A wave of controversy unfolded on Monday following a video of tech billionaire Elon Musk at Donald Trump’s post-inauguration rally, sparking accusations of him making a Nazi salute.

Musk, who appeared on stage at the Capital One Arena in Washington during a rally to celebrate Trump's return to the White House, was seen making a one-arm, palm-out gesture that some likened to the infamous Sieg Heil Nazi salute.

In the clipped footage, the X owner thanked the crowd for their support in securing Trump's victory then tapped his chest with his right hand before extending his arm outward, palm down, in a gesture repeated several times. 

“This was no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization," Musk told the crowd, thumping his chest with his right hand. He then extended his arm upward at an angle with his palm down. "Thank you for making it happen! Thank you!" he continued, drawing cheers from supporters.

Musk, who said in 2021 that he has Asperger’s syndrome, dismissed the criticism, labeling it as a "dirty trick" in a post on social media platform X. “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired," he wrote, downplaying the accusations.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on the history of fascism, claimed on X that the gesture resembled a Nazi salute.

But others, including Jewish charities and historian Aaron Astor, rejected the comparison. “I have criticised Elon Musk many times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform," Astor wrote, but he insisted, “This gesture is not a Nazi salute."

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading organisation combatting antisemitism, also defended Musk, stating that his gesture appeared to be"awkward" but made with enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.

Non-Jewish progressive politicians, including US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, vehemently criticised the ADL’s defense of Musk. "Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all.”

Meanwhile, Musk's actions were celebrated by some far-right figures. Christopher Pohlhaus, leader of the neo-Nazi group Blood Tribe, praised Musk's gesture on Telegram, stating, “I don’t care if this was a mistake. I’m going to enjoy the tears over it.” Andrew Torba, founder of the far-right social platform Gab, also lauded the move, calling it an "incredible" moment.