The Hoax
Elon Musk Made A Nazi Salute At An Inauguration Celebration
On January 20, 2025, Elon was giving a speech at the Capital One Arena in DC as part of Trump’s inauguration celebration. Critics point to Musk placing his hand on his chest, followed by extending his arm outward, as resembling a Nazi-style gesture. Media outlets and social media users accused Musk of mimicking a Nazi salute, with others amplifying the claim.
What Really Happened
Elon Was Expressing Heartfelt Gratitude Towards The Crowd
In reality, the gestures Musk made were not a “Nazi salute” but heartfelt expressions of gratitude and appreciation toward the crowd. During his speech, Musk placed his hand on his chest, a universal gesture of sincerity, and extended his arm in an upward motion while thanking the audience for their support. Far from being a hateful gesture, Musk’s actions were accompanied by words of gratitude and a message about a hopeful vision for the future, including references to innovation, secure borders, and the ambitious goal of sending astronauts to Mars.
The misinterpretation stemmed from selective video editing and a biased framing of his gestures, taking them out of the larger context of his remarks. This selective presentation omitted his actual words and the clear intent behind the gestures, which were meant to convey appreciation and inspiration rather than anything sinister.
Hoaxology
Here are the techniques used to create and spread this hoax.
This hoax relied on two key techniques: selective video editing and media priming.
Selective Video Editing: The video was clipped to isolate Musk’s gestures, removing the broader context of his speech. Without his accompanying words of gratitude and vision, the gestures were easily misinterpreted.
Media Priming: For months, media outlets and political figures had painted Musk as antisemitic, despite providing little to no legitimate evidence. This narrative primed audiences to view Musk’s actions through a lens of suspicion. The edited clip acted as a trigger for confirmation bias, leading viewers to see what they were conditioned to expect. Priming is a foundational persuasion technique often used in hypnosis.
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