Billionaire Elon Musk’s exuberant use of a Nazi salute multiple times at the inauguration of Donald Trump is as despicable as it can get and has profound implications on the direction of the United States under Trump’s second term as President. First, Musk, with this salute, clearly signaled his approval of Trump’s authoritarianism, using it as a warning that nobody should get in his way. Furthermore, it is a blatant and revolting display of antisemitism, which he has previously promoted or endorsed on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Musk has even doubled down on his salute, tweeting out highly offensive Nazi “jokes,” making it clear that he was making a Nazi salute, not just an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm,” as the ADL pitifully tried to claim. White supremacists have been celebrating the salute, which is sure to embolden further hateful rhetoric against Jews in the coming days, weeks, and years. In fact, following his Nazi salute, the white supremacist group White Lives Matter reacted positively on Telegram.
No riches can obscure the ugliest manifestation of antisemitism and bigotry that Elon Musk displayed with his Nazi salute following Trump’s inauguration. Musk can send a spaceship to Mars with his fortune, but no money or social platform will erase the well-deserved shame and humiliation he will endure for the rest of his life. This behavior is more than a momentary lapse in judgment; it serves as a chilling reminder of how influential figures in society can perpetuate harmful ideologies, normalizing hate and bigotry in the public discourse.
This gesture was not an accident; it was deliberate in sending a message that authoritarianism is the business of the day, and that hatred and antisemitism can run unchecked under the Trump administration. We must all be aware, raise our voices loud and clear against this perilous manifestation of bigotry that betrays the moral foundation of our country, and never cease to fight to combat this dangerous ideology.
Being rich is not a crime, but using one’s riches to promote bigotry and antisemitism is. Musk allowed previously banned far-right figures to go back to X after he acquired the social media company. He even threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League over its highlighting of the rise of antisemitic speech on the social media platform. Musk’s exhortation for people to fight the “woke mind virus” echoes the antisemitic language of his grandfather, who wrote about “mind control” meant to carry out “an unconditional propaganda warfare” against white people and who moved his family to South Africa two years after the institution of apartheid to support the regime.
Musk’s Nazi salute on January 25 was far from being an isolated display of antisemitism. In February 2023, Musk compared George Soros to the Jewish comic book supervillain Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, and claimed that Soros “wants to erode the very fabric of civilization,” which was criticized as antisemitic. In November 2023, Musk agreed with an antisemitic post on X that accused Jewish communities of pushing “hatred against Whites,” calling it “the actual truth.” This pattern of behavior shows an alarming disregard for the impact of his words, a willingness to embrace divisive rhetoric that has historically been used to justify violence and discrimination.
On Saturday, just before the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Elon Musk addressed a rally of the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) party in eastern Germany by video, a party whose policies are widely considered a dangerous regression to nationalism that brought Hitler to power in the 1930s. Musk urged Germans not to feel guilty for the Nazi-era crimes of their grandparents. That, and calls at the rally for a “Great Germany,” said Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, on Sunday, “sounded all too familiar and ominous, especially only hours before the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.” Such rhetoric feeds into a narrative that downplays the seriousness of historical atrocities and encourages a troubling sense of complacency about the present-day implications of this history.
What Elon Musk fails to grasp is that no one, including the vast majority of Jews in and outside Israel, is accusing today’s Germany of Nazi-era crimes. As the prophet Ezekiel stated: “Only the one who sins shall die. The son shall not be charged with the guilt of his father, nor shall the father be charged with the guilt of his son. Justice belongs to the just, and wickedness to the wicked.” (Ezekiel 18:20, NABRE) This profound wisdom underscores the need for accountability, emphasizing that acknowledging past wrongs does not equate to blaming subsequent generations, but rather recognizing the ongoing struggle against hate.
The gathering of scores of heads of state in Poland on Monday was intended to convey the magnitude of the horror of the Holocaust and that remembering what has happened would prevent such unfathomable atrocities from ever happening again. Indeed, those who spoke on the occasion, including survivors of the Holocaust, did not blame or criticize the four generations of Germans following the genocide against the Jews 80 years ago. They wanted to remind the gathering that hatred, bigotry, and racism could lead to catastrophic consequences. This solemn anniversary serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of human dignity, urging all to remain vigilant against the forces that seek to undermine it.
A few days ago, in a Facebook post, I criticized Musk for his statement on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz. The post generated as of today, more than 20,000 viewers and nearly 1,700 comments. Here are some of the comments, which speak for themselves: “Him [Musk] giving that Hitler salute was a slap to our Veterans who fought that war!” Another person wrote that “All Jews should write to Trump and explain how Musk should not be in his administration since Musk has deeply offended us with his obvious blatant Nazi salute, which clearly explains his disrespect and antisemitism.”
Some more individuals commented the following: “Musk is, in fact, a deplorable racist homophobe who has all the money in the world yet chooses fascism and hate!” Another: “Just look at the vile look on his face when he did the Seig Heil! That wasn’t love, that was defiant hate, exactly in step with his Seig Heil!” And finally, another person stated, “The fact that Musk is from South Africa should have been the first clue that he is a racist. Those poor people have suffered for generations by the rich whites who rule over the area like a kingdom and treat the natives like slaves. And now Musk has a new playground.” The fact is that the majority who witnessed Musk’s spectacle and commented on my post were not only Jewish but Black, Hispanic, and white, all who shared my sentiment. Their collective voice signifies a broader consensus against hate, underscoring the need for solidarity across diverse communities.
Of course, a much smaller number of people did not find Musk’s salute offensive, suggesting that he was merely expressing with a huge grin how happy he was to be part of Trump’s new dawning era. This is particularly worrisome at a time when ultra-right-wing leaders in many countries are on the rise and when antisemitism has reached new heights. The normalization of such reckless behavior raises alarming questions about the future direction of public dialogue and the potential for increased division in society.
The burden is on Musk to prove that he is not antisemitic, not only by what he says but also by what he does. Thus far, he has fallen shamelessly short on both scores, and until he takes genuine action to address the implications of his words, the specter of his actions will loom large, casting a shadow over his legacy and influence in society.
