Elon Musk's hand gesture during a speech at a rally celebrating Donald Trump's inauguration has sparked controversy, with many comparing it to a Nazi salute. In the viral video, Musk made a one-armed gesture, extending his arm at an upward angle with his palm down and fingers together, which some internet users interpreted as a Nazi salute.

Musk dismissed the criticism on social media, calling it an "everyone is Hitler" attack and claiming the accusation was "tired." Historians like Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Claire Aubin disagreed, calling the gesture a "Sieg Heil" salute. However, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) defended Musk, suggesting the gesture was awkward, not a Nazi salute.

Some defended Musk, citing his past visits to Auschwitz and Israel to learn about the Holocaust, and pointing out similar gestures made by figures like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This incident comes amid Musk's support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in an upcoming election.

I can’t take some of you people seriously anymore. I swear, some of you are just looking for negativity in everything. 🤣 Elon Musk, who has Asperger’s and is on the autism spectrum, was simply excited and being goofy—yet some are claiming he did a Nazi salute. If that’s the… pic.twitter.com/S3z0svALgN

— DEL (@delinthecity_) January 20, 2025