German chief slams Elon Musk’s ‘Nazi salute’, Tesla CEO’s ‘Oaf Schitz’ response

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz got here down on Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his hand gestures at a Donald Trump celebration occasion that drew comparisons to a Nazi salute. The German chief stated he didn’t settle for freedom of speech if it backs “right-wing positions”.

The tech billionaire, nonetheless, dismissed the criticism as a “drained” and referred to as the German Chancellor “Oaf Schitz”.

When requested about Musk’s alleged hand gesture on the ongoing Davos enterprise summit, Scholz stated on Tuesday, “We now have freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany”. Everybody can say what he desires, even when he’s a billionaire. And what we don’t settle for is that if that is supporting extreme-right positions.”

Whereas addressing Trump supporters in Washington on Monday, the tech billionaire introduced his hand to his chest and prolonged it straight out, twice, earlier than saying: “My coronary heart goes out to you.” The gesture sparked controversy because it drew comparisons to a Nazi salute.

Responding to the German chief’s remarks, Musk retweeted a video of Scholz making the remarks, and captioned it, “Disgrace on Oaf Schitz.”

In one other tweet, he slammed social media customers who criticised his hand gesture and stated, “Frankly, they want higher soiled tips. The ‘everyone seems to be Hitler’ assault is sooo drained.”

Whereas some social media customers lashed out on the Tesla CEO, others additionally defended him, together with the Anti-Defamation League, a New York-based nonprofit, which stated the gesture was “not a Nazi salute”.

“Evidently Elon Musk made an ungainly gesture in a second of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, however once more, we admire that persons are on edge,” the organisation, which defines the Nazi salute as “elevating an outstretched proper arm with the palm down”, tweeted.

Final month, Musk referred to as the Chancellor an “incompetent idiot” and urged him to resign after a lethal assault at a German Christmas market.

The SpaceX CEO waded into extra controversy after he endorsed the Various for Germany (AfD) for the February 23 common elections, calling the far-right anti-immigration, anti-Islamic social gathering Germany’s saviour.

AfD has been labelled right-wing-extremist by German safety providers.