Nazi salute? Elon Musk’s hand gesture during Donald Trump’s inauguration sparks row, billionaire responds

Elon Musk sparked a controversy again after making a controversial gesture during a rally to celebrate Donald Trump's inauguration at the Capitol One Arena in Washington on Monday.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO placed his right hand on his chest, fingers spread, and pushed it up at an angle before turning around and making the gesture again for his supporters in the back. The hand gesture, which drew widespread applause at the rally, has since been linked to the Nazi salute.

"This was no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization… This one really mattered. Thank you for making it happen! Thank you. My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured," Musk said while making the hand gesture.

The Nazi Salute was commonly used between 1933 and 1945 in Germany and was often accompanied with the words ‘Heil Hitler’ or ‘Seig Hitler’. While Hitler died during World War two, the salute continued to be popular among the neo-Nazis and is the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world, The Guardian reported.

Notably, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on 20 January, and Musk is considered his confidant after playing a crucial role in helping the 78-year-old win the 2024 US election. Trump has also appointed Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an effort to cut costs in the federal government.

Elon Musk's reaction to Nazi Salute allegations:

While Musk retweeted a video of his hand gesture at the celebration rally, he has so far not explained the salute or addressed claims of it being linked to the Nazi salute.

However, Musk did receive support from The Anti-Defamation League (ADL),an organization which campaigns against antisemitism. ADL in a post on X stated that Musk “made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute”.

“In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.” ADL added

The billionaire did react to the ADL statement, though, writing 'Thanks Guys" with a laughing emoji.