During his first hours in the White House, even before settling in, President Donald Trump signed decrees at a dizzying pace. Pardons, immigration policies, energy measures, green agenda rollbacks, an extension of the TikTok ban, and diversity efforts—all saw immediate action. He issued appointments, withdrew from the World Health Organization, and reversed multiple decrees from former President Joe Biden. But even Trump’s whirlwind regulatory push couldn’t keep Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk out of the spotlight.
Musk isn’t in headlines for signing decrees. Instead, he drew attention with a gesture (hand to chest, arm raised, palm outstretched) that strongly resembled the Nazi salute, performed twice during a euphoric celebration.
A Nazi salute? If one question overshadowed Trump’s first day back in the White House—more than uncertainties about tariff policies or global strategies—it was this: Did Musk give two Nazi salutes to the crowd at Capital One Arena? Observers are divided. Some call it a poorly timed, euphoric gesture. Others see it as a provocation. Many, however, believe the salute’s Nazi connotations were deliberate.
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What exactly happened? A picture—or in this case, a video—often speaks louder than words. Cameras captured Musk’s speech and the moment he gestured to the thousands gathered at Capital One Arena. To ensure no one missed it, Musk shared the full video on his personal X account.
In the nearly four-minute speech, Musk gesticulated, raised his hands, opened his arms, shouted, and thanked the audience for reelecting Trump. After a minute behind a lectern bearing the presidential seal, Musk placed his right hand over his heart, then raised his arm with palm outstretched. He repeated the gesture twice.
“A perfect score of 10.” Whether intentional or not, the salute unmistakably echoed Nazi gestures, symbols historically linked to extreme-right ideologies in the 1930s and 1940s.
While placing a hand on the chest is a common gesture of solidarity, many found Musk’s actions troubling. Critics on X, Bluesky, PBS, and Israeli media like Haaretz quickly condemned it. Musician and environmental activist Bill Madden quipped on X, “If giving the Nazi ‘Sieg Heil’ salute was an Olympic event like gymnastics, Elon Musk would’ve received a perfect score of 10.” Others went further, abandoning Musk’s platform in protest.
A simple anecdote? Musk wasn’t just another guest at Trump’s “coronation.” As the world’s richest man and a significant donor to Trump’s campaign, Musk has been named head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
Criticism of Musk’s gesture stems not just from its Nazi resemblance but also from his growing influence. The salute is difficult to ignore given Musk’s controversial history and political shift..
Gestures and context. Gestures matter, and context is equally—if not more—important. Whether Musk’s gesture was intentional, a provocation, or an unfortunate coincidence, it highlights a larger truth: The entrepreneur has shifted significantly to the political right in recent years. Once known for promoting a work ethic rooted in relentless effort—famously sleeping in the office after acquiring the former Twitter—Musk has increasingly embraced public stances aligned with conservative ideology.
Critic of the “woke” movement. Musk’s ideological shift is apparent on X, where he frequently shares unfiltered ideas, announcements, and reflections. He has openly advocated “defeating the virus of the woke mentality,” which he claims poses a threat to civilization. In a recent interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson, Musk referenced the “death” of one of his children, whom he said was “killed by the woke virus.” In reality, they had undergone a gender transition. Musk’s daughter now goes by Vivian Jenna Wilson.
Musk’s estranged relationship with Wilson, has drawn significant public attention. After coming of age in 2022, she legally changed her name and adopted her maternal ancestor’s surname. Speaking on Threads, she said, “He doesn’t know what I was like as a child because he quite simply wasn’t there, and in the little time that he was I was relentlessly harassed for my femininity and queerness.” Wilson has since severed ties with her father and announced plans to leave the U.S. following Trump’s recent election victory.
A growing ideology. The story of Musk’s daughter, while prominent, is just one example. In 2020, Musk condemned COVID-19 restrictions as “fascist.” As the owner of X, he reinstated conspiracy theorists Alex Jones and Trump, both banned in 2021 after the Capitol riot.
In Europe, Musk has also stirred controversy. He criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, expressed support for Germany’s far-right AfD party, and endorsed Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, leader of Brothers of Italy.
The “international reactionary movement.” French President Emmanuel Macron recently accused Musk of supporting a “new international reactionary movement.” Macron stated, “Ten years ago, who would have imagined that the owner of one of the world’s largest social networks would be supporting a new international reactionary movement and intervening directly in elections, including in Germany.”
Musk hasn’t backed down, recently promoting the slogan “Make Europe Great Again,” a nod to Trump’s MAGA campaign.
A calculated strategy? The salute Musk gave in Washington may not have been a Nazi wink, nor simply an ill-timed, misinterpreted gesture. Instead, it might reflect a deliberate strategy rooted in what journalist Ezra Klein describes as the “war for attention.”
Musk’s objective could be to dominate the spotlight, provoke discussion, and monopolize the debate. By doing so, he creates polarization—between those who argue the salute was an intentional provocation and those who view it as a Nazi-inspired gesture.
Attention: the new political currency. “What Trump and Musk figured out is that what matters is the total attentional atmosphere,” MSNBC host Chris Hayes observes. Klein concurs, calling Trump and Musk “masters” of capturing public attention. Musk, in particular, has become “the richest person in the world in attention,” a resource more valuable than economic wealth in today’s political landscape.
In this environment, success isn’t defined by clear ideas or coherent frameworks but by the ability to seize attention with bold, confusing, or controversial actions—like Musk’s gesture in prime time. And this isn’t the first instance. Just weeks ago, Musk sparked a similar debate by changing his X username to “Kekius Maximus.” Why? The reasons remain unclear. But perhaps uncertainty itself is the point.
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