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Elon Musk’s Controversial Salute Sparks Misinformation Online

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date
26th January 2025
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4:46 am
27th January 2025
Elon Musk’s Controversial Salute Sparks Misinformation Online
Social media users spread misinformation about Musks gesture

At Donald Trump's presidential inauguration, Elon Musk thanked the crowd and made a straight-arm gesture twice, igniting debate about its meaning. Social media users spread misinformation targeting Musk, leading him to respond by disseminating false information.

Backlash Over Musk’s Gesture at Trump Rally

At the event, Musk thanked the crowd for “making it happen” before placing his right hand over his heart and extending it straight ahead. 

He repeated the action for the audience seated behind him. The gesture sparked immediate backlash on social media, with debates erupting over its intent.

In response to the controversy, Musk posted on the X platform: “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired.”

The gesture comes amid Musk’s growing alignment with right-wing politics, including public support for Germany's far-right AfD party and Britain's anti-immigration Reform U.K. party.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Elon Musk on Thursday, posting on Musk’s social media platform, X, that “Elon Musk is being falsely smeared.”

While avoiding direct reference to Musk’s controversial gesture, Netanyahu described the tech mogul as “a great friend of Israel.”
Musk responded by thanking Netanyahu but reignited the controversy shortly after with a new post on X.

a great friend of Israel
A screenshot of Netanyahu’s post (X)

Musk Accused Celebrities of Making ‘Nazi’ Gestures

Elon Musk stirred further controversy by retweeting posts that misleadingly suggested other celebrities made controversial ‘Nazi’ gestures. The posts included still images of figures like Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, Elizabeth Warren, and Taylor Swift with their hands in the air.

Elon Musk reposted a post on his X platform that read, “Does this mean Swifties = Hitler youth?” adding fuel to the ongoing debate.

Musk Accused Celebrities of Making ‘Nazi’ Gestures
A screenshot of the post (X)

Misbar’s team investigated the photo of the famous American singer Taylor Swift and found the claim to be misleading.

The photo originates from a video released on YouTube showing a 2014 “Good Morning America” performance by Taylor Swift.

However, rather than raising her right hand, Swift blows a kiss with her left hand while extending it forward, opening and closing her palm. Meanwhile, she holds a microphone in her right hand by her side.

Taylor Swift

Elon Musk escalated the controversy further by posting a collage of U.S. politicians raising arms, captioning it: “The legacy media is pure propaganda. You are the media now.”

Elon Musk

While the images depict the figures with raised straight arms, resembling a ‘Nazi’ salute, videos of these incidents clarify that the gestures were not intended as such.

Misbar’s investigative team found the photo of Kamala Harris appears to be from a video released on YouTube of her speech at the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party Convention.

South Carolina Democratic Party Convention

Moreover, the photo of Elizabeth Warren was taken from her speech at the 2016 Democratic Convention.

Elizabeth Warren's full speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention

Social Media Users Spread Misinformation Over Musk’s Gesture

Social media users are also using Elon Musk's recent gesture to spread misinformation online.

A widely shared photo on X shows a vandalized Tesla Model 3 with a ‘swastika’ spray-painted on it, following Elon Musk's controversial gesture.

An X user posted the photo with the caption, “Imagine destroying your neighbor's property because you're mad at Elon Musk.”

Social Media Users Spread Misinformation Over Musk’s Gesture

Misbar’s thorough reverse image search found the photo to be outdated.

The photo dates back to 2023. According to a German media outlet, the perpetrator not only vandalized the Model 3 but also smeared dozens of vehicles with red paint, drew ‘swastikas,’ and marked houses, doors, and shops.

Man smears topless houses and cars in Vienna

In addition, social media users circulated a mural purporting to feature a small child urinating on Elon Musk while holding a globe.

Many further alleged that the famous British street artist Banksy created the artwork.

famous British street artist Banksy created the artwork

Misbar investigated the viral image and found it to be doctored. The original mural shows a little boy urinating on the current U.S. President Donald Trump, not his ally Elon Musk recently.

A French artist known as “my_stencil” first published the original image on Instagram in May 2020. Social media users later misattributed it to Banksy.

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