Oh, Elon Musk¡ªjust when it seems like he can no longer shock or surprise us, he manages to do it again. Videos and images from Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th U.S. President have gone viral, capturing the world's richest man enthusiastically clapping like an excited child, while Trump's own son stands stoically beside him. However, the moment that grabbed the most attention was images and videos of Musk seemingly making a "Nazi salute."
The controversial photo quickly made waves, even prompting criticism from his estranged daughter. While many expected Musk, who is famously outspoken and frequently posts on X (formerly Twitter) dozens to hundreds of times a day, to address the controversy, he has avoided commenting directly.?
Instead, he has reposted pictures of other celebrities making similar gestures, seemingly brushing off the incident. And one picture shows popular singer Taylor Swift doing it.
In response to the backlash against his arm gesture resembling a 'Nazi salute', Musk shared images on his X account of other prominent figures with raised arms.?
One of these posts, featuring Taylor Swift at a concert with her arm raised, drew significant criticism from fans, who called it "the dumbest defense."
A Reddit comment sharply responded to the controversy, saying, "There's a reason people post stills, not videos. We all saw the video, Elon. We know how you moved. Not our fault you forgot to hide it better."
Elon Musk retweets two edited images of Taylor Swift to imply she did the Nazi Salute in 2014. In reality, she blew a kiss to the crowd.
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Another comment simply added, "His obsession with Taylor is beyond weird."
This isn't the first time Musk's actions involving Taylor Swift have stirred debate.?
In September 2024, after Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election, Musk tweeted, "Fine Taylor ¡ you win ¡ I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life."
The tweet was widely criticised for being "creepy" and "unsettling."
The Nazi salute, often referred to as the "Hitler salute," was a gesture used in Nazi Germany to show allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. It involved raising the right arm straight in the air, usually accompanied by the phrase "Heil Hitler!"
The controversy surrounding the salute surfaced when Elon Musk, a known supporter of the former president, was seen slapping his chest and extending his arm in a similar manner during a rally for the inauguration.
Critics compared it to the fascist salutes used by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, while Musk's supporters argued it was a misunderstanding.
Musk's estranged daughter, Vivian Wilson, took to Instagram's Threads to express her view, saying, "Let's call a spade a f***ing spade."
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