Musk responds to backlash over gesture at Trump rally
Elon Musk Responds to Backlash Over Controversial Gesture at Trump Rally
Washington, D.C., January 21, 2025 — Elon Musk has responded to widespread criticism following a gesture he made during a rally celebrating President Donald Trump's second inauguration. The gesture, which involved placing his right hand over his heart and then extending his arm outward at an upward angle, was interpreted by some as resembling a Nazi or Roman salute.
Musk addressed the controversy on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired," dismissing the accusations as politicized attacks. He further attempted to downplay the situation by posting a series of puns related to Nazis, which drew additional criticism from various organizations.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commented on the incident, suggesting that Musk's gesture was an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm" rather than a deliberate Nazi salute. However, former ADL national director Abraham Foxman described the gesture as a "Heil Hitler Nazi salute," highlighting the divide in interpretations.
International reactions have been mixed. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Musk, stating he was "falsely smeared," political parties in Austria and Germany called for Musk to be banned from entering their countries, citing concerns over his alleged support for right-wing extremism.Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1
The incident has also sparked discussions on social media platforms, with some users criticizing Musk's actions and others defending him. Notably, several major Reddit communities have implemented new rules banning links to or screenshots of X posts in response to the controversy.Wikipedia