Elon Musk is constantly in the spotlight these days, whether it’s due to his actions with DOGE, his speeches, attempts to acquire major companies, or his association with President Donald Trump. As the richest man in the world, he seemingly has the ear of the most powerful man, and in an unprecedented move, Trump has not only allowed Musk to form DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) but also granted it more power recently. This decision has left many, including myself, feeling rather disgruntled.
Musk has long been mired in controversy. At an event celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony, he gave a speech that made global headlines. However, it was a gesture he made that truly caught everyone’s attention. He placed his right hand over his heart and then raised the same arm in the air, which resembled a Nazi salute. Musk has firmly claimed that this wasn’t his intention, posting on his platform, X, that the “‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.” But not everyone bought his explanation. Given his significant power and influence in the world, it’s astonishing that he could brush off such an incident and try to shift the blame onto those who were concerned. A person of his stature should not take such a cavalier attitude when his actions are likened to those of a Nazi.
Moreover, this isn’t the first time Musk has been embroiled in controversy. Before his life became so politically charged, his personal life often made headlines. His trans daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, went on record last year to accuse him of being an absentee father who was cruel to her for being queer and feminine during her childhood. Musk claimed he was tricked into authorizing gender-affirming care for her when she was 16, even going so far as to say she was figuratively “dead” to him, which is a truly hurtful thing to say about one’s child in public. Now 21 years old, Vivian isn’t backing down, stating in an interview that Musk was lying as he clearly understood the trans-related medical procedures he was signing off on as her parent.