Leon Does Nazi Stuff

Image Source: AI Generated

Just when you thought tech billionaires couldn't get more unhinged - our favorite rocket boy decided to throw a Nazi salute at Capital One Arena. Twice. Because apparently once wasn't enough to get his point across about "safe cities" and Mars colonies.

Picture this: Right arm stretched out, palm down, classic Third Reich style. The Anti-Defamation League had to spell it out for anyone playing dumb about what that means. Meanwhile, brother Kimbal gushed about it being "the best speech of Elon's life" - setting a pretty low bar for the Musk family highlight reel.

The aftermath? Neo-Nazis threw a virtual party while everyone else watched in horror. Nothing says "responsible tech leadership" quite like sparking a debate about whether you're actually a fascist or just really bad at waving.

Buckle up, folks. We're about to dissect this dumpster fire of a PR nightmare and see what it means for Musk's empire. Spoiler alert: It's not great.

Let's Break Down This Nazi-or-Not Debacle

The Play-by-Play

Picture the scene: Capital One Arena, packed with Trump fans, post-inauguration vibes [5]. Our boy Elon hits the podium, gets all emotional, and then - plot twist - does the chest-tap-to-arm-extension move that launched a thousand tweets [5].

Setting the Stage

Trump's just become president number 47, and Elon's landed himself a fancy new job co-leading something called DOGE (because of course that's what they called it) [6]. Between rambling about "safe cities" and his Mars obsession, he managed to squeeze in some quality time practicing his controversial wave mechanics [5].

Everyone Lost Their Minds

The hot takes started rolling in faster than a Tesla on autopilot:

• Nazi expert Claire Aubin called it like she saw it: "sieg heil" [5]

• History buff Ruth Ben-Ghiat didn't mince words: "very belligerent" Nazi salute [6]

• The Anti-Defamation League tried playing peacemaker: "just an awkward enthusiastic moment, folks!" [4]

Some guy named Brandon (he's a pastor, bless his heart) tried the "it's just Elon being Elon" defense: "He's just a funny guy who loves sarcasm!" [5]. Meanwhile, the far-right crowd couldn't contain their excitement, with writer Evan Kilgore practically swooning: "incredible!" [5]

Because one questionable gesture wasn't enough, Musk doubled down and did it again for the folks in the cheap seats [4]. His brother Kimbal - ever the supportive sibling - jumped on X to declare it "the best speech" of Elon's life [4]. Talk about a low bar.

The verdict? Half the internet screamed "Nazi!" while the other half muttered "awkward billionaire things." Just another Tuesday in 2024, folks.

Twitter Had a Meltdown (Shocking, Right?)

Social media exploded faster than a SpaceX rocket on a bad day. X - because Twitter wasn't a pretentious enough name - became ground zero for the digital screaming match.

The Viral Spiral

Streamer Hasan Piker kicked off the show with a real head-scratcher: "did elon musk just hit the roman salute at his inauguration speech?" [4]. Haaretz jumped in with their historically accurate buzzkill, calling it "a Roman salute, a fascist salute most commonly associated with Nazi Germany" [5].

Politicians Enter the Chat

The political response was about as nuanced as a sledgehammer:

• Jerry Nadler clutched his pearls about "Heil Hitler" behind the Presidential seal [6]

• AOC dragged the ADL for playing defense on Nazi gestures [6]

• MTG, staying perfectly on brand, threatened PBS instead of addressing the actual issue [6]

History nerds couldn't resist joining the party. Ruth Ben-Ghiat called it "a Nazi salute -- and a very belligerent one too" [7]. Meanwhile, Newsweek's Batya Ungar-Sargon went with the "enthusiastic Asperger's" defense [7]. Because apparently that explains everything.

X Marks the Spot (Where Moderation Went to Die)

X's content moderation worked about as well as a chocolate teapot. Far-right cheerleader Andrew Torba couldn't contain his excitement, posting "Incredible things are happening already" [4]. The ADL tried playing referee with their "just enthusiasm" take [5].

Musk's response? Pure gold: "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired" [7]. Nothing says "I take this seriously" quite like dismissing Nazi comparisons as yesterday's news.

Welcome to content moderation under Elon's watch - where everything's made up and the rules don't matter.

A Brief History of People Making Really Bad Gesture Choices

Remember when people knew better than to wave their arms around like fascist fanboys? Those were the days. Take the quenelle - a French comedian's bright idea from 2005 [8]. Started as a middle finger to the establishment, ended up as Nazi Salute's edgy cousin [8].

Greatest Hits of Gesture Fails

The Hall of Fame includes some real winners:

• Soccer star Nicolas Anelka got a five-game timeout and an £80,000 bill for his quenelle adventures in 2014 [8]

• Basketball's Tony Parker had to write "Sorry for being an idiot" after his photo-op went south [8]

• Far-right poster boy Jean-Marie Le Pen just couldn't resist joining the party [8]

Media's Greatest Hits (and Misses)

Sometimes panic makes people do stupid things. Like that time UN officials freaked out and covered Picasso's "Guernica" with a blue curtain because heaven forbid we see an anti-war painting while talking about war [2]. Subtle, guys. Really subtle.

When Gestures Go Wild

Here's the thing about waving your arms around like an idiot - it matters [2]. Politicians learn this the hard way, media outlets lose their minds over it, and suddenly everyone's an expert on hand signals [8].

The quenelle story is particularly special. French authorities initially shrugged it off as "too vague" to prosecute [8]. Plot twist: by 2014, they're officially calling it antisemitic [8]. Funny how a little context changes everything.

Switzerland wins the "Taking No Nonsense" award - they actually convicted three guys for quenelle-ing in front of a synagogue [8]. Because sometimes you need a judge to tell you why being a jerk isn't actually clever.

Musk's Empire Strikes Back (At Itself)

Tesla's stock chart looks like a failed rocket launch. Turns out, throwing Nazi salutes isn't great for business. Who knew?

Money Goes Poof

Tesla shares dropped faster than Musk's popularity - down 30% year-to-date [3]. Investors apparently aren't thrilled about their CEO's new hobby of historical reenactment.

Customers Say "Yikes"

The numbers tell a story sadder than a stranded Cybertruck:

• Tesla's appeal crashed to 31% - down from a mighty 70% when Elon was just your average eccentric billionaire [3]

• German luxury brands quietly sipped tea while climbing to 44-47% [3]

• Die-hard fans still cling on at 68%, proving some relationships are harder to kill than a cockroach [3]

Climate warrior Jonny Page speaks for the confused masses: "I don't want to put a single penny in that man's pockets" [3]. Poor Kat Beyer bought one anyway, muttering "It's hard to drive the car associated with him" [3]. Talk about buyer's remorse.

Damage Control (Or Lack Thereof)

Tesla's reputation took a nosedive everywhere except China and Germany [3][3]. Maybe censorship isn't all bad for business?

Texas Tesla owner Christian Cook represents the "fingers in ears" approach to ownership [3]. Meanwhile, Tesla's PR team probably wishes they had a self-driving crisis management system.

Brand Finance suggests Tesla might want to fix its image [3]. Musk's response? Pure gold: "Whether you hate me, like me or are indifferent, do you want the best car, or do you not want the best car?" [3]. Because nothing sells luxury cars quite like "Hey, at least it works!"

Media Circus: Everyone's Got an Opinion

Remember when journalism meant fact-checking? Those were simpler times. Now we've got newsrooms playing "Nazi or Not?" like it's a twisted game show.

Battle of the Newsrooms

Mainstream media pulled out their history books and serious faces. CNN's Erin Burnett couldn't hide her shock [1], while The Guardian went full "far-right crisis" mode [9]. Meanwhile, Reuters and AP tried playing it straight, though some journalists couldn't help raising their eyebrows [1].

Alternative media? They either threw a party or plugged their ears singing "la-la-la." Pick your echo chamber, folks.

Editorial Gymnastics

The Washington Post dropped this bomb: 55% of Musk's election security posts were about as truthful as a chocolate teapot [10]. X's algorithm seemed determined to turn everyone into Tucker Carlson Jr. [10].

Newsrooms played editorial roulette:

• "Let's talk Hitler!"

• "What does Twitter think?"

• "Quick, find an expert!"

• "Look at these angry tweets!"

The ADL tried playing peacemaker with their "just an awkward moment" take [1]. Because nothing says journalism like choosing between "Nazi Alert" and "Nothing to See Here."

Trust Issues

X's reputation for news is tanking faster than crypto in a bear market [1]. The great exodus saw 115,000 users noping out in one day [1]. Ouch.

The trust-o-meter keeps dropping:

• News sites watching their traffic vanish [1]

• Propaganda sprouting like mushrooms after rain [1]

• Moderators playing whack-a-mole with chaos [1]

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei got dramatic: "America needs real reporting or we're doomed!" [11]. Journalists are treating X like that ex who keeps drunk-texting [1].

Under Musk's stellar leadership, X has become a masterclass in how to kill a platform: throttle links, welcome back the racists, reward the trolls, and watch advertisers run screaming [1]. Just another day in digital paradise.

The Final Score: Elon's Greatest Hit (Himself)

Well folks, our favorite billionaire just wrote another chapter in "How to Tank Your Empire: A Beginner's Guide." One questionable arm wave later, and the whole internet lost its collective mind.

Some people swear it was just Elon being Elon - you know, that quirky billionaire who occasionally channels historical dictators for funsies. Meanwhile, Tesla's stock did its best impression of a lead balloon, dropping 30% faster than you can say "brand damage." Customers started treating Tesla like that one friend who keeps posting conspiracy theories - they'll still hang out, but they're not proud of it.

Remember the quenelle drama? Turns out we humans have a knack for turning random arm movements into PR nightmares. Media outlets played hot potato with the story, each trying not to get burned while serving their particular flavor of truth.

Here's the kicker: In an age where every twitch gets dissected like a high school frog, maybe - just maybe - business leaders should think twice before playing charades with controversial gestures. Social media trust is already thinner than Tesla's Cybertruck windows, and traditional media's struggling to keep up with the chaos.

But hey, at least we learned something: Sometimes a wave isn't just a wave, and actions speak louder than tweets. Who knew running a trillion-dollar empire required more than just posting memes and making jazz hands?

Welcome to 2024, where every gesture's a statement and every statement's a potential disaster. Stay tuned for next week's episode of "Billionaires Behaving Badly."

References

[1] - https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250121-musk-raises-eyebrows-with-salute-gesture-at-trump-rally[2] - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/elon-musk-hand-gesture-speech.html[3] - https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6618544[4] - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/20/trump-elon-musk-salute[5] - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/01/21/elon-musk-accused-nazi-fascist-roman-salute-trump-speech/[6] - https://time.com/7208614/elon-musk-nazi-salute-reactions-debate-controversy-adl-trump-inauguration/[7] - https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/elon-musks-hand-gesture-at-donald-trump-rally-goes-viral-internet-calls-it-nazi-salute-7521286[8] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quenelle_(gesture)[9] - https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160412-the-secret-symbols-politicians-use[10] - https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/would-be-tesla-buyers-snub-company-musks-reputation-dips-2024-04-01/[11] - https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/these-reporters-wrote-book-musks-twitter-takeover-heres-what-they-think-next-journalism-and-x[12] - https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/51298-public-reaction-to-elon-musk-and-the-rows-over-child-grooming-gangs[13] - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-trump-social-media-election-2024/[14] - https://www.axios.com/2024/12/03/news-reporting-elon-musk-x-media