Musk repeatedly makes gesture likened to 'Nazi salute' at Trump rally

Billionaire Elon Musk, a staunch ally of newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, performed back-to-back salutes at a rally following the Republican president's inauguration Monday, placing his right hand flat on his heart before raising it palm-down in a gesture that evoked the Nazi salute still popular with far-right groups.

Billionaire Elon Musk sparked controversy Monday after making a gesture at an event celebrating US President Donald Trump's inauguration, with some calling it a "Nazi" or "fascist" movement.

The X, SpaceX and Tesla chief appeared on stage at the Capital One Arena in Washington, where supporters of the newly inaugurated president had gathered for a rally.

Upon thanking the crowd for returning the 78-year-old Republican to the White House, Musk tapped the left side of his chest with his right hand and then extended his arm with his palm open, repeating the gesture for the crowd seated behind him.

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Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, agreed Musk's gesture was a "sieg heil," or Nazi salute.

Musk later posted on X that his opponents needed "better dirty tricks".

"The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired," he said.

(AFP)


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