After holding fire, major Jewish groups condemn Musk’s latest Nazi commentary
‘The Holocaust is not a joke,’ ADL’s Greenblatt tells Musk, days after defense
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk arrives to speak during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
After initially declining to criticize billionaire White House advisor Elon Musk for a gesture that some argued was a Nazi salute, two major U.S. Jewish groups are now condemning him for a series of Nazi jokes he made on social media.
Musk came under fire on Monday after he repeatedly performed a gesture resembling a Nazi salute at a Monday rally for the presidential inauguration. The Anti-Defamation League defended Musk, arguing that the gestures were not intentional and suggested he made an “awkward gesture.” The ADL faced criticism, predominantly from liberals,for defending Musk. The American Jewish Committee did not weigh in at all.
But on Thursday, as he continued to make light of the Monday incident and the criticism he received for it, Musk posted a string of puns related to the Nazi regime on X, writing “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming,” capped off with a laughing emoji.
“We’ve said it hundreds of times before and we will say it again: the Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of it,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt responded. “@elonmusk, the Holocaust is not a joke.”
The ADL added in a separate statement, “Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust only serve to minimize the evil and inhumanity of Nazi crimes, denigrate the suffering of both victims and survivors and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Shoah.”
Ted Deutch, the CEO of the American Jewish Committee, wrote on X, “Wordplay about Nazis isn’t funny. It isn’t clever. And it’s dangerous.”
“@ElonMusk, however you feel about the accusations being made against you, this is absolutely the wrong response,” Deutch continued. “Nazi-themed ‘jokes’ are offensive and harmful. Don’t belittle the seriousness of the Holocaust; you give cover to those who seek to do the same.”
Both groups also, earlier this week, criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to grant amnesty to everyone charged or convicted for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, including antisemitic extremists.