Blimey. Elon Musk hardly eased into his new job quietly. On day one of his tenure in Donald Trump’s fresh administration, the world’s richest man decided to thank a crowd in a rather bizarre way—by delivering what many on social media are labelling a “Roman salute.”
The Dubious Salute
While expressing gratitude to the American electorate for “saving civilisation,” Musk first placed his hand on his chest, then extended his arm. He repeated the gesture with an open palm, prompting a flurry of comments comparing it to the infamous Nazi salute. Needless to say, that’s not the sort of optics you want on your first day in office.
Trump’s Golden Age Marred by Controversy
This all happened just hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States—a ceremony overshadowed by Musk’s strange on-stage flourish. Trump wasted no time signing executive orders on immigration and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies, claiming to usher in a new “golden age.”
But the so-called Teflon Don may now have to contend with a headache of his own. While Trump isn’t known for letting controversy bother him, his brand-new Department of Government Efficiency boss just gave him one. Is there a White House HR department for this sort of thing?
The First Felon President
Trump’s return to the Oval Office came only days after being convicted of charges related to hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. Though he avoided jail time, he’s still the first felon to hold the office—and he’s got quite the right-hand man in Musk, it appears. Whether the President finds this “salute” fiasco worth addressing remains to be seen, but it’s certainly not the rosy start they might have hoped for.
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