Did Elon Musk really do a Nazi Salute? Billionaire’s hand gesture on inauguration day leaves internet divided

Elon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and newly appointed head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), ignited a social media firestorm Monday after making a controversial gesture during his speech at a post-inauguration event for President Donald Trump. The event, held at Capital One Arena, celebrated Trump’s return to office and featured remarks from Musk, who praised the crowd and promised to work tirelessly for America’s future.

Musk’s gesture—a hand on his chest followed by an upward salute—was widely interpreted as resembling the Nazi “Sieg Heil,” leading to accusations of fascist overtones and leaving the internet divided. Critics on social media were quick to denounce the act, while supporters rushed to his defence.

Also Read: From ending birthright citizenship to exiting WHO: Full list of executive orders signed by Donald Trump today

During his speech, Musk expressed gratitude for the election results, calling them pivotal. “Some elections are important, some are not. But this one, this one really mattered, and I just want to say thank you for making it happen,” Musk said. “It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.”

Musk’s gesture—a hand placed on his chest, followed by a raised arm—occurred shortly after this statement. The move immediately drew parallels to the Nazi salute, triggering widespread backlash online.

The backlash

The gesture sparked polarized reactions, with critics and defenders clashing over its intent. One social media user wrote, “I can’t believe that @elonmusk did the Zieg Heil salute as a way of thanking Trump supporters for helping Trump win… The Nazi salute. I used to overlook Musk’s BS for the sake of space exploration, but this, I can no longer overlook the bullshit.”

Another commenter added, “Elon just did a full Nazi salute, can’t help himself.”

The support

However, others defended Musk, claiming the gesture was taken out of context. “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 user defended and called speculations as ‘ridiculous’.

Musk’s appearance at the event was a part of his new role alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in Trump’s administration. Both were tapped to lead the DOGE, an initiative aimed at cutting federal spending. However, the gesture overshadowed Musk’s remarks about space exploration, including his excitement over American astronauts carrying U.S. flags to other planets.

Also Read: 7,25,000 undocumented Indians on edge as Trump makes historic White House comeback

Musk concluded his speech with a pledge: “I’m going to work my a** off for you guys.”

In addition to the controversy, multiple lawsuits were filed against the Trump administration on the same day, alleging that the creation of the “Department of Government Efficiency” violates federal transparency laws.