Conservatives Call Out Media Double Standard Over Hand Gestures by Musk and Mamdani

Conservative commentators are highlighting what they describe as a glaring media double standard after newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was seen extending his arm during his swearing-in ceremony Thursday—a gesture they argue mirrors one made by Elon Musk a year ago that sparked widespread accusations of the tech billionaire delivering a “Nazi salute.”

The controversy centers on comparison videos and images showing Mamdani raising his hand from his heart toward the crowd during his public inauguration ceremony, a motion conservatives say is virtually identical to one that landed Musk in hot water in January 2025 during Trump’s inaugural parade.

“Not a single one of these legacy media outlets reported on Mamdani’s identical hand gesture which they called @elonmusk a nazi for. Do you see what’s happening?” posted the popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok, sharing screenshots of headlines from outlets including The Guardian and Vox that had characterized Musk’s gesture as a “Nazi-style salute.”

Musk himself responded to the comparison on Friday, simply stating: “They lie.”

The incident highlights the increasingly polarized nature of American political discourse, where the same actions can be interpreted entirely differently depending on political affiliation. Throughout Trump’s 2024 campaign and subsequent presidency, critics frequently compared him to fascist leaders, with former Vice President Kamala Harris explicitly drawing parallels to Hitler during a late-campaign town hall.

When Musk made his controversial gesture at Trump’s inaugural parade, the narrative quickly spread through media outlets and was amplified by prominent Democrats, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Musk vehemently denied the accusations and even floated a potential defamation lawsuit against Walz.

Conservative commentator Brandon Straka, founder of the WalkAway movement encouraging people to leave the Democratic Party, pointed out the parallel: “Zohran Mamdani did the same exact gesture today at his swearing in that the left called a ‘Nazi salute’ when @elonmusk did it.”

Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor when he took office on January 1, 2026. His inauguration ceremonies included both a private oath at the decommissioned City Hall subway station and a public swearing-in outside City Hall, where the disputed gesture occurred at the conclusion of his speech.

“I was elected as a Democratic socialist, and I will govern as a Democratic socialist,” Mamdani declared during his address, signaling his intention to use government power aggressively. “Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers’ lives.”

The Media Research Center joined the chorus of conservative critics highlighting the discrepancy, posting: “Zohran Mamdani can make this gesture and everyone loves him for it, but when Elon Musk does it? The leftist media wasted no time calling him a Nazi.”

Musk had served as the public leader of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until May, when their relationship fractured after Musk criticized Trump’s approach to the debt ceiling. During his tenure, Musk repeatedly pushed back against Nazi comparisons.

“Politics is a blood sport, so they’re going to come up with whatever attacks they can to destroy the public perception of someone,” Musk said in a May interview with Fox News. “Obviously, I’ve not harmed anyone in my life, so it’s an outrageous thing to claim that I’m a Nazi.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office regarding the controversy but did not receive an immediate response.

The incident underscores the ongoing battle over media narratives and accusations of bias in political coverage, with conservatives arguing that similar actions are judged by entirely different standards depending on the political orientation of those involved.