In a thought-provoking episode of The Breakfast Club on March 12, 2025, stand-up comedian and podcaster Bill Burr addressed the controversy surrounding an alleged Nazi hand gesture made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Burr expressed his condemnation, noting that despite reportedly performing the gesture publicly by “Sieg Heiling twice,”Musk continues to maintain his position in the business world.
This commentary follows a widely discussed incident two months prior, where Musk appeared to make a gesture resembling a Nazi salute during President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
Burr’s criticism of Musk stemmed from a place of historical reverence, emphasizing the tragic sacrifices made by armed service veterans in the fight against Hitler:
“What I don’t get is the amount of veterans, people in the armed services, that died trying to stop Hitler, and then this guy comes in, you know, and does that — while being an immigrant, too…”
He further elaborated that his stance on Musk’s salute is disconnected from politics, adding:
“The whole thing, none of it tracks, how you can be, ‘Support the troops,’ ‘America, love it or leave it,’ and then this guy comes in and gives a shoutout to Hitler?”
The Historical Context of the Nazi Salute
The Nazi salute, also known as the Hitler salute or Sieg Heil salute, originated in Nazi Germany as a way to express allegiance to Adolf Hitler. The gesture involved raising the right arm from the shoulder with the palm facing outward at a 45-degree angle, typically accompanied by chants like “Heil Hitler”or “Sieg Heil.”
The salute gained notoriety during the 1930s, being an integral part of the Nazi regime’s propaganda. According to a report by The New York Times on January 25, the salute has evolved into a prominent symbol among white nationalists globally, frequently employed by neo-Nazis and other hate groups since the conclusion of World War II.
The timing of Burr’s comments coincided with a renewed focus on the salute due to Musk’s actions and his subsequent appearances promoting his upcoming comedy special on Hulu. Burr took the opportunity to criticize the lack of sustained outrage following Musk’s gesture. He remarked:
“I’m not trashing Republicans. All Republicans did not Sieg Heil… I was just amazed that all liberals had was one day of outrage. Then they’re like, ‘Oh, I guess that didn’t work.’ And I guess we just kind of move on.”
This isn’t the first time Burr has scrutinized Musk’s purported salute. On March 10, during an interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, he referred to Musk as an “idiot,”suggesting there was nothing accidental about the gesture made at a presidential inauguration:
“I just refuse to believe it was an accidental two-time Sieg Heil. And he does it at a presidential inauguration!”
The controversy surrounding the salute has sparked significant debate. The implications are not just limited to Musk; figures like Pastor Calvin Robinson faced backlash as well. Robinson was stripped of his church license in January 2025 after allegedly mimicking Musk’s gesture during a pro-life convention.
Furthermore, in a related controversy, Musk also recently ignited discussions with a now-deleted social media post suggesting that public servants, rather than dictators, were responsible for atrocities under leaders like Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. This statement again raises questions about accountability and the significance of historical gestures.