Elon Musk reacts to outrage over gesture at Trump rally

Elon Musk has sparked widespread outrage after making a controversial one-armed gesture during a speech at an event celebrating Donald Trump's inauguration.

Musk thanked the crowd for "making it happen", before placing his right hand over his heart and then thrusting the same arm out into air straight ahead of him. He then turned and repeated the action for those sitting behind him, News.Az reports, citing BBC.

Many on X, the social medial platform he owns, have likened the gesture to a Nazi salute.

In response, Musk posted on X: "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."

Musk, the world's richest man and a close ally of President Trump, was speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC when he made the gesture.

"My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilisation is assured," the 53-year-old said, after giving the second one-armed salute.

There was immediate backlash on social media.

Musk has become one of Trump's closet allies and has been tapped to co-lead what the president has termed the Department of Government Efficiency.

News.Az