After being accused of giving a ‘Nazi salute’ at a Trump rally, Elon Musk drags Taylor Swift into the controversy surrounding the incident.
Elon Musk’s actions at Trump’s inauguration spark controversy
Elon Musk found himself at the center of a controversy during Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder was accused of making a “Nazi salute” during the event.
The incident quickly gained attention after Musk appeared to make a controversial gesture at the Capitol One Arena before the inauguration parade.
Allegations about Musk’s Nazi salute gain traction
As Trump took the oath of office on January 20, 2025, Musk’s arm movements caught public attention.
In a moment of apparent excitement over sending a man to Mars, Musk thumped his chest and extended his arm twice.
Some observers quickly labeled the gesture as a “Nazi salute,” leading to widespread backlash on social media.
Musk responds to accusations with defiance
While the Anti-Defamation League defended Musk, calling the gesture “awkward” rather than malicious, Musk brushed off the criticism.
He argued that critics needed “better dirty tricks” and dismissed the comparison as tired.
Musk also directed his frustration at Wikipedia co-founders Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger for updating his page with details of the incident.
Musk lashes out at public figures over the controversy
Musk didn’t hold back in responding to critics, including US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez had called Musk’s arm movements a “Heil Hitler salute” but Musk hit back, saying she had “lost her marbles.”
Fallout from the incident and Musk’s attempt to involve Taylor Swift
The controversy surrounding Musk deepened when he retweeted doctored images of Taylor Swift.
The images suggested that Swift had made a similar gesture during a performance, with captions comparing her to a Nazi salute.
Musk’s retweets sparked further outrage.
Fans defend Taylor Swift, demand action against Musk
Reddit users quickly debunked Musk’s claims, explaining that the image of Swift was simply a screenshot of her blowing a kiss to the crowd during a 2014 performance.
Fans of Swift flooded social media, calling for legal action against Musk.
Despite the growing outrage, Musk refused to back down.
His only public response to the situation was a tweet accusing “radical leftists” of being more concerned with criticizing him than addressing other global issues.
Public reaction to Musk’s controversial actions
Musk’s behavior has been widely criticized, with some accusing him of obsession and failure to take responsibility for his actions. Fans and public figures alike have expressed dismay at his refusal to provide a thorough explanation for his actions beyond social media posts.
One person said: I knew that he wasn’t going to take the heat all alone he just had to take someone down with him
A second wrote: Musk’s salute was not digitally altered. And it was captured on live television. Musk is making an even bigger fool of himself with everything that comes out of his mouth.
While a third commented: She should sue him
Another added: Daaaam, I want to see Taylor send her lawyers after Musk! Billionaires gonna battle it out now!
Someone else said: Can you not leave her alone,
She’s greatest artists of all generations.
Another user wrote: One looks like she’s saying hi or waving at fans while the other is a straight up gesture