his autism.

Musk dismissed the outrage, calling it a baseless attack. “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he posted on X.

This isn’t the first time Musk’s political alignment has come under scrutiny. In recent months, he’s shown support for Germany’s far-right AfD party and Britain’s Reform UK, fueling concerns about his growing influence in right-wing circles.

‘Awkward But Not Malicious’

The incident even reached international forums.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasized Europe’s commitment to free speech but warned against gestures supporting extremist ideologies.

Some defended Musk, including the Anti-Defamation League, which called the gesture “awkward but not malicious.”  But the controversy highlights the challenges of interpreting high-profile figures’ actions in politically charged contexts.

As Musk assumes a co-lead role in Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, his every move will undoubtedly remain under intense scrutiny.

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Dan Mitchell

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