Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come to Elon Musk's defense following accusations by several media outlets that the Tesla and X CEO performed a Nazi salute during a rally for former President Donald Trump's inauguration. Netanyahu, via a post on X, stated that Musk was "being falsely smeared" and emphasized Musk's friendship with Israel, highlighting his visit following the October 7th attacks and his vocal support for Israel's right to self-defense.

The incident in question occurred at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., where Musk addressed a crowd of Trump supporters. During his enthusiastic speech, Musk placed his hand over his heart while extending his other hand towards the audience, a gesture some media outlets, including PBS News Hour and the Jerusalem Post, interpreted as a fascist salute. CNN also covered the event, with host Erin Burnett describing the gesture as an "odd salute."

Musk responded to the allegations on X, attributing them to "radical leftists." He later followed up with a humorous post making light of the situation. The Anti-Defamation League also supported Musk, stating that the gesture was likely an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm" rather than a deliberate Nazi salute, and encouraged all parties to exercise understanding.