Extremists embrace Musk's salute as Tesla investors fret
The tech titan insists his Nazi-reminiscent gesture had nothing to do with fascism, even as white nationalists rally around the fascistic salute.


The Anti-Defamation League called it an "awkward gesture." Social media pedants called it a "Roman salute." Elon Musk himself professed his innocence. Whatever the explanation, Musk's strong-arm salute during President Donald Trump's inauguration bore a strong enough resemblance to Nazi gesticulations to nearly overshadow the event. No matter Musk's intention, the effect of his gesture has galvanized far-right extremists and created another crisis for electric vehicle maker Tesla, the pillar of Musk's wealth.
A 'signature of the online right'
Regardless of whether Musk was deliberately making a "'Sieg Heil' salute favored by the followers of Adolf Hitler," said Rolling Stone, the gesture was "eagerly received that way by extremists online." The "entire neo-Nazi movement seems to be eating it up," said extremism expert Nick Martin at Wired. "I don't care if this was a mistake," one neo-Nazi leader said in a Telegram post reviewed by the outlet. "I'm going to enjoy the tears over it."
Playing on the ambiguity between intent and effect has "become a signature of the online right in recent years," said The Forward. Accordingly, the phrase "my heart goes out to you," which Musk said as he made his gesture, has "gone from alibi to ironic right-wing catchphrase," joining similar shibboleths like "let's go Brandon" and the "okay" hand gesture that "became an officially recognized hate symbol in 2019 following a campaign by online trolls to link the gesture to white supremacy."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While Musk seems to have escaped any immediate consequences for his gesture, those who have emulated the salute are at higher risk. Next week, the board of supervisors in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, will meet to "accept the resignation of Supervisor Laura Smith," after she posted a video duplicating Musk's gesture, said CBS News. And this week, former Anglican Catholic Church priest Calvin Robinson was defrocked for repeating Musk's gesture, which "many have interpreted as a pro-Nazi salute," the organization said in a statement on its website.
A 'big barrier' for corporate competition
Musk's latest controversy may be detrimental to his long-term business interests. "Political boycotts" are rarely able to "kill an established company" like Tesla, even if some people eschew his products, said Brad Templeton at Forbes. But Musk's much-ballyhooed self-driving RoboTaxi line is "not a product, it's a service." As such, "while people anywhere might buy a Tesla, only big city urban dwellers will call robotaxis" — those customers trend to the left. "If Tesla, fairly or unfairly, gets a Nazi taint among that population," said Templeton, "that creates a big barrier in competing with other services."
Even those already enmeshed in Tesla's business have begun openly questioning Musk's risks to the company. "Will you apologize for the misunderstanding that occurred when you made the hand gesture thanking folks for their support?" asked one investor at the car company's online forum soliciting "investor inquiries in advance of its earnings calls," said CNBC. Other investors questioned whether there have been "sales lost due to political activities of Elon" and how the company plans to "respond to Musk's now infamous Nazi salute."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Quiz of The Week: 12 – 19 July
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
Do we need more right-wing scientists?
Talking Point Academics have a 'responsibility' to demonstrate why research matters to people who are not politically left-leaning, says Wellcome boss
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A missile garden, a line of lava, and more
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
'Singling out crypto for special scrutiny would be misguided'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
Melania Trump's intervention on Ukraine
In The Spotlight The first lady has been linked to the president's U-turn on sending arms to Kyiv
-
A Democratic election in Arizona is a microcosm of the party's infighting
The Explainer The top three candidates are fighting it out for a special election seat
-
Big, beautiful bill: Supercharging ICE
Feature With billions in new funding, ICE is set to expand its force of agents and build detention camps capable of holding more than 100,000 people
-
Deportations: Citizens could be next
Feature the Trump is expanding denaturalization efforts, targeting naturalized citizens and birthright citizenship