Elon Musk has spoken out after being accused of giving a ‘Nazi salute’ during Donald Trump’s inauguration.

On Monday (January 20), Donald Trump was officially sworn into the White House as the 47th President of the United States and for his second term since 2021.

The President made a raft of promises during his inauguration speech as he vowed the ‘golden age of America begins’ with his term.

However, during his inauguration celebration, the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder, Musk, appeared to make a ‘Nazi salute’ in the Capitol One Arena, Washington, ahead of the Inauguration Day parade.

Musk made the awkward gesture inside the Capitol One Arena during the inauguration (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

The 53-year-old appeared to be thrilled about the prospect of sending a man to Mars and planting an American flag, during which the Twitter owner thumped his chest and shot his right arm out towards the sky.

The billionaire tech mogul commented: “Thank you for making it happen. Thank you, my heart goes out to you,” before turning back to the audience and repeating the bizarre gesture towards the American flag.

The move sparked controversy online with many describing the gesture as akin to a fascist salute or ‘odd-looking’, such as CNN anchors, Erin Burnett and Kasie Hunt, reports The Independent.

Hunt noted the move was ‘evocative of things that we have seen through history’ and ‘not something you typically see at American rallies’.

Others on Twitter accused Musk of making a ‘Sieg Heil’ as ‘clear as day’, while others said the move was indefensible and couldn’t have been a mistake or accident seen as as he ‘did it twice’.

However, the Anti-Defamation League, the antisemitism watchdog, has since defended Musk, writing on Twitter: “It seems that [Musk] make an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people on on edge.”

The statement added: “This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety.

“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.”

US Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez snapped back to the New York-based group: “Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity.

“People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all.”

What has Elon Musk said about the gesture?

Now, Musk himself appears to have spoken out amid the backlash, writing in response that Ocasio-Cortex has ‘just 100 percent lost her marbles’.

Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term yesterday (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

Another user jumped to his defense, writing: “Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing? It didn’t work during the election, it’s not working now, it’s tired, boring, and old material, you’ve burned out its effect, people don’t feel shocked by it anymore, the wolf has been cried too many times.”

Musk responded with a ‘yeah exactly’ and a yawn emoji.

“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks,” he wrote in a follow-up. “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”

Musk was also the subject of social media chatter earlier in the day when Trump commented on America’s goal to send a person to Mars, during which Musk gave an enthusiastic thumbs up next to a less-than-impressed Barron Trump.

Today has been coming for a long time, if you’re a Republican you’ll be delighted but if you’re not then it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th US President will take place in Washington DC, beginning at 11.30am Eastern Time and around half-an-hour into it the 78-year-old will be sworn in for his second time in charge.

But during the President-elect’s final ‘MAGA’ rally before he is sworn in, he spoke about vote counting computers in Pennsylvania and people on Twitter think he might have incriminated himself and Elon Musk in ‘odd’ confession at the rally.

President-elect Donald Trump came out with a weird statement about vote-counting computers during his final speech before being sworn in as President (NewsMax TV)

Speaking of Musk at the rally, Trump said: “And then he journeyed to Pennslyvania where he spent a month and a half campaigning for me and he’s a popular guy.

“He knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers, those vote-counting computers, and we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide.

“So, it was pretty good, it was pretty good. So, thank you to Elon.”

Taking to the social media platform, one user posted: “This is called a confession.”

“What an odd thing to say,” another typed.

While a third was shocked at what the soon-to-be president said. They said: “Did he just……..”

With a fourth adding: “Now, Trump suggests that Elon Musk rigged the PA vote-counting computers in his favor.

“Surely the GOP will be demanding a full investigation into Trump and his oligarch wannabe-dictator buddies. Right?”

However, not everyone saw it this way, and suggested that people are grasping at straws.

They tweeted: “I literally just watched it and he never said any of that…”

Elon Musk, who spoke during Trump’s victory rally, apparently knows vote-counting computers better than anybody (NewsMax TV)

While another explained: “‘Depending on which county a resident lives in, they may vote by voting machine, or they may vote with a paper ballot that is scanned in.

“Pennsylvania uses different systems to count mail-in ballots in some parts of the state that are used to count the same-day vote, and every vote in the state leaves a paper trail.’

“Therefore it would be technically impossible to hack voting machines since the paper trail would not match up. Wishful thinking though.”

Could that be all it was? I’m no expert but there’s too much conspiracy around vote-counting in the US, I personally believe Trump won fair and square – as did President Joe Biden in the 2020 elections.

“Now I’m convinced the inauguration will be inside due to protests,” commented one person, and by the outrage his comments have struck on Musk’s own social media platform… moving it indoors might be best.

Elon Musk’s ex-girlfriend Grimes has been displaced from her home as wildfires burn through Los Angeles.

Grimes is one of more than 153,000 people, including a long list of celebrities like Paris Hilton and John Goodman, who have been evacuated from their home as six fires ravage the county.

While the death toll has risen to 11 people, Grimes has been forced to come to her ex-boyfriend Musk’s defense after she initially took to Twitter to share news that she was one of many to be ordered out of her LA home.

“Just had to evacuate, tried to go to a friends place / it got an evacuation warning on the way there – now aimlessly driving out of the city,” the 36-year-old, who shares three children with Musk, tweeted.

“Is the whole city gna be gone? This is a serious tragedy for LA – I feel profoundly sad for everybody.”

One user launched an attack on her questioning her life choices. They wrote: “How’s it feel to have been married to one of the most evil climate deniers of all time?”

Musk has been notably pedaling conspiracy theorists relating to the Los Angeles wildfires on his Twitter account.

Elon Musk and Grimes pictured when they were together back in 2018 (Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)

Coming to his defense, the Canadian tweeted: “He’s pretty vocal about climate change and is primarily known for, in part, revolutionizing electric vehicles.

“I think there’s plenty to be angry about but when you stray from fact and reason, your critique loses power.

“The biggest challenge right now is not falling into creating and consuming dopamine rage bait on social media and focussing on thoughtful, rational, truth based discourse so that we can properly diagnose and solve our problems.”

Taking to Reddit, one user posted: “Absolutely despicable. Wish everyone would just stop using Twitter already.”

While another added: “She’s mindlessly driving around LA ? How about ask Elon who you defend to put you up somewhere? Lol.”

However, over on Twitter, one user came to Grimes‘ own defense. “Stellar handling of feedback and your response Grimes. Keeping it centered…. Its up to us after all,” they wrote. “Hope you are keeping safe out there.”

Wildfires continue to burn through Los Angeles (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection)

The LA wildfires all began on Tuesday when Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires set the city alight. Since then, Palisades Fire has burned through 21,596 acres with only eight percent of it in containment, stretching between Malibu and Santa Monica – and has since started spreading east.

Eaton Fire has burned through 14,117 acres with just three percent containment, Kenneth Fire has spread across 1,052 acres with 50 percent containment, Hurst Fire has damaged 771 acres with 70 percent of it contained. The Lidia Fire has burned through 395 acres, but is just two percent from being entirely contained. Meanwhile, the newest Archer Fire is spread across 19 acres with zero percent containment.

Elon Musk was spotted giving an enthusiastic thumbs up during Donald Trump’s inaugural speech, which massively contrasted Barron Trump’s reaction.

People tuning into Donald Trump‘s inaugural speech were left gasping for air with laughter after the cameras showed Elon Musk and Barron Trump during the speech.

As Trump commented on America‘s goal of putting a person on Mars, Musk is seen giving a super enthusiastic thumbs up, while stood next to Barron Trump and applauding.

Barron on the other hand, looked pretty unfazed by the whole thing and doesn’t so much as give a smile. Take a look:

As you can imagine the clip of the moment has already started spreading on social media with many delighted by the night and day difference between the two men.

One user commented: “Barron Trump looked like he feared being the first person sent to Mars.”

While another wrote: “Barron Trump giving zero f**ks about Mars while standing next to Elon Muck.”

A third wrote: “Tuned into the Trump inauguration speech for literally less than a minute and was just in time to get this screen shot of Barron Trump looking like he wants to k*ll himself being stuck next to Elon Musk.”

With another adding: “I’m gonna assume Baron Trump is Not a fan of Elon Musk by what I just saw on cam lol.”

The only acceptable face to make when Mars is mentioned (YouTube/AFP)

Now, it does make sense why Musk would be spotted applauding and beaming ear to ear based on what Trump said.

The now sworn-in-president said: “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”

This is something Musk has publicly spoken about for years and a man on Mars is one of the goals he wishes to see achieved in his lifetime – despite the planet recently being deemed as ‘unsafe for humans to live’ by experts.

Despite the hopes of Musk, experts have also been clear of the many difficulties that starting a civilization on Mars could expect.

Last year David Kipping, the Assistant Professor, Department of Astronomy at Columbia University, spoke to Valuetainment and explained how some people have their doubts regarding Musk’s plans to put civilizations on the red planet.

He said: “Yeah, some of my colleague’s kind of think it’s ridiculous and think it’s just totally crazy that we’ll ever do this.”

Humanity getting to mars has long been a dream (Getty Stock Image)

However he did note that he had no issue with Musk putting his money into projects that could lead to Mars’ colonization.

He continued: “I get the philosophy. The philosophy is, as long as we’re all on planet Earth we’re at risk because all it takes is one giant meteor or one nuclear war or whatever cataclysm you want, and we’re all gone.

“So, if your objective is to preserve the species then it totally makes sense that you would want to have a second base and whether that base be on the moon or Mars, I don’t really have a strong opinion.”