With the eyes of the world upon him, the billionaire Elon Musk took to the stage at the Capital One Arena in Washington to speak at the historic inauguration of Donald Trump as the new president of the United States. However, amidst the excitement, the controversial magnate made a strange gesture while thanking those who had voted for the Republican that seemed reminiscent of the classic Nazi salute.
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"This was not a common and ordinary victory. It was a crossroads on the path of human civilization. This was truly important. Thank you for making it possible! Thank you," were his words before making the gesture of raising his hand that naturally sparked cheers on social media.
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What did Elon Musk respond to the criticisms against his greeting that was perceived as Nazi?
The spokespersons for Musk and Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the matter, but this Tuesday, the South African entrepreneur reacted sarcastically, suggesting that his critics should "do better dirty tricks".
“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'Everyone is Hitler' attack is very worn out,” he said in a message posted on his X platform.
The Anti-Defamation League, which monitors antisemitism, also came to Musk's defense after criticism and uproar began to spread. "It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but, once again, we understand why people are anxious," they posted on Monday.
"This is a delicate moment. It's a new day and many people are anxious. Our policies are inflamed and social media adds more to the general distress," said the organization before arguing that they did not consider the greeting as a Nazi salute."
The ADL (its initials in English) added: “At this moment, all sides should be courteous to each other and even give each other the benefit of the doubt, and take a breather. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and that we work towards unity in the months and years to come.”