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Tech billionaire Elon Musk has sparked global controversy after making a gesture during an event celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president on January 20, 2025. The gesture, which involved Musk placing his hand over his heart before extending it forward with his palm down, has drawn comparisons to the Nazi salute used in Germany during Adolf Hitler’s regime.

Joe Rogan and Elon Musk’s Salute

Critics and historians have labeled the act troubling, while Elon Musk and some of his defenders have dismissed the backlash as overblown or politically motivated. Podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan, a longtime friend of Musk and Trump, addressed the controversy on his show, attempting to provide context for what he called a “gaffe.”

“We were talking about the Elon gaffe, where he’s like,” Rogan explained, “‘My heart goes out to you.’ Like, hey, don’t do that, though. That’s a perfect example. If you believe he’s a Nazi, you’re gonna see him do a silly hand gesture and see that as that.” Rogan went on to argue that the gesture may have been misunderstood due to its historical associations.

“This is what I found out last night,” he said. “That’s also how they used to do the Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge of Allegiance used to be done like this until the Nazis came along. And then we switched it to this, your hand over your heart. So we cut out that part.”

Elon Musk himself has denied any malicious intent behind the gesture and dismissed accusations as politically motivated attacks. On X (formerly Twitter), he referred to the criticism as “tired political nonsense” and even joked about Nazi-related themes in subsequent posts, further fueling outrage among critics.

The Debate Over Intentions vs. Actions

The controversy surrounding Musk’s gesture highlights an ongoing debate about how actions are interpreted versus the intent behind them. Joe Rogan relies heavily on the idea that Elon Musk’s intentions were benign and that the gesture was either accidental or misinterpreted due to its historical context. However, critics argue that focusing solely on intent ignores the broader implications of actions in public settings.

This line of reasoning raises questions about fallacies often invoked in such debates. Rogan’s argument leans on the intentional fallacy, which assumes that understanding someone’s intent absolves them of responsibility for how their actions are perceived or received. While it may be true that Musk did not intend to mimic a Nazi salute, his actions still carried significant symbolic weight.

Additionally, Rogan’s talk of historical context introduces another fallacy: appeal to tradition. By pointing out that similar gestures were once part of the Pledge of Allegiance in the USA before being abandoned during World War II, he implies that this historical precedent mitigates any harm caused by Musk’s action today.

Elon Musk’s gesture comes amid growing concerns about his alignment with far-right ideologies. In recent months, he has publicly supported Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and made comments suggesting Germans should move beyond guilt over their Nazi past. These statements have amplified criticism of his actions and raised questions about his political leanings or are missteps. Public figures like Musk wield significant influence over cultural and political discourse. While defenders like Joe Rogan emphasize Elon Musk’s intentions as harmless, critics argue that public figures must be mindful of how their actions resonate.