As soon as once more, a presidential management headed via Donald Trump is within the highlight over allegations of hidden fascist sympathies. This time, it’s induced via what one observer referred to as a “stiff-armed salute” that presidential supporter and adviser Elon Musk did two times throughout inauguration festivities.
Critics have stated this can be a transparent Nazi salute, whilst others have claimed it used to be simply a clumsy movement. In all probability it used to be simply the arena’s worst dab.
Musk became the debate over his gesture into one thing like a funny story about Nazis. On X, he posted, “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations!” and “Bet you did nazi that coming.”
This isn’t the primary time that Trump or anyone with regards to him has been accused of sending fascist messages, even though they denied doing so. Nor even is it the primary time a well known determine endorsing Donald Trump has been accused of giving a Nazi salute.
As a student of far-right extremism, I ceaselessly evaluation cases of coded fascist symbols and different right-wing messages being despatched via public figures and their supporters, some extra glaring than others.
In undeniable sight
Like Musk, TV commentator Laura Ingraham ended a fiery speech endorsing then-candidate Trump in 2016 with a rigidly outstretched arm together with her palm down – within the actual means German Nazis within the Thirties and Forties and rank-and-file fashionable neo-Nazis carry out the “Sieg Heil,” or Nazi salute. Ingraham disregarded the grievance and in 2025 defended Musk’s motion.
Laura Ingraham speaks and gestures at a Trump rally in 2016.
In 2021, the Conservative Political Motion Convention arrange its middle level within the form of an odal rune. This is an historical pagan image coopted via Germany’s Nazi regime and worn prominently throughout International Struggle II at the uniforms of the brutal Waffen SS devices. Social media erupted in outrage over the likeness, and columnists spilled a lot ink. Match organizers rejected the grievance, calling it “outrageous and slanderous.”
Trump himself has been reluctant to criticize white supremacists. In August 2017, he replied to a reporter’s remark that neo-Nazis had “started” the violence throughout and after a rally they held in Charlottesville, Virginia, via pronouncing “(t)hey didn’t put themselves down as neo-Nazis. And you had some very bad people in that group. But you also had people that were very fine people on both sides.”
Throughout the September 2020 presidential debate, Trump replied to a request from moderator Chris Wallace to sentence right-wing paramilitary teams via as an alternative referencing one among them, pronouncing, “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.”
Only some months later, a number of Proud Boys contributors would lend a hand spearhead the violent riot towards the non violent switch of energy on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. A few of them have been convicted of federal crimes for his or her efforts, regardless that upon retaking workplace in 2025, Trump pardoned them or commuted their sentences.
Extra brazenly, in November 2022 Trump invited Kanye West to dinner at Mar-a-Lago, in spite of West’s having posted antisemitic remarks lately on social media. Additionally on the dinner used to be well known antisemite and white supremacist Nick Fuentes, whom Trump denied figuring out anything else about forward of time, pronouncing he arrived “unexpectedly” with West.
The evening sooner than the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Va., in August 2017, other people sporting torches and chanting fascist slogans marched throughout the College of Virginia campus.
Coded messages
In different extra summary and lesser-known incidents, Trump might make his sympathies recognized with out making direct statements himself. And I’ve individually noticed white supremacists observation upon – and take encouragement from – those implied messages on Telegram channels devoted to antisemitism and hate.
In February 2018, throughout Trump’s first time period as president, the Division of Place of origin Safety issued a 14-word press unlock titled “We Must Secure The Border And Build The Wall To Make America Safe Again.” I and different investigators of far-right extremism attributed this word’s use to a transparent canine whistle of the typical white supremacist pronouncing referred to as “the 14 words” – “we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.”
In June 2020, Fb got rid of Trump marketing campaign advertisements for iconography invoking Nazi focus camp symbols that “violat(ed) our policy against organized hate.” A marketing campaign reputable disputed the affiliation, pronouncing different teams, together with Fb and anti-fascist teams, used the similar image.
In September 2024, pro-Trump CEO Mike Lindell’s corporate MyPillow ran a sale discounting a pillow from $49.98 to $14.88. Critics briefly identified that this aligned with the 14-word white supremacist slogan and the numerical reference “88” that white supremacists use to imply “Heil Hitler,” as a result of H is the 8th letter of the alphabet. Lindell denied any connection between the cost and right-wing messaging.
An inventory of the 14 other people whose Jan. 6-related sentences President Donald Trump commuted.
Screenshot of WhiteHouse.gov
And at the very day he used to be inaugurated for his 2nd time period, Trump pardoned greater than 1,500 other people, together with no less than two alleged contributors of the Proud Boys, for his or her movements on Jan. 6, 2021. And he commuted the sentences of 14 other people, together with 4 contributors of the Proud Boys.
This atypical transfer used to be applauded via Proud Boys chief Enrique Tarrio, who used to be amongst the ones pardoned. Others who won presidential clemency stated they have been thankful to Trump and inspired via his motion.
Signaling fascism
Sending those types of fascist and white supremacist messages permit Trump and his supporters to court docket right-wing extremist supporters whilst claiming innocence within the face of public outrage.
In the event that they deny the allegations of veiled fascism or white supremacy, Trump and his backers can declare their fighters are infected towards them and engaging in ideological witch hunts.
Members of the family and buddies of other people imprisoned for his or her movements on Jan. 6, 2021, wait outdoor the Washington, D.C., prison for his or her unlock on Jan. 22, 2025.
Celal Gunes/Anadolu by means of Getty Pictures
However failure to at once deny allegations of fascism is a not unusual technique utilized by far-right and radical conservative actions in search of to difficult to understand deeper hyperlinks to extremist teams to keep away from public backlash.
The loss of particular admission can finally end up leaving those movements and logos open to interpretation. Trump’s MAGA motion contributors, led via his interior circle of advisers and lieutenants, have constantly sought to make use of outrage and anger to generate further momentum and a spotlight for his or her time table.
However because the outdated pronouncing is going, “where there’s smoke there’s fire” – and on this case the smoke is almost definitely nearer to a book-burning bonfire in Berlin than a tiki torch carried in Charlottesville.
