‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected at carmaker’s factory in Germany – National
photo of Elon Musk making a a straight arm, a Nazi-like gesture during his speech to the President of the United States on Monday Donald Trump opening is planned Tesla’s Gigafactory in Berlin-Brandenburg on Tuesday.
The picture shows Musk making a gesture along with the words “Heil Tesla”. UK activist group Led By Donkeys and Germany’s Center for Political Beauty were behind the screen and shared an Instagram post from the two groups. “Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin. #LedByDonkeys,” reads the caption.
Led By Donkeys also shared a mini-documentary on Instagram on Thursday with the caption, “World’s Richest Man Elon Musk Promotes Far Right in Europe. Don’t buy @teslamotors. Location: Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin.
“This is the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin, where Elon Musk makes Tesla cars for the European market. It’s factories like this that make him the richest man in the world. But now he’s using the billions of dollars in wealth raised by the sale of Tesla to promote far-right parties in Europe,” the mini-doc begins. “He is vocally backing the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) in the upcoming German elections, claiming ‘only the AfD can save Germany’.”
The projection of the image at the Tesla Gigafactory follows Musk’s speech at Trump’s inauguration on Monday. He thanked Trump’s supporters earlier he slaps his hand on his chest and extend the arm straight out and up, palm down.
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“I just want to thank you for making it happen,” Musk said of Trump’s victory in the US presidential election during a speech at Capital One Arena. Then he clapped his hand to his chest and extended his arm straight and up, palm down.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said after turning to make a similar gesture, facing the other way.
Hours after leaving the stage, Musk responded to accusations that his gesture to X was seen as a Nazi salute.
“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everybody’s a Hitler’ attack is so tired,” Musk he wrote.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which campaigns against anti-Semitism, came to Musk’s defense.
“Apparently @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but we still appreciate people being out,” the organization posted on social media Monday afternoon.
“At this point, all parties need to give each other a little grace, maybe the benefit of the doubt, and breathe. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the coming months and years.”
Meanwhile, The ADL website describes the “Hitler salute” or the “Nazi salute.” consists of “raising the right arm with the palm down.”
“In Nazi Germany, this was often accompanied by chants or shouts of ‘Heil Hitler’ or ‘Sieg Heil,'” the description continues. “Since World War II, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists have continued to use the salute, making it the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world.”
As of this writing, Musk has not publicly responded or reacted to the projection of the image at the Tesla factory.
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—With files from Global News’ Michelle Butterfield and The Associated Press
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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