Monday’s inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States was a historic yet controversial ceremony for the country. Aside from it coinciding with Martin Luther King Day, many Americans tuned into the live broadcast of the ceremony to get insight on the new administration’s plans for the country, as a major transition of power took place. The inauguration hosted countless celebrities, showcased music performances and had an attendance list filled with billionaires. Even the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, played a big part in the ceremony and certainly made waves.

Elon Musk’s Inauguration Speech Highlights His Proximity to President Trump

His prominent appearances throughout the inauguration are said to be a statement to his involvement with the new administration. As the CEO of SpaceX, Tesla and xAI, his influence is undeniable and in recent years he has shifted to far-right politics. In November 2024 he was appointed by Trump to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). The billionaire tech giant, who has owned X (formerly known as Twitter) since 2022, had an inauguration speech during the ceremony which proved to be very memorable in a surprising way.

Just moments into his speech where the audience began chanting his name, Musk gave a one-armed gesture while thanking the crowd. After his second one-armed gesture, the swift social media backlash became abundantly clear. Musk’s gesture, which he gave prior to saying “My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured,” was immediately compared to the Nazi salute. This salute has been known as a gesture to signal white supremacist ideologies since it was adopted by Adolf Hitler, whose use of the salute is a horrific reminder of the many atrocities he committed on a global level.

Did the Controversial Figure Actually Do a Roman Salute?

While many people have drawn comparisons to this widely known salute which was performed by the Nazi Party, his gesture has been the topic of much debate. As BBC notes, many historians have taken to X to give their professional opinion on the matter. They generally agree that Musk’s gesture is strikingly similar to the Nazi salute and even more specifically, the Roman salute. This salute was used commonly in Italy by the Fascist Party, which eventually led it to be adopted by Germany’s Hitler. Some people conclude that Musk’s apparent use of the gesture was done purposely to make a statement about the direction of the new administration.

Despite these observations, another line of thought has been presented by an unlikely source. The Anti-Defamation League, which is an organization founded on a commitment to combat antisemitism, has made a statement that denies Musk’s use of the Nazi salute. In light of their message, some people have taken a step back from the accusation but generally, people are still on edge about the poorly timed and seemingly inappropriate gesture.