Elon Musk’s unsavory gesture at the Presidential Inauguration represents an eerie reminder of the past and a dark omen for America’s future.
Amid excuses for the Sieg Heil, from “my heart goes out to you” to claiming Musk did it because he is autistic, some people present a scary idea about the ordeal: perhaps this is a little bit fascist.
The word “fascist” is often used hyperbolically to demonize the actions of an opposing political party. In that vein, it is easy to see why many people don’t take accusations of fascism seriously. It sounds… crazy. But fascism is a very real phenomenon: a far-right political ideology characterized by ultranationalism, an authoritarian dictator, and the forcible oppression of minorities and the lower class.
Many of these elements are present within MAGA and Trump’s administration, including the super American patriotism, the usurping of power within the executive branch of government, and the progressive stripping of rights from minoritized groups. However, while there may be elements of fascism present in the American right-wing, it is difficult to outright claim that a person or group is fascist. There are several criteria that must be satisfied and multiple factors that must be considered.
In a country founded upon freedoms and rights, accusations of fascism are often immediately dismissed as ridiculous. There seems to be a genuine excuse for everything that the Trump administration could do or say, and as such, there is plenty of room for denial. I will make the case that, considering all the important factors, the United States of America is under a very real threat of fascism.
In this weekly column, I will dissect eight key elements of fascism that are concerningly embodied in the Trump administration and surrounding conservative spaces. These elements are as follows: ultranationalism, anti-science rhetoric, control of the mass media, fearmongering and scapegoating, disdain for human rights, rampant corruption, the intertwining of religion and government, and contempt for the weak and lower-classed.
I ask that my readers set aside their doubts and consider the weight of the evidence as I present it. When the evidence is weighed, it will be hard to deny that America is headed for a fascist future.
“My heart goes out to you,” folks! After speaking at President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, Elon Musk placed his hand on his chest and performed a very eyebrow-raising salute. Maybe this is just a one-off accidental move, though. Surely Musk wouldn’t… wait, never mind. He just turned around and did it again.
Many of Musk’s supporters offered up various excuses for that unacceptable gesture, from the “my heart goes out to you” excuse to claiming that Musk did it because he is autistic. Some even take out-of-context photos of well-known Democratic politicians appearing to perform the salute, attempting to point out left-wing hypocrisy. “It is normal,” they say.
Anyone else, though, would immediately recognize the gesture as a full-on Nazi salute. There is no denying it. I personally have many autistic friends, and they aren’t casually doing Sieg Heils.
Though Musk’s enthusiastic Nazi salute is obviously an unacceptable gesture, the excuses his supporters offer for his behavior unveil a disturbing revelation about current right-wing rhetoric in the United States.
Following the inauguration, Musk’s supporters gave several meager defenses for his fascist gesture. Some emphasized what Musk said after the salute: “my heart goes out to you.” “That is obviously what he meant,” they say. However, nobody under any context would use such a well-known gesture to get that message across. You might make a heart shape with your hands or maybe stretch out your hand some way. But you wouldn’t do what Musk did, pumping your chest and letting your arm fly, straight open hand and all.
Other supporters of Musk mused that he did the Sieg Heil because he is autistic. Regarding this excuse, Musk knows just as well as anyone what that salute means and what history is behind it. Additionally, using one’s neurological condition to excuse this level of wrongdoing is abhorrent. I know autistic people here at ULM, and they do not do Nazi salutes.
Some individuals have taken to posting photos of well-known Democratic figures such as Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren appearing to use Nazi salutes themselves, implying hypocrisy on the Left. One such account, @libsoftiktok, posted pictures of Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton appearing to use such gestures, along with text reading, “I’m sure the media is completely outraged by this, right? Right?”
However, a quick look at the videos of these moments reveals that the photos are purposefully taken out of context. An article published by Snopes fact-checked the @libsoftiktok post, stating, “they were waving their hands and speaking on different issues that had nothing to do with Nazism, and each photo or screenshot happened to capture one small moment at a time. Musk made the gesture more than once and with deliberation.”
The attempt of these right-wing social media grifters to completely reframe the outrage over an obvious Nazi salute demonstrates how desperate they are to portray Musk’s actions as normal or justifiable. There is no left-wing hypocrisy here, and there is no defense for that reprehensible move.
Excuses like these do not work to justify such a brazenly hateful act. Regardless of context, if I gave a Nazi salute on this campus, I would (and rightly should) be in a heap of trouble. And yet, the richest man in the world can do it twice in front of the Oval Office and receive thunderous applause. I am reminded of a famous Star Wars quote.
Of all the Nazi things that Musk could do, whether it be involving himself with the German far-right, publicly endorsing antisemitic conspiracy theories, or platforming Neo-Nazis like Nick Fuentes, you would think that performing a Sieg Heil at the president’s inauguration would remove all doubt as to what he is.
Despite how obvious that would be to anyone else, Musk’s supporters found a way to rationalize their way out of acknowledging his Sieg Heil on national television. There is nothing he cannot do.
The Nazi “hiccup” reflects the current state of the Republican Party. Whether it be with Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or any other large conservative voice, the truth is clear: they can really get away with doing anything. No matter how vile their actions are, there will always be an excuse lined up by right-wing pundits and grifters, and most of the listeners will not think twice about it. It is terrifying to think of just how much the Republican Party might be able to get away with because their supporters will go to incredible lengths to deny wrongdoing.