U.S. President Donald Trump’s second Inauguration Day was memorable for a number reasons, but one of the more notable incidents happened when Elon Musk took the stage and doled out a controversial hand gesture that many perceived as a Hitler salute.
On Joe Rogan’s podcast late last week, the Tesla CEO tried to clear up once and for all that, no, he’s not a Nazi.
“I did not see it coming,” the tech billionaire joked of the response to his gesture in the oft-off-putting way of his, in this case putting “not” and “see” together to sound like “Nazi.”
Musk said that “people will ‘Goebbels’ anything down,” referring to German Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.
The X and SpaceX boss did get serious, telling the Joe Rogan Experience host on Friday’s podcast, “I hope people realize I’m not a Nazi.”
He further explained that being a Nazi involves committing horrific acts like genocide and starting wars, not making gestures or adopting certain mannerisms or fashion styles.
The head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency later posted a clip from the sit-down, in which he stated, “Hopefully people will realize I’m not a Nazi.”
Musk laughed: “You can’t escape this bulls***.”
Rogan defended Musk, saying, “I don’t think any reasonable person believes it. If they believe it, it’s because they want to believe it, not because it’s logical.”
The podcaster continued: “There’s so many examples of people saying ‘my heart goes out to’ while motioning a similar gesture. You did it with a little enthusiasm that probably be recommended with hindsight.”
Rogan added: “You did it with a little enthusiasm that probably wouldn’t be recommended with hindsight.”
Musk replied, “It was obviously meant in the most positive spirit possible.”
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During Trump’s inauguration celebration, Musk told the crowd, “This one really mattered. And I just want to say thank you for making it happen. Thank you.”
He then placed his hand to his chest before stretching his arm out, turning to those sitting behind him and repeating the gesture.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk added as he placed his hand back over his chest.
Musk’s gesture was met with backlash, with many accusing the world’s wealthiest man of promoting fascist ideologies.
He clapped back on X at the time: “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he wrote, adding a sleeping emoji.
Prominent Jewish rights group the Anti-Defamation League took to X about Musk’s move, noting, “It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.”
The group added: “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. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.”