During President Trump's recent inauguration rally, Elon Musk's enthusiastic hand gesture ignited a firestorm of controversy, with several liberal media outlets labeling it a "fascist salute." Speaking to a cheering crowd at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., the 53-year-old SpaceX and X CEO expressed his gratitude for Trump's victory, placing his hand over his heart and reaching out to the audience. CNN hosts, including Erin Burnett and Kasie Hunt, aired the clip, seemingly suggesting a comparison to the Nazi salute, with Hunt remarking that the gesture was "evocative of things we’ve seen through history." Burnett described it as an "odd salute," and Hunt added that it was atypical for American political rallies.

The accusations spread rapidly across social media and news platforms. PBS News Hour posted on X, claiming that Musk "gave what appeared to be a fascist salute," while Rep. Jerry Nadler expressed disbelief at witnessing what seemed like a "Heil Hitler salute" behind the Presidential seal. The Jerusalem Post even reported that Musk appeared to make the salute during a "Trump parade" following the inauguration.

These accusations stand in stark contrast to Musk's recent visit to Israel in November 2023, where he surveyed the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks and discussed combating antisemitism on X with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Amid the uproar, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stepped forward to defend Musk, stating that his gesture was an "awkward expression of enthusiasm" rather than a Nazi salute. The ADL called for all parties to exercise understanding and restraint, suggesting they "give each one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt and take a breath."