Photo: Getty Images
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has been accused of performing a Nazi salute during President Donald Trump's inauguration weekend.
On Monday (January 20), Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
Musk, who Trump named the head of his Department of Government Efficiency, was a prominent guest at the president's inauguration, sitting alongside other tech billionaires at his swearing-in ceremony and delivering a speech at the Presidential Parade at Capital One Arena.
During the speech, Musk thanked voters for supporting Trump and expressed excitement for his administration.
"I just want to say thank you for making it happen, thank you," Musk said before making the alleged Nazi salute, pumping his hand against his chest and extending his arm upward with his palm facing down.
"My heart goes out to you," the X, formerly Twitter, CEO continued. "It's because of you that the future of civilization is assured."
Video of the gesture went viral on social media and sparked outrage among users who accused Musk of mimicking a Nazi salute.
"This was a blatant 'heil Hitler' style salute. No matter how ppl on here are saying he was just telling the audience he loved them from the heart, this was NOT a gesture most people would make," one X user tweeted.
"Within hours of Donald Trump taking the oath of office, billionaire Elon Musk gave the Nazi salute during his speech at an inauguration rally. It was not an accident or a mistake, he did it twice. Way to go America 🤦🏻♂️," another user said.
Musk responded to backlash over his alleged Nazi salute, calling the criticism a "dirty trick" by the opposition.
"Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired," Musk reportedly wrote in response to another user's tweet.
See more reactions to Musk's gesture below.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.