Elon Musk's gesture at President Donald Trump's Inauguration Parade sparked online controversy, with some interpreting it as a Nazi salute. While Musk hasn't confirmed his intent, the gesture has drawn both praise and condemnation, prompting discussions about free speech, intent, and the historical significance of the salute.
A gesture made by Elon Musk while speaking at President Donald Trump 's Inauguration Parade sparked controversy online. Some perceived the tech billionaire's straight-arm movement as a Nazi salute. Musk was concluding his impassioned speech supporting the new president at Capital One Arena when he made the gesture. 'I just want to say thank you for making it happen,' Musk said to the crowd, referring to Trump's presidential victory.
He then slapped his hand on his chest and extended his arm straight outward and upward with his palm facing downwards. He turned and repeated the gesture in the opposite direction. 'My heart goes out to you,' Musk continued. 'It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.' Critics and fans of the Tesla CEO and world's richest man quickly reacted. Social media users shared clips and screenshots of the moment, with some accusing Musk of intentionally performing the 'Sieg Heil' salute while others insisted it was an innocent motion made while cheering with the crowd. While Musk hasn't explicitly denied making a fascist gesture, he posted on X several hours after leaving the stage, claiming the online uproar was just one of the 'dirty tricks' allegedly employed by Democrats. 'Frankly, they need better dirty tricks,' Musk wrote. 'The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,' Musk added, concluding with a sleeping emoji. Although Musk didn't confirm or deny his intent, some right-wing figures praised the action. 'Did Elon Musk just Heil Hitler at the Trump Inauguration Rally in Washington, D.C…' right-wing commentator Evan Kilgore posted on X. 'This is incredible.' 'Maybe woke really is dead,' white nationalist Keith Woods wrote on X.On the other hand, some Democrats, like N.Y. Rep. Jerry Nadler, condemned the gesture. 'I never imagined we would see the day when what appears to be a Heil Hitler salute would be made behind the Presidential seal. This abhorrent gesture has no place in our society,' Nadler posted on X. The response extended internationally. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach commented, 'Such a gesture, given his already known proximity to right-wing populists in the fascist tradition, must worry every democrat.' Spain’s Minister of Labor and Social Economy Yolanda Díaz stated she would quit X after 'the entire world witnessed Elon Musk mimicking a Nazi salute.' Many, however, defended Musk, arguing it was an accidental gesture. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization monitoring antisemitism and human rights, called it an 'awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm' and urged caution against hasty conclusions. 'In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath,' the ADL continued. Other extremism monitors and experts pointed out the ambiguity surrounding Musk's intent in making the gesture to Trump's supporters. 'I’m skeptical it was on purpose,' Jared Holt, a senior research analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told the Associated Press. 'It would be an act of self-sabotage that wouldn’t really make much sense at all.' The Nazi or Hitler salute originated in the 1930s in Nazi Germany as a tribute to Adolf Hitler. It involves raising an outstretched right arm with the palm down, often accompanied by chants of 'Heil Hitler' or 'Sieg Heil.' After World War II, neo-Nazis and white supremacists continued using the salute, making it the most common white supremacist hand sign globally. The gesture is banned in several European countries including Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Switzerland. Shortly after Musk's gesture, the term 'Roman salute' began trending online. While visually similar to the Nazi salute associated with Hitler, the gesture has ancient roots. According to The Roman Salute: Cinema, History, Ideology by George Mason University Professor Martin M. Winkler, the 'saluto Romano' was previously used as a sign of respect in ancient Roman culture. 'This salute was based on an ancient Roman custom, just as the term Fascism itself is associated with the Roman fasces — the bundles of rods with an axe in their middle that were a symbol of the power of office held by higher Roman magistracies and some priests,' Martin writes. In the 20th century, the salute became the most recognizable symbol of fascism in Italy, Nazism in Germany, Falangism in Spain, and several other right-wing and nationalist movements. As Hitler's power grew in Germany, the gesture became a globally recognized symbol of the Nazi movement.
CAPITAL LETTERS POLITICS ELON MUSK DONALD TRUMP NAZI SALUTE INAUGURATION PARADE CONSPIRACY THEORIES INTERNET REACTION
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