Adding fuel to the fire, Musk took to social media Monday to address the controversy.
Sharing a post from “The Rabbit Hole” account on X (formerly Twitter), Musk dismissed the accusations as part of a broader smear campaign. “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he wrote, adding, “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks.”
In an earlier tweet highlighted in the same post, Musk referenced his political transition. “In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican,” Musk wrote, warning of an imminent “dirty tricks campaign” against him.
The incident drew polarized reactions, with critics accusing Musk of fascist undertones, while supporters insisted the gesture was misinterpreted and amplified by “dirty tricks campaigns.”
The gesture that sparked the debate
The gesture in question occurred during Musk’s speech at a post-inauguration event for President Donald Trump, where he praised the crowd for their role in shaping the election results. Following a moment of gratitude, Musk’s hand motion—a chest-touching gesture followed by a raised arm—set off alarm bells among critics who viewed it as an unmistakable nod to fascist symbolism.
Also Read: Did Elon Musk really do a Nazi Salute? Billionaire’s hand gesture on inauguration day leaves internet divided
Criticism came swiftly. Social media erupted with accusations, such as one user claiming, “I can’t believe Elon Musk did the Nazi salute as a way of thanking Trump supporters.” Another added, “Elon just did a full Nazi salute, can’t help himself.”
A fascism historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat was also of the same view: “was a Nazi salute — and a very belligerent one too,” she said on X.
However, Musk’s defenders were equally vocal. “The Fake News and their minions are trying to say that Elon Musk did a ‘Nazi Salute’ at Capital One Arena. They removed the audio of Elon saying thank you, and he concludes by saying, ‘My heart goes out to you.’ It wasn’t a Nazi Salute. He was saying thank you. This is why you lost,” one user argued.
Another termed speculations as ‘ridiculous’.
