Elon Musk made a speech celebrating his good buddy Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on Monday. As our new Administrator Of The Department Of Government Efficiency wrapped up his words, the billionaire Tesla CEO put his hand on his chest, thanking Trump and his supporters, before extending his right arm straight out with his fingers together and his palm facing downwards. Then he turned around and did it again.
Actual Nazis are fawning over Musk pulling that gesture. And yet somehow, even the Anti-Defamation League won't call it a Nazi salute; they referred to it as an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm" on X, the website Musk owns. Musk is an awkward and enthusiastic person, but so am I sometimes, and I've never thrown a Sieg heil in front of a group of people with a bunch of cameras on me. Loads of people are rightfully furious and terrified, including fans of his ex Grimes.
Grimes and Musk have been separated since before the latter became an outspoken Trump supporter, and over the past couple of years, they've had their fair share of custody troubles regarding their three children. I guess they've unblocked each other on X, though. Grimes also recently defended Musk during a videogame-world scandal in which he falsely presented himself as an elite gamer, which ended with Musk admitting to cheating at the games on Monday. Following the inauguration, Grimes responded to a Grimes fan account on X who expressed concern over the singer's apparent silence on the salute.
To be fair, Grimes shouldn't necessarily have to answer to something shitty her ex did. But she didn't explicitly condemn Musk's salute, either. She also mentioned wanting to protect the children she and Musk have, but one of them, X Æ A-12, appeared onstage with Musk at the inauguration. Here's Grimes' response:
While I deeply respect your concern- it is unhealthy that people are this upset when I have not even been online yet today and am only just learning about this controversy now.I don't know what happened and I will not make a rash statement - I am not a citizen of this country.
I need to go to bed now, I will research the state of affairs tomorrow but until I do I'm not going to say something that will create an international scandal.
It's absurd that someone can be this cancelled for something their ex did before they even heard it happened.
I am not him.I will not make a statement every time he does something.I can only send love back into a world that is hurting.
I know your concern comes from a good place.I respect you.I do not ask for sympathy.In a world over stimulated by scandal, I feel a moral imperative to only add to the mess when something positive can be done.Otherwise I'm just adding to the desensitization.
To be clear i could go talk shit and be on a bunch of magazine covers and be a feminist hero and get clout - but it would serve no purpose.I choose my children's wellbeing.I promise you it doesn't feel good to be hated all the time for things I don't even know about, cannot predict and cannot control.But I also chose this path, I accept it.I make the best of it, and I simply wish happiness and health to all.
Godspeed
While I deeply respect your concern- it is unhealthy that people are this upset when I have not even been online yet today and am only just learning about this controversy now. I don't know what happened and I will not make a rash statement - I am not a citizen of this country.…
—(@Grimezsz) January 21, 2025
