Fact check: Elon Musk's gesture was not a Nazi salute

1. Summary of the results

The question of whether Elon Musk's gesture was a Nazi salute is highly contested and cannot be definitively determined based on available evidence. The gesture occurred at Trump's inauguration event at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC ^[1]. Multiple credible organizations and experts have offered conflicting interpretations:

• The Anti-Defamation League characterized it as an "awkward gesture" rather than an intentional Nazi salute ^{[2] [1]}
• Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat called it definitively a Nazi salute ^[3]
• Video evidence shows Musk saying "thank you" and placing his hand over his heart before extending his arm ^[4]
• The gesture was repeated for crowds both in front and behind him ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• Musk's autism has been cited as a potential factor in his social gestures, with historian Aaron Astor describing him as a "socially awkward autistic man" ^[5]
• The gesture sparked international reactions, with Spanish politicians removing themselves from X in protest ^[3]
• Musk has explicitly denied the accusations, calling them a "dirty trick" ^[6]
• The incident occurred amid Musk's documented rightward political shift ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement presents a definitive conclusion where multiple interpretations exist. Several groups have vested interests in how this incident is interpreted:

• Political figures: Democratic Representatives like AOC and Jerrold Nadler condemned it as a Nazi salute, while Republican Elise Stefanik defended it as cheering for Trump ^[2]
• Right-wing extremists: Have embraced the gesture regardless of its intended meaning ^[3]
• Media and social platforms: The incident has generated significant engagement and controversy
• Musk himself: Has financial and reputational interests in how the gesture is interpreted, dismissing accusations as "tired" attacks ^[1]

The truth appears more nuanced than either a clear Nazi salute or an innocent gesture, with evidence and expert opinions supporting multiple interpretations. Snopes notably concluded that the evidence remains inconclusive ^[4].