Elon Musk has accused major news organizations of acting as “lying propagandists,” saying they selectively targeted him over a gesture of a “Nazi salute” while ignoring a similar moment involving New York City Mayor
Zohran Mamdani.
Musk’s post quoted a viral video comparing his arm movement at a January 20, 2025, event celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration with Mamdani’s arm wave during his January 1, 2026, mayoral inauguration.
Musk’s gesture was a hand to chest followed by an outward arm extension. It was criticised by legacy media outlets such as the New York Times and CNN, with political commentators and Democrats saying it resembled a Nazi or fascist salute.
US-based international Jewish anti-hate organization called 'Anti-Defamation League' said the gesture was nothing but an awkward expression of enthusiasm. Musk rejected the criticism, calling it a political smear.
The montage showed Mamdani making a kind of similar outward arm gesture during his inaugural speech, which focused on unity, public service, and progressive policy goals. That moment received little mainstream media attention and a lot of social media users claimed that both of the hand gestures were completely different from each other.
The thread Musk reposted listed more than a dozen outlets—including NYT, BBC, NPR, CNN, Reuters, and MSNBC—accusing them of misrepresenting his actions while ignoring Mamdani’s.
Social media reactions
1) This dude thinks we can’t tell the difference between a wave and him slicing the air with his has like he’s Zoro with a katana..
2) well.....yours was a hard one and his was soft so...that is the difference. His was a warm breeze of collectivisim and workers unite bouquet of sunshine and yours was a little more militant looking. so there's that.
3) If anyone can't see the difference in hand gestures, they are either blind or ignorant.
4) Musk wasn't elected and certainly didn't wave to the crowd, so compare what's comparable.
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