'One big psy op': Musk rips liberal media for hypocrisy over Cory Booker's 'Nazi salute'

Democratic Senator Cory Booker (N.J.) gave a fiery speech on Saturday at the California Democratic Party's 2025 state convention in Anaheim. Following his remarks, the senator pressed his hand to his heart, then extended it in a salute to the crowd.

Whereas Democrats and elements of the liberal media previously expressed horror at the sight of Elon Musk making the exact same gesture during a speech in January — some characterizing it as a Nazi salute — they did not appear similarly troubled when Booker did the same thing.

Musk joined Republicans and other critics in highlighting the selective outrage over the weekend, noting, "Fate loves irony, but hates hypocrisy."

A tale of two salutes

Musk gave an excited speech in January at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., following President Donald Trump's second inauguration.

"This was no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization," said Musk, who previously admitted to having Asperger's, a syndrome on the autism spectrum. "This one really mattered. Thank you for making it happen!"

The billionaire then slammed his chest, then saluted both the crowd and the American flag, adding, "My heart goes out to you."

Some of the media outfits and Democrats who previously painted Trump and his allies as fascists in the lead-up to the election seized on the gesture as confirmation of their fears.

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) stated that "regardless of any justification, his salute last night at Donald Trump's inauguration rally can only be interpreted as a Seig [sic] Heil salute that is synonymous with Nazi support for Hitler."

"Jews around the world are scared because of the contemptible rise in antisemitism, and Musk's conduct only increases the problem," continued Goldman. "Musk must issue an immediate apology, and President Trump must disavow and denounce his actions."

'All sides should give one another a bit of grace.'

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.) claimed on MSNBC, "Elon Musk did [the] heil Hitler salute. He did. And of course he did."

Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York claimed that it was a "Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity."

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Photo (left): DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images; Photo (right): ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

The media similarly feigned horror and characterized the gesture as a Nazi salute. For instance:

• PBS News captioned the footage on YouTube, "Elon Musk appears to give fascist salute during Trump inauguration celebration."
• Politico Europe ran an article with the headline "Elon Musk's 'Nazi' salute sparks fury from Europe's left wing."
• Deadline claimed that Musk "offered Donald Trump supporters what looked a lot like a Nazi salute."
• Then-CNN host Jim Acosta said on air that Musk "used a hand gesture that looked like a Nazi salute."
• MSNBC's Rachel Maddow seized upon the gesture as further evidence for the Nazi smear that her network and Democrats pushed in the lead-up to the election.

Musk noted at the time, "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."

Despite the apparent eagerness on the left to frame Musk as a Nazi, some proved willing to admit that the narrative was bogus.

The Anti-Defamation League, for instance, stated that Musk "made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute."

"In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath," added the ADL.

Hypocrisy

Booker spoke Saturday at a convention attended by California Democrats including Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Robert Garcia. Garcia was among those who condemned Musk for his gesture earlier this year.

"Real change does not come from Washington. It comes from communities. It comes from the streets," said Booker. "It comes from the people who's standing up and have shown over and over again — against the powerful, against the elected, against the rich — that the power of the people is greater than the people in power."

Booker made the Musk-styled heartfelt gesture after whipping up the crowd, then walked off stage.

Footage of Booker's gesture made the rounds online, prompting comparisons between his gesture and the one previously made by Musk. Critics, observing that the gesticulations were virtually identical, suggested that the absence of pearl-clutching and condemnations from the media or Democrats this time around was further evidence of their hypocrisy and double standards.

Libs of TikTok, for instance, noted that when Musk made the gesture, Newsweek ran an article titled "80 Years After Auschwitz, Elon Musk Keeps the Fascist Salute Alive," but painted Booker as a man wrongfully accused in an article titled "MAGA Accuses Democratic Senator Cory Booker of Doing 'Nazi Salute.'"

'The mainstream media is totally corrupt.'

Newsweek performed some mental gymnastics in its coverage of the reaction to Booker's gesture, writing that "the gesture is similar to the ones made by Musk and Bannon but not made as forcefully, the video shows."

"Pure trash propaganda," wrote Libs of TikTok.

Musk responded, "Legacy media like Newsweek lie relentlessly."

"Here's a list of all the news networks who have not covered Cory Booker's salute: - NYTimes - CNN - Washington Post - MSNBC - NPR - USA Today - Reuters - Axios - ABC News," wrote former nuclear scientist for the Department of Energy Matt Van Swol. "Every single one of them wrote stories on Elon Musk's 'salute' … … do you get it yet?"

"Legacy media is one big psy op," responded Musk.

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Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) tweeted, "The mainstream media is totally corrupt."

"In January, Democrats and the Left were hyperventilating about this false smear of Elon and the stenographers in the media went to work," wrote Stefanik.

"Neither Elon Musk or @CoryBooker are giving the Nazi salute. Americans see thru this obvious and destructive double standard by the totally broken media and Democrat Party."

"If Elon Musk is a Nazi for doing this gesture ... Cory Booker is one too," wrote Angela Belcamino, host of "Last Week on X." "Sorry, I don't make the rules."

A spokeswoman for Booker suggested in a statement to Forbes that Booker's gesture was somehow different from Musk's, writing, "Cory Booker was obviously just waving to the crowd. Anyone who claims his wave is the same as Elon Musk’s gesture is operating in bad faith. The differences between the two are obvious to anyone without an agenda."

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