Elon Musk at Trump’s inauguration: What’s the history of the Nazi salute?

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk’s manus motion during a code connected United States President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day has drawn wide disapproval and comparisons to a Nazi salute.

The proprietor of X and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla appeared astatine a rally for Trump’s supporters connected Monday astatine the Capital One Arena successful Washington, DC.

“This was nary mean victory. This was a fork successful the roadworthy of quality civilisation,” Musk said during his speech.

“This 1 truly mattered. Thank you for making it happen! Thank you,” helium said.

Musk past touched the near broadside of his thorax with his close manus and extended his limb upward, repeating the question to the assemblage down him.

“My bosom goes retired to you. It is acknowledgment to you that the aboriginal of civilisation is assured,” helium said arsenic helium finished the gesture.

Many took to societal media to condemn the action, describing it arsenic reminiscent of a Nazi salute utilized by supporters of German dictator Adolf Hitler.

Musk slammed the disapproval and wrote connected X that “the ‘everyone is Hitler’ onslaught is sooo tired.”

Here’s what we cognize astir the salute, its past and wherefore Musk’s motion has sparked controversy:

What’s the effect to Musk’s salute?

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a prof of past and fascism astatine New York University, wrote connected X that the motion was a “Nazi salute – and a precise belligerent 1 too”.

But the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which tracks anti-Semitism, disagreed with claims that Musk had performed a Nazi salute and alternatively said the tech mogul had made an “awkward motion successful a infinitesimal of enthusiasm”.

Aaron Astor, a past prof astatine Maryville College successful Tennessee, supported the ADL’s presumption and said connected X that it was “not a Nazi salute”.

“This is simply a socially awkward autistic man’s question to the assemblage wherever helium says ‘my bosom goes retired to you,'” helium added.

I person criticized Elon Musk galore times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform. But this motion is not a Nazi salute. This is simply a socially awkward autistic man's question to the assemblage wherever helium says "my bosom goes retired to you." https://t.co/QWWiYHEI65

— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) January 20, 2025

However, Musk’s actions look to person enthused neo-Nazi and achromatic nationalist groups.

Rolling Stone mag wrote that Christopher Pohlhaus, person of the neo-Nazi radical Blood Tribe, posted the video of Musk making the motion connected Telegram with the caption: “I don’t attraction if this was a mistake. I’m going to bask the tears implicit it.”

What is the past down the gesture?

The Nazi salute, besides known arsenic the Heil Hitler salute, consisting of an outstretched close limb with the thenar down, was utilized arsenic an authoritative greeting successful Nazi Germany.

But the motion dates backmost to a salute that is said to person been utilized successful past Rome.

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who aimed to reconstruct the state to imperial Rome, adopted the motion successful 1925.

By 1926, the motion was being utilized by members of the Nazi enactment successful Germany, and its usage was made compulsory wrong the party.

What is the Bellamy salute?

In 1892, American Christian curate Francis Bellamy wrote the US Pledge of Allegiance to boost patriotism.

As the pledge rapidly became popular, a mag called the Youth Companion, wherever Bellamy worked, decided to make a salute to spell with the words.

Named the Bellamy salute, it consisted of a consecutive close limb angled somewhat upward and a faced-down palm.

The salute continued to beryllium utilized crossed the US with nary contention until World War II erstwhile the US entered the warfare against the axis powers, including Germany and Italy.

With discomfort increasing successful the US that the Bellamy salute could beryllium misinterpreted arsenic pledging allegiance to Hitler and Mussolini, the US Congress amended the Flag Code successful December 1942, changing the salute to placing a close manus implicit the heart.

Where is the Nazi salute banned?

Shortly aft World War II, Germany banned the salute and immoderate displays of Nazi insignia, which are punishable by 3 years successful prison.

Austria besides passed laws against the Nazi enactment and insignia soon aft the war.

In January 2024, Australia banned the Nazi salute, Nazi swastika and treble lightning bolt insignia associated with the Schutzstaffel (SS) paramilitary radical nether Hitler.

In Canada, France and Switzerland, Nazi gestures tin beryllium considered hatred speech.

However, successful the US, salutes are not banned owed to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects state of code and gives important protections to hatred speech.

Has Musk backed figures with Nazi links?

Musk successful the past has been accused of being brushed connected anti-Semitism.

In 2023, Musk endorsed a station connected X that accused Jews of hating achromatic people, describing that assertion arsenic the “actual truth”.

The ADL slammed Musk’s post, calling it “profoundly disturbing” that Musk engaged with a “highly toxic, antisemitic run connected his platform”.

Musk aboriginal stated that helium and X were opposed to each forms of anti-Semitism.

However, successful caller months, Musk has backed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) enactment successful February’s wide election. In May, AfD person Bjorn Hocke was fined for saying, “Everything for Germany!” successful a code successful 2021, a slogan utilized by Nazi paramilitary forces and present banned successful the country.

Musk has besides backed the British far-right, anti-immigration enactment Reform UK. Before the United Kingdom’s wide predetermination successful July, a Reform UK campaigner came nether occurrence aft helium claimed that the state would person been “far better” if it had taken Hitler’s “offer of neutrality” and not got progressive successful World War II.

Musk is besides adjacent friends with right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was erstwhile a younker person of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement.