During the inauguration of the 47th president, several tech moguls were in attendance — including Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors and X. Musk was less than a minute into his speech at Washington’s Capital One Arena when he thanked the crowd for electing President Donald J. Trump. After sharing his gratitude, he slapped his right hand over his heart and extended it straight ahead — palm facing down. To many observers, Musk’s arm movement resembled a Sieg Heil — the Nazi salute. He then turned and repeated the motion.
“My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured,” he said after giving the second one-armed salute.
The incident lasted only a few seconds but ignited a global debate over how to interpret Musk’s actions. Some online accounts referred to it as a “Roman salute,” but that interpretation is inaccurate, and Musk’s supporters are offering excuses for him. Although the salute was first adopted by Italian fascists in the 1920s, under Mussolini, and later adopted by the nazi party, that is the only connection. The salute was essentially copied from the Italians. There is no justification for it, as it is dangerous and offensive. There is no credible evidence to support the claim that the gesture was a “Roman salute.”
George Mason University Professor and author Martin Winkler, who has studied the history of the salute, suggests that the “Roman salute” is a modern invention. There is no historical evidence that a similar gesture was used in ancient Rome, and no statues of Roman emperors or commanders depict the motion. The closest reference to a Roman salute is a palm raised, with the elbow bent, as a greeting — similar to a modern-day wave. None of this bears any resemblance to the straight-armed salute performed by Musk.
Musk has aligned himself with far-right ideologies, and while his intentions may not be entirely clear, this action seems deliberate, not accidental — revealing his true colors. Why else would Musk choose a gesture historically associated with rejecting liberalism, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights? If history does not repeat itself, it certainly rhymes.
It is ironic that this gesture could potentially land someone in legal trouble in Germany, yet in the U.S., it was excused and dismissed as a joke. “These people are so thirsty for controversy and racism—that doesn’t exist—it’s astounding,” pro-Trump influencer Charlie Kirk wrote on X. The lack of immediate condemnation highlights how troubling this situation is in America. Musk’s response to the incident— “Don’t say ‘Hess’ to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down!” — referencing the names of prominent German Nazis.
Fascist actions should have no place in a democracy, and no one, not even the richest man on the planet, should be excused for such behavior.
