It was shortly after an energized Elon Musk took the stage in front of a cheering crowd to thank Trump supporters that he made the viral gesture.
– Elections are important, some are not but this election was really important, he said before hitting his chest and then bringing it up diagonally with a straight arm twice.
He also made a similar gesture later in the speech.
Got rapid spread
The clip quickly spread on social media and Elon Musk himself has shared a clip where you can see the gesture on X. However, Musk has not commented on the gesture.
The chorus of critics has been loud and many claim it was a “Hitler salute” while others believe it was just a wave to the audience.
Several international media have commented on the gesture and the Israeli Jerusalem Post writes that “American billionaire Elon Musk appeared to make a ‘Heil Hitler’ salute during the Trump parade”.
Problematic to get attention on Trump’s day
But the fact that Musk gets the attention on Trump’s big day may punish himself, according to SVT’s US correspondent Fouad Youcefi.
– Elon Musk may then have committed one of the two deadly sins when it comes to Donald Trump. One is if you are disloyal to Donald Trump and the other is if you steal attention for the wrong cause, says Fouad Youcefi.
Musk has become an increasingly large part of Trump’s inner circle in recent months.
CNN broke the broadcast
The American television channel CNN chose to quickly interrupt the broadcast to discuss the gesture.
– That greeting was very reminiscent of things we have seen throughout history, says CNN’s Kasie Hunt in the broadcast.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett says in the broadcast that the gesture is not something you usually see in American politics and calls it “odd”.
– It was in an intense moment for him, and he came out and did that, she says.