Grimes says she’s “happy to denounce Nazi-ism” following ex-partner Elon Musk’s controversial salute: “I am not him”

Grimes has clarified her stance on Elon Musk‘s controversial Nazi-like gestures at Donald Trump‘s Presidential inauguration – find out more below.

Donald Trump was sworn into the White House for the second time on Monday (January 20). During the inauguration, tech billionaire and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk – who has been an integral part of Trump’s election win, and was appointed by the new POTUS to lead his new Department Of Government Efficiency – expressed his happiness over Trump re-entering the White House. “I just want to say thank you for making it happen,” he said.

The X/Twitter owner then slapped his chest with his right hand, and flung his arm up diagonally upwards. Musk turned around to crowd members behind the podium before repeating the gesture.

Many have compared since the gesture to a Nazi salute signalling obedience to Adolf Hitler. Now, Musk’s former partner Grimes – with whom he shares three children – has responded to the controversy on social media.

Responding to a fan on X who was seeking clarity, Grimes – who is Canadian – shared that she had not learned about Elon’s gesture as she wasn’t online and didn’t watch the inauguration: “While I deeply respect your concern- it is unhealthy that people are this upset when I have not even been online yet today and am only just learning about this controversy now. I don’t know what happened and I will not make a rash statement – I am not a citizen of this country.”

She then said that she wouldn’t respond immediately as she needed time to “research the state of affairs” and did not want to “say something that will create an international scandal”. However, she did clarify that she should not have to be held accountable for his actions: “I am not him. I will not make a statement every time he does something. I can only send love back into a world that is hurting.”

While I deeply respect your concern- it is unhealthy that people are this upset when I have not even been online yet today and am only just learning about this controversy now. I don’t know what happened and I will not make a rash statement – I am not a citizen of this country.…

— 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 (@Grimezsz) January 21, 2025

Hours later, Grimes replied another fan and clarified her stance on the matter: “I’m happy to denounce Nazi-ism – and the far alt right. Would that help clear things up? I’ve just gotten out of breakfast and have to catch a flight, and am still debating how to approach things diplomatically because I feel in over my head. But if there’s concern about that, I am happy to set the record [straight] in a meaningful way.”

I’m happy to denounce Nazi-ism – and the far alt right. Would that help clear things up? I’ve just gotten out of breakfast and have to catch a flight, and am still debating how to approach things diplomatically because I feel in over my head. But if there’s concern about that,…

— 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 (@Grimezsz) January 21, 2025

Elon Musk has yet to formally denounce Nazism, and on X has agreed with a tweet that read: “Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing? It didn’t work during the election, it’s not working now, it’s tired, boring, and old material, you’ve burned out its effect, people don’t feel shocked by it anymore, the wolf has been cried too many times.” He responded: “Yeah exactly .”

In a separate on X, he said of the criticism: “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The “everyone is Hitler” attack is sooo tired”.

Frankly, they need better dirty tricks.

The “everyone is Hitler” attack is sooo tired https://t.co/9fIqS5mWA0

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2025

Musk has been criticised in the past for letting pro-Nazi profiles thrive on X/Twitter, sharing right-wing memes and seemingly supporting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. As Time reports, the latter resulted in an exodus of advertisers from the platform in 2023.

More recently, Musk endorsed Germany’s far-right populist AfD party. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” he wrote last month. But the party has denied associations with Hitler, and Musk has urged people not to compare the AfD’s leader to the dictator.

Trump has been compared to Hitler on numerous occasions, including by the likes of Green Day, John Cleese and Stranger Things star Matthew Modine.

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