Elon Musk has defended making an ‘awkward hand gesture’ at Trump’s inauguration that some have likened to a Nazi salute.

James O’Brien and his listeners are broadly unconvinced.

While addressing a crowd of MAGA supporters during a celebration of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the influential billionaire made a gesture putting his right hand on his chest before raising it it in the air (01:22). Then he turned and made the same hand gesture to the crowd behind him.

He drew intense criticism and the gesture was branded a ‘Nazi salute’ by some viewers.

But he defended himself today, stating that his opponents need ‘better dirty tricks’ and that the ‘everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired’. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organisation founded to combat anti-Semitism said the gesture was “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute”.

Musk’s gesture was aimed at a crowd of Trump supporters at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. as part of celebrations following Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States earlier today.