Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, has ignited a firestorm on social media after making a one-armed gesture during a celebratory rally in Washington, D.C., widely condemned as a “Nazi salute.” The Tesla and SpaceX CEO took the stage at Capital One Arena, thanking Trump supporters for their role in what he called “assuring the future of civilization.” Musk then placed his hand over his heart before thrusting his arm forward in a motion that many online have compared to a Nazi salute.
The gesture, which he repeated a few seconds later, immediately drew criticism from historians, political commentators, and social media users. Claire Aubin, a historian specializing in American Nazism, called the motion a clear “sieg heil,” while NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat labeled it a “very belligerent” Nazi salute. Andrea Stroppa, a close Musk associate with ties to Italy’s far-right government, stoked further controversy by initially captioning a video of the gesture with “Roman Empire is back starting from Roman salute,” a reference to Italy’s Fascist past.
Facing backlash, Musk dismissed the criticism on his own platform, X, writing, “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.” Stroppa later attempted to downplay the incident, claiming the gesture reflected Musk’s autistic expression of gratitude, adding, “Elon dislikes extremists.”
Musk’s political shift toward far-right ideologies has not gone unnoticed. From praising Germany’s AfD party to voicing support for Britain’s anti-immigration Reform UK, Musk has aligned himself with increasingly controversial movements. Even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz weighed in, emphasizing Europe’s tolerance for free speech but warning against its use to promote extremism.
Surprisingly, even the Anti-Defamation League defended Musk, describing the gesture as a misinterpreted moment of enthusiasm, yet the incident underscores the deepening polarization surrounding the controversial tech mogul. As Musk solidifies his position within Trump’s inner circle, questions about his political motives and public gestures are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon.
Several members of the hip-hop community have voiced opinions on Musk’s gesture, including longtime Trump critic and Chicago rapper Vic Mensa, who said he was not at all surprised by what had occurred. He took to Instagram shortly after Musk’s controversial gesture, addressing his followers and asserting that it aligned with the rhetoric of both Musk and Trump. “If there are any misunderstandings about the ideology of this campaign.”
Snoop Lion… more like Snoop Lyin’
There was a noticeable silence from members of the hip-hop community who were actively present at the inauguration festivities, including Snoop Dogg. Instead of commenting on Musk’s gesture, Snoop thought it would be a good idea to post a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., since it was in fact Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
While such a gesture would typically be met with praise, it instead sparked backlash as fans flooded his comments with criticism over his Inauguration performance and support for Trump. “Posting MLK after supporting Trump is wild,” one fan commented under Snoop Dogg’s post. Another user expressed outrage, tying Snoop’s appearance to Elon Musk’s recent controversy. “Dude, Elon just threw a Nazi salute at the inauguration,” they wrote. “That’s the team you’re on now.”
A more reflective commenter questioned how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might feel about the legendary rapper attending any events tied to Donald Trump. The backlash didn’t stop there. Fans were quick to resurface Snoop’s harsh condemnation of Black artists who performed at Trump’s 2017 inauguration, where he labeled them “jigaboos” and “Uncle Toms.” His decision to participate in similar celebrations eight years later was seen as a dramatic about-face. Adding to the controversy, some pointed to Snoop’s previous praise for Trump, specifically after the former president pardoned Michael “Harry-O” Harris, co-founder of Death Row Records—an act Snoop had publicly called one of “love and respect.”
