“Viewed in Context, It Can Only Be a Sieg Heil”: Elon Musk’s Gesture Sparks Outrage at Trump Event
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during the inaugural parade inside Capitol One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. © Angela Weiss, AFP
Elon Musk, tech billionaire and close ally of President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of controversy during Trump’s swearing-in ceremony by making a repeated arm gesture that social media users and historians compared to a Nazi salute. The incident prompted fierce debate and condemnation, particularly given Musk’s controversial history regarding antisemitic and far-right rhetoric.
Trump allies and Musk himself swiftly denied any Nazi connotations, with some suggesting the gesture was merely an enthusiastic motion directed at his heart. However, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), a Jewish lawmaker and head of the House’s antisemitism task force, rejected those explanations, issuing a scathing statement.
“Elon Musk has repeatedly pushed for the racist and antisemitic ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory, endorsed the Nazi-sympathizing German Political Party AfD, and allowed anti-Jewish hate to proliferate unabated on his website, X,” said Goldman. “Viewed in that context, and regardless of any justification, his salute last night at Donald Trump’s inauguration rally can only be interpreted as a Sieg Heil salute that is synonymous with Nazi support for Hitler.”
Goldman went further, drawing parallels to prior far-right actions, such as the January 6 Capitol riot. “Just as the Proud Boys understood Donald Trump’s urging to ‘stand back and stand by’ as a direction to mastermind the January 6 riot, neo-Nazi and far-right extremists have interpreted Musk’s salute to refer to the Sieg Heil salute to Hitler,” he stated.
Goldman also noted the timing of Musk’s actions, which occurred just hours before Trump issued blanket pardons to far-right extremists convicted of violent assaults on law enforcement during the January 6 riot. This sequence of events, he argued, further fueled fears of growing fascist rhetoric in political spaces.
“In an environment where Jews around the world are scared because of the contemptible rise in antisemitism,” Goldman continued, Musk must issue an “immediate apology,” while Trump should “disavow and denounce his actions.”
Goldman concluded with a pointed warning: “If not, Donald Trump cannot credibly claim to be a friend of the Jewish people with Elon Musk by his side.”
The incident and its fallout reflect ongoing concerns about antisemitism and far-right extremism, reigniting debates over the responsibilities of public figures in combating hate speech and divisive rhetoric.
