Elon Musk Slams Media Over Zohran Mamdani Nazi Salute Controversy, Alleges Double Standards

Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has once again turned his fire on what he often calls the “legacy media,” accusing major news organisations of selective outrage and ideological bias. His criticism follows a viral comparison between a hand gesture made by him in 2025 and a similar arm movement by Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s newly sworn-in mayor.

Taking to X, Musk argued that traditional media outlets scrutinised and sensationalised his gesture while largely ignoring Mamdani’s, despite online accusations that both resembled a Nazi-style salute. “Because they aren’t actually news organisations, they are legacy media propaganda pushers for the far left,” Musk wrote, amplifying a video montage that juxtaposed the two incidents.

Musk’s post highlighted a clip of Mamdani extending his arm from a podium during his inauguration ceremony, footage that spread rapidly across social media but received limited attention from mainstream news platforms. According to Musk, this silence exposed what he sees as a clear double standard in how political optics are interpreted depending on ideological alignment.

The controversy erupted just as Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as mayor of New York, a ceremony that drew national and international attention. Soon after, Republican commentators and conservative influencers circulated short video clips of Mamdani’s gesture, drawing parallels with the backlash Musk faced a year earlier during an event marking Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.

During that earlier incident, Musk was widely criticised by outlets such as CNN and The New York Times for a motion in which he placed his hand on his chest before extending his arm outward. Several commentators and Democratic figures suggested the gesture echoed fascist or Nazi symbolism, igniting a heated public debate.

It’s almost been 24 hours and not a single Corporate Media outlet has had anything to say about this.

Funny how that works.
pic.twitter.com/yYCaq46ohW

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 2, 2026

Musk has consistently rejected those accusations, describing them as politically motivated smears rather than good-faith analysis. At the time, even the Anti-Defamation League weighed in, stating that the gesture did not appear to be a Nazi salute and was more likely an awkward expression of enthusiasm.

With Mamdani now at the centre of a similar online storm, the resurfacing of Musk’s case has reignited arguments about media ethics, consistency, and context. Supporters of Musk argue that the contrasting coverage proves selective outrage, while critics counter that the gestures differ in intent, setting, and historical sensitivity.

The episode has once again placed the spotlight on how symbolism, perception, and political identity intersect in the digital age, where short clips can overshadow broader context and where media framing plays a decisive role in shaping public opinion.

As debates rage on across social platforms, the Musk–Mamdani comparison underscores a deeper question confronting modern journalism: whether high-profile figures are being judged by consistent standards, or whether ideology increasingly determines the intensity of scrutiny.