Confronted with a question about billionaire Elon Musk’s controversial onstage salute, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) asserted Tuesday that there was nothing fascist about it.
The question, from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), came during Stefanik’s Senate confirmation hearing to become President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations. On Monday, Musk ignited a firestorm by throwing up his arm in a distinctly Romanesque manner while thanking Trump’s supporters gathered at the Capital One Arena in Washington.
He made the gesture twice, saying, “My heart goes out to you.” Musk has not directly addressed the controversy or his true intention.
“What do think of Elon Musk, perhaps the president’s most visible adviser, doing two Heil Hitler salutes last night at the president’s televised rally?” Murphy queried.
“No. Elon Musk did not do those salutes,” Stefanik replied. She said that while she was not at the inaugural rally where Musk made the move, she had been to “many” rallies with him and knows he likes to make cheerful gestures.
She said it was “simply not the case” that Musk did a Nazi salute.
“And to say so is — the American people are smart. They see through it. They support Elon Musk,” she added. “We are proud to be the country of such successful entrepreneurs. That is one of our greatest strengths as Americans.”
Murphy then read Stefanik reactions from several far-right agitators who responded to the gesture with glee.
Evan Kilgore, a self-described political commentator, wrote on X: “Holy crap … Did @elonmusk just Heil Hitler at the Trump inauguration rally in Washington D.C. … This is incredible.”
“The Jews are already seething,” Kilgore wrote in another post.
Andrew Torba, founder of the far-right platform Gab, reportedly reacted to the salute by writing, “Incredible things are happening already lmao.”
“Does it concern you that those elements of the neo-Nazi and white supremacist elements in the United States believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?” Murphy asked.
Stefanik said she was concerned that Murphy thought it was an appropriate question to ask.
“I simply don’t believe that if a member of the Squad made the same gesture last night that there wouldn’t be commentary from you and others,” Murphy replied, referencing the group of progressive representatives in the House.
The Anti-Defamation League weighed in on the controversy Monday, saying that given the current “delicate” moment in U.S. history, Musk should be given “a bit of grace” or “perhaps even the benefit of the doubt.”
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Critics rejected the ADL’s response. The organization, which works to battle antisemitism and bigotry, has also received criticism in the past from its former director Abe Foxman for its muted responses to Trump and his allies.