--- title: "Elon Musk Seen Acting Strangely Before Nazi Salute" description: "Something seriously bizarre was going on with Elon Musk during Donald Trump's inaugural festivities — and we're not just talking about that seeming Sieg Heil. In videos posted on X-formerly-Twitter and Bluesky, Musk was seen from multiple angles rolling his eyes and neck during Trump's inauguration, which took place blocks away and hours before his now-infamous hand motion. What is happening here...something is off with elon #ElonMusk #Inauguration2025 #InaugurationDay #Elon_Musk #Drugs pic.twitter.com/mFK0gZso1k — Danny-DreamShock (@Dreamshockcom) January 20, 2025 Though the president's supporters were quick to claim the clip had been edited with AI, Futurism found when perusing archival BBC footage of the […]" date: "2025-01-21" modified: "2025-01-21" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-before-inauguration-salute" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "donald trump" - "elon musk" - "ketamine" - "politics" --- # Elon Musk Seen Acting Strangely Before Nazi Salute ![Something bizarre was going on with Elon Musk during Donald Trump's inaugural festivities — and not just the Sieg Heil.]() *\Image: BBC Archive\* Something bizarre was going on with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during Donald Trump's inaugural festivities — and we're not just talking about that [apparent Sieg Heil]() that earned him recriminations from [across the world](). In videos posted on X-formerly-Twitter and Bluesky, [Musk was seen]() from [multiple angles]() rolling his neck hypnotically and twitching his eyes during Trump's swearing-in ceremony, which took place hours before his [now-infamous hand motion]() in the midst of his own speech later in the evening. It's worth a quick watch; something just seems off, especially given Musk's activities later in the evening. https://www.twitter.com/Dreamshockcom/status/1881383073495048599 Though supporters of Musk and Trump were [quick to claim]() the clip had been [edited with AI](), *Futurism* found [archival *BBC* footage of the swearing-in ceremony]() — the online player is glitchy, but find the 17:52 mark in the broadcast to see it for yourself — showing that the peculiar mannerisms were entirely real. In fact, that *BBC* footage shows the moment going on for much longer than the short clips that initially made their way onto social media suggested. https://twitter.com/nooralsibai/status/1881762612519784459 Naturally, Musk's fans had new excuses for the strange motion: that he has to stretch periodically [due to a neck injury](), was [experiencing autistic light sensitivity](), or was simply [self-regulating his anxiety](). To be fair, any of these things could be true. And were it almost anyone else, we wouldn't bother pointing out such behavior. But Musk's ascendant political profile as a close confidante of Trump means that he now holds incredible power over the regulation, operation and spending of the federal government. And as evidenced by his Nazi hand gesture later in the evening, there are profound questions about his character and judgment. If there's something neurological underlying his strange behavior, it's imperative that the American public know — an argument, it's worth remembering, that was [deployed against Trump's predecessor Joe Biden]() to great effect. It's also worth noting that Musk was seen [struggling through sentences]() during an appearance the night before. (Though it's important to be considerate of people who aren't neurotypical, Musk hasn't shown the same grace to others, showing a growing penchant for calling people "[r\*tards]()" during online disputes — yet another lapse in judgment that raises questions about his cognitive acuity.) There's also the question of drug use. It's [long been reported]() that Musk has a soft spot for illegal substances including ketamine, and as anyone who's [been to a dance club]() late at night can attest, Musk's strange movements look a lot like those of people on higher doses of the drug: spaced out, wobbly, but ultimately in control of at least some degree of their bodily faculties. Musk has [admitted that he takes the drug](), which is [most commonly associated with its farm animal use](), to help with his depression. During an [interview last May with Don Lemon](), he even suggested that "Special K" is aiding Tesla's success. "From an investor standpoint," he told the former *CNN* anchor, "if there is something I’m taking, we should keep taking it." The government [has long disagreed](), placing Musk's [rumored and professed drug use]() alongside his chats with Russian president Vladimir Putin as one of the key reasons he [couldn't be granted a higher security clearance](). Obviously, nobody can say with certainty what was going on with the multi-hyphenate billionaire during an inauguration that was broadcast on national television. But given that Musk went on hours later to give what he [insists was not a Nazi salute]() — not once but twice — in front of an audience of thousands of people and cameras, we're confident that scrutiny of Musk's behavior is only going to grow. **More on Musk:** [*Donald Trump Dispatching Elon Musk's Old Buddy to Go Buy Greenland*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()