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Elon Musk lashes out at Wikipedia over ‘Nazi salute’ claims at Trump’s inauguration as he calls for site to be defunded
During the speech, he put his hand to his chest and said he felt it in his "heart"
ELON Musk has lashed out at Wikipedia after he was accused of making a "Nazi salute" during a speech at Donald Trump's inauguration rally.
The X and Tesla boss called out the online encyclopedia for being biased in response to critics saying he made a stiff-armed Roman-style salute in front of Trump's supporters.
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Musk accused his enemies of engaging in "dirty tricks"; to try and smear him after the shocking moment, including his Wikipedia page being updated to say his gesture was accused of being similar to a Nazi salute.
"Defund Wikipedia until balance is restored!" the billionaire urged in a post on X.
He later added, "Since legacy media propaganda is considered a 'valid' source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda!"
Musk made the apparent gesture while speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC where he was addressing Trump's supporters following the inauguration.
READ MORE ON THE INAUGURATION
During the speech, he put his hand to his chest and said he felt it in his "heart."
On Monday night, Musk defended himself against backlash by writing, "The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
It comes as…
- Donald Trump emphasized five key points in his inaugural address
- He's already signed a flurry of executive orders in his first day
- Joe Biden pardoned his family members in the last minutes of his term
- Carrie Underwood faced major technical difficulties during her inauguration performance
- Billy Ray Cyrus was plagued with technical issues during his Liberty Ball performance
- Biden snickered as Trump vowed to restore "common sense"
- Jeff Bezos' fiancee was blasted for her outfit choice
- The lunch menu has a subtle nod to Kamala Harris
- Trump's grandkids stole the show at the morning's church service
Most read in The US Sun
The SpaceX boss sparked confusion by pounding his chest with his right arm before raising it stiffly to the sky.
While speaking about his excitement at the prospect of America landing a man on Mars, he then turned his back to the audience and repeated the gesture as he faced an American flag hanging behind him.
"It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured," he told the gathered supporters.
The apparent gesture sparked immediate backlash and confusion among critics.
Melania dancing to ymca and Trump dancing with a sword
"You saw him come out with that odd-looking salute," CNN anchor Erin Burnett said.
The Anti-Defamation League, an international non-governmental organization that fights antisemitism, bigotry, and discrimination, gave a cautious response to the gesture.
"This is a delicate moment," it wrote on X. "It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety.
"It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.
"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."
Musk responded to the ADL's statement, writing simply "Thanks guys," alongside a laughing-crying emoji.
Things you need to know about Elon Musk
ELON MUSK is the CEO of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, founder of The Boring Company, and co-founder of Neuralink and open AI
Fun Facts
- Elon Musk's net worth is $185 billion
- Elon Musk has a total of seven children
- Elon Musk has been married three times
- He founded SpaceX in 2002.
- He bought Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion.
- The tech billionaire has a total of eight children.
SpaceX
SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
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DARK ORIGINS
The Nazi salute, also known as the Hitler or Sieg Heil salute, was used as a common greeting in Germany under the Third Reich.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It was originally based on the so-called Roman salute and was adopted by the Italian Fascist Party, whose leadership under Benito Mussolini was a major inspiration to Adolf Hitler.
Its use is illegal in several countries today, including Germany, Austria, and Slovakia.
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