Elon Musk Faces Backlash Over Gesture Compared to Nazi Salute at Trump Inauguration

Musk's onstage gesture during Trump's second inauguration has drawn widespread criticism, including accusations of promoting fascist imagery.

Elon Musk made a straight-armed gesture during a rally celebrating Donald Trump's second inauguration, which many have likened to a Nazi salute.
Historians and experts, including Ruth Ben-Ghiat, identified the gesture as a fascist symbol, while the ADL called it an 'awkward gesture' rather than a deliberate salute.
Musk dismissed the criticism as 'dirty tricks' and expressed frustration over comparisons to Hitler, though the gesture has been praised by far-right groups online.
Grimes, Musk's ex-partner and mother of his children, distanced herself from the incident, stating that she is not responsible for his actions and later denounced Nazism and the far-right.
The gesture has reignited concerns about rising fascist rhetoric and imagery in global politics, with Musk's support for far-right figures and groups drawing additional scrutiny.