Musk's 'Fascist Salute': U.S. Jewish Establishment Failed Its First Test With Trump 2.0

𝙀𝙡𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙠 𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙥'𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢, 𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣, 𝙐.𝙎., 𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮.
Credit: Mike Segar/ REUTERS

This will not be the last dilemma the Jewish world will face when it comes to the Trump administration. Whether it is up for the challenge remains to be seen, but Day One was not a harbinger of proactive action being on the horizon

It has been an unspoken understanding throughout the Jewish world since Donald Trump's victory in November that it would face tests related to antisemitism among his far-right supporters early in his presidency.

Few could have imagined, however, that this test would come during his actual inauguration, provoked by his most famous ally (aka the world's richest man) in such a blatant manner. What followed was an exercise in gaslighting from all corners, portending a long four years to come.

In a gesture seen around the world at this point, Elon Musk thanked Trump's supporters by hitting his chest and forcefully raising his arm at an angle and then repeating the gesture, before telling them: "My heart goes out to you."

People watching the rally in real time found themselves asking if other watchers had witnessed what they had just seen: Musk apparently performing a "Roman salute" – a charitably neutral description of what is commonly known as the Nazi salute.

The clip quickly went viral, with critics charging that Musk was either overtly demonstrating fascist leanings or sending some sort of wink to his far-right supporters, particularly those whose followings have proliferated on X since his purchase of the platform in 2022.

Musk's supporters, both Jewish and non-Jewish alike, strongly insisted that the clip was taken out of context and that his critics were sensationalists looking for problems.

The man himself said of the uproar, "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired 😴"

The matter, however, quickly presented Jewish establishment organizations with their first real dilemma of the Trump administration.

After repeatedly failing to meet the moment during the first Trump term, these organizations were immediately forced to contend with whether this was a fight worth waging – and just hours into the new administration.

The Anti-Defamation League, which has positioned itself as the world's premier arbiter on what constitutes antisemitism, opted to punt.

"It seems that [Musk] made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge," it said in an unattributed statement. "In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning."

Critics quickly slammed the statement, lamenting how the ADL is quick to call a college student wearing a kaffiyeh an antisemite but calls on people to "take a breath" when it comes to the man who has repeatedly trafficked in antisemitic conspiracy theories. A man, furthermore, who is increasingly cozying up to far-right political parties across Europe.

Musk, who has been at loggerheads with the ADL since the organization encouraged advertisers to boycott his social media platform over proliferating antisemitism, facetiously thanked the watchdog for its support – without acknowledging his own participation in spreading conspiracies about the organization itself.

With 1,461 days until the next scheduled Inauguration Day, this will not be the last dilemma the Jewish world will face when it comes to the Trump administration. Whether it is up for the challenge remains to be seen, but Day One was not a harbinger of proactive action being on the horizon.