Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States was marked by sweeping executive actions and a controversial appearance by billionaire Elon Musk, whose gestures at the event have sparked widespread backlash.
A Contentious Start to Trump’s Presidency
Hours after being sworn in, President Trump announced a raft of executive orders aimed at undoing key policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Addressing supporters at an indoor parade event in Washington, D.C., Trump promised to reverse “80 destructive and radical executive actions” from the previous administration.
Among his first actions, Trump issued pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. This included shortening sentences for 14 members of far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some of whom had been convicted of seditious conspiracy. Trump also declared illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency, reinstated policies barring citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, and designated drug cartels as terrorist organisations.
On the international front, Trump announced the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, citing concerns about the nation’s energy independence. He further ordered the repeal of a Biden-era memo barring oil drilling in the Arctic and began the process of withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation, criticising the agency’s financial demands on the US compared to China.
Elon Musk’s Controversial Salutes
The inauguration also drew headlines due to the actions of Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X. Musk, a prominent Trump supporter and donor, appeared onstage before Trump’s address and delivered remarks praising the audience for their contributions to the administration’s victory.
During his speech, Musk made a gesture that has been widely criticised. He placed his right hand over his chest before extending it outward in a motion many likened to a Nazi salute. “My heart goes out to you,” Musk told the crowd. “It is thanks to you that the future of civilisation is assured.” He repeated the gesture moments later, prompting a storm of reactions on social media.
Historians and advocacy groups were quick to condemn Musk’s actions. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of fascism, described the motion as a “Nazi salute” and “a very belligerent one too.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a statement calling the gesture “awkward” and advising restraint, though critics, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accused the organisation of minimising the incident.
Musk responded on X, dismissing the controversy. “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he posted, adding a yawning emoji. He also reposted memes mocking the backlash, further fuelling the debate.
A Polarised Reaction
Supporters of Musk and Trump dismissed the outrage as overblown. “Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing?” one user wrote on X. Far-right groups, however, appeared to embrace Musk’s actions. Neo-Nazi leader Christopher Pohlhaus celebrated the gestures, stating, “I don’t care if this was a mistake. I’m going to enjoy the tears over it.”
Musk’s appearance added to the already divisive atmosphere surrounding Trump’s return to power. For many, it symbolised a normalisation of far-right rhetoric at the highest levels of influence, while others viewed it as a distraction from Trump’s ambitious policy agenda.
Trump’s inauguration has set the stage for a presidency marked by aggressive policy reversals and deeply polarising optics. Musk’s controversial gestures underscore the fraught political landscape, where symbolism and ideology often overshadow substantive debate. As the administration moves forward, the tension between unity and division will remain a central theme in American politics.
