A gesture made by tech billionaire Elon Musk at a rally celebrating Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday has ignited a heated debate, with some interpreting it as a Nazi salute and others dismissing the criticism as unfounded.

The SpaceX and Tesla CEO took the stage at the Capital One Arena, where Trump supporters gathered to celebrate the 78-year-old Republican’s inauguration. Musk addressed the crowd, tapping his chest with his right hand before extending his arm with an open palm, a motion he repeated for the audience behind him.

The gesture was met with immediate backlash from critics. Historians Claire Aubin and Ruth Ben-Ghiat identified the motion as a “sieg heil” or Nazi salute, describing it as overtly fascist. Democratic Congressman Jimmy Gomez also expressed concern, writing on Musk’s platform X, “Well, that didn’t take long.”

Musk dismissed the allegations, responding on X, “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”

Opinions remained divided. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), despite its prior criticism of Musk, defended the gesture as an “awkward moment of enthusiasm” rather than a Nazi salute. However, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the ADL’s stance, accusing the organization of excusing a clearly offensive gesture.

Musk’s supporters also weighed in. Brandon Galambos, a pastor and tech worker present at the rally, suggested Musk’s gesture was likely sarcastic. Historian Aaron Astor dismissed the allegations, characterizing it as “a socially awkward autistic man’s wave.” Musk has previously disclosed his Asperger’s diagnosis, a form of autism.

While some far-right figures in the U.S. celebrated the gesture, others cautioned against overinterpretation. The controversy highlights Musk’s growing political influence, especially given his recent comments in support of Germany’s far-right AfD party and Britain’s Reform UK party.