Elon Musk faces backlash after controversial gesture at Trump inauguration
Date
1/21/2025 2:38:35 AM
(MENAFN) Tech billionaire Elon Musk found himself at the center of online outrage on Monday following a controversial arm gesture made during the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. Musk, a prominent supporter of Trump and a major donor to his re-election campaign, was seen thanking the president's supporters at Washington, D.C.'s Capitol One Arena.
In the video, Musk twice placed his right hand over his heart before extending his arm in a motion that many social media users criticized as resembling the "Sieg Heil" salute, a gesture infamously associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
Journalist Noga Tarnopolsky quickly tweeted about the incident, calling it a “Nazi salute,” sparking a wave of online condemnation. "That's pretty clear," another user remarked, referring to the video. Author Dolores Quintana also weighed in, writing, "Hey look. A Nazi does the Seig Heil openly at the US Inauguration. Elon Musk, everyone! The weirdest part is that he's still really angry."
Musk did not immediately respond to the backlash on the platform, now known as X after Musk's acquisition of Twitter. The gesture quickly became a trending topic, with many users expressing shock and disbelief over the billionaire's actions at such a high-profile event.
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