Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) slammed the Anti-Defamation League on Monday for issuing a defense of Elon Musk, the billionaire advisor to President Donald Trump, after Musk delivered a hand gesture at Trump’s inauguration rally that some saw as a Nazi salute.

The ADL, running counter to the quick condemnation of Musk from liberal Jewish circles, urged restraint, saying that Musk appeared to have made the gesture unintentionally.

“This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety,” the ADL said in a statement. “It seems that [Musk] made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who has faced condemnation from the ADL and others in the Jewish community for perceived antisemitic comments, declared that the ADL’s statement was disqualifying.

“Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity,” Ocasio-Cortez said on X. “People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all.”

Democratic Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch blasted Ocasio-Cortez, saying, “Perhaps sit this one out when you can’t seem to identify antisemitism from your fellow Squad members.”

Panitch also shared a post responding to Ocasio-Cortez showing anti-Israel demonstrators making Nazi salutes.

Progressive activist Brianna Wu condemned Ocasio-Cortez, saying, “Please spare us the faux outrage when you’ve said Jack s**t about Rashida Tlaib since October 7th or about progressivism, which has become the vehicle for antisemitism.”

Musk responded to the ADL, “Thanks guys,” with a laughing emoji.

Musk’s gesture elicited condemnation from some in the Jewish community.

“I never imagined we would see the day when what appears to be a Heil Hitler salute would be made behind the Presidential seal,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the longest-serving Jewish member of the House, said on X. “This abhorrent gesture has no place in our society and belongs in the darkest chapters of human history. I urge all of my colleagues to unite in condemning this hateful gesture for what it is: antisemitism.”

Others also said they viewed the gesture as deliberate.

“Elon Musk knows precisely what he was doing with his fascist Roman salute at today’s Trump rally — which follows his explicit embrace of far-right parties and policies. If you’re surprised, you haven’t been paying attention,” Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO Amy Spitalnick said in a statement. “We know precisely where this extremist behavior leads, normalizing and emboldening avowed neo-Nazis and white supremacists who take this as a stamp of approval for their targeting of Jews, immigrants, people of color, and so many others.”

Abe Foxman, the ADL’s former national director, also said he thought Musk had performed a “Heil Hitler Nazi salute,” and noted the X owner supports “German’s neo-Nazi party.”

Democratic Majority for Israel, while not specifically calling the gesture a Nazi salute, said it was “irresponsible, offensive and unacceptable,” and said Musk should “immediately apologize” and the Trump administration “should denounce it.”

Other than the ADL, major nonpartisan Jewish groups haven’t weighed in on the incident.

Musk’s gesture excited members of the far right, who celebrated it in online comments.

“Incredible things are happening already,” said Andrew Torba, the founder of Gab, a social media platform popular with antisemitic and white supremacist extremists.

The ADL had a difficult relationship with Trump during his first presidential term, but appears to be trying to start off his new term on a different footing, though the organization did condemn Trump’s comments on the campaign trail about Jewish voters.

Musk has also had a rocky relationship with the ADL. Musk said in 2023 on X that it was “the actual truth” that Jewish communities have been advocating for hate against white people, and accused the ADL of pushing anti-white racism. He also threatened to sue the group over its work to counter hate speech on X.

The ADL later praised Musk for a plan to restrict certain anti-Israel and antisemitic slogans and rhetoric on X. 

After his controversial tweets in 2023, Musk visited the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and said he was “naive” about antisemitism. Musk also visited Israel in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack.

More recently, Musk has attracted condemnation for his online praise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD)  — referenced by Spitalnick and Foxman — a far-right party in Germany that the ADL has described as “extremist;” the ADL has also said AfD leaders have made antisemitic statements.

Musk, who Trump named as the leader of a new advisory group known as the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, was reportedly already provided with a White House email address and is expected to have an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the prestigious presidential office building next door to the West Wing.