No, These Politicians Did Not Make the Same Gesture as Elon Musk
The tech billionaire was accused of making the Nazi salute at a rally for President Donald Trump.
By
Nur Ibraham
Claim:
A series of photographs authentically shows politicians Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren performing a Nazi salute.
Rating: False
Context
These still images were taken out of context from speeches in which each politician was making an unrelated gesture, including waving or raising their hand to make a point. Their language, demeanor and the wider context of the video shows the gestures cannot be interpreted as Nazi salutes.
As U.S. President Donald Trump took office in 2025, his inauguration celebrations were marked by controversy over a gesture made by his supporter Elon Musk that many people claimed was a Nazi salute. On Jan. 20, 2025, viral videos showed the tech billionaire speaking at a rally and doing a gesture that began with his right hand over his heart and ending with his arm fully extended in front of him, palm down.
A number of social media posts claimed Musk was not the only prominent individual who has made such a gesture. Images on X and Reddit, and in memes sent to us by readers appeared to show prominent Democrats including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and former Vice President Kamala Harris making the same gesture.