Stefanik, Murphy clash over Musk gesture at confirmation hearing

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) clashed during her confirmation hearing with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) over comparisons of Elon Musk’s gesture during an Inauguration Day speech to a Nazi salute.

“What do you think of Elon Musk, perhaps the president's most visible adviser, doing two Heil Hitler salutes last night at the president's televised rally?” Murphy asked Stefanik, who is Trump’s pick to lead the United Nations, after she raised concerns about “antisemitic rot” in the international organization.

“No, Elon Musk did not do those salutes,” Stefanik said. “I was not at the rally, but I can tell you I’ve been at many rallies with Elon Musk, who loves to cheer when President Trump says we need to send our U.S. space program to Mars. Elon Musk is a visionary.”

She said she’s looking forward to working with the tech mogul, whom Trump has tapped to lead the “Department of Government Efficiency.”

“That is simply not the case,” Stefanik said of the comparison. “The American people are smart. They see through it; they support Elon Musk. We are proud to be a country of such successful entrepreneurs.” 

A gesture from Musk during an Inauguration Day event drew swift backlash as some compared his movement to a Nazi salute. Musk has dismissed the criticism, saying on his social platform X that “the ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”

The Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit geared at combating antisemitism, also defended Musk as making “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.” 

But Murphy pressed the would-be U.N. envoy by pointing out that right-wing extremists have appeared to recognize or celebrate the gesture. 

“Over and over last night, white supremacist groups and neo-Nazi groups in this country rallied around that visual. Does it concern you that those elements of the neo-Nazi and white supremacist element in the United States believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?” the senator asked.

Stefanik said what concerns her is that “these are the questions you believe are most important to ask to the U.N. ambassador," and she pledged to be a “beacon of light” against antisemitism at the international body. The former House GOP conference chair has been an outspoken advocate against antisemitism and called Israel during the hearing “our most precious ally.” 

“These are the questions I choose to ask because I think that your work and the administration’s work on antisemitism only comes with real impact and credibility if it holds both right and left accountable,” Murphy retorted.

“I simply don't believe that if a member of the ‘squad’ made that same gesture last night that there wouldn't be commentary from you and others,” Murphy said, making reference to the informal group of progressive lawmakers in the House.