Musk's mask: what is Elon Musk hiding?

Elon Musk, once celebrated as the embodiment of technological progress, is now recognized primarily as a radical and polarizing figure in societal discourse. The man who propelled Tesla and SpaceX to unprecedented heights now openly flirts with far-right rhetoric and uses his platform to amplify divisive voices. What initially appeared to be clumsy provocations reveal, upon closer inspection, a consistent pattern of normalizing dangerous ideologies. Time to take a hard look at the facts.

A redpilled Musk

In May 2020, Musk posted the now-infamous tweet: "Take the red pill." What - to the untrained eye - seemed like an innocent nod to The Matrix holds a much deeper meaning in far-right circles. In the movie, the red pill symbolizes awakening to the truth, but radical-right groups have co-opted this concept as a call to “awaken” to their worldview, often riddled with racism, sexism, and conspiracy theories. Ivanka Trump, then an advisor to her father, enthusiastically responded with: "Done." Musk offered no further explanation, but the message was clear enough for the alt-right. The red pill is not just a metaphor; it is a potent tool in the rhetoric of radicalization. By choosing to use this loaded term, Musk bolstered his image as someone who doesn’t merely provoke but also subtly aligns with far-right ideologies. 

That tweet was only the beginning. In January 2025, Musk changed his profile name on X to “Kekius Maximus”, a direct reference to the 4chan culture, a notorious forum where racist, antisemitic, and sexist content is often blended with so-called “humor.” The name "Maximus" harks back to titles used by Roman emperors, evoking a sense of grandeur and authority. “Kek” has  since the 2016 election become  a symbol of the alt-right, frequently associated with the meme “Pepe the Frog". By explicitly aligning himself with these memes, Musk lent legitimacy to a subculture that merges extremism with humor. Memes have  potent discursive power in the digital age: they are humorous, relatable, and can convey complex ideas in seconds; they are made for virality. However, when these ideas revolve around racism and hatred, memes become a vehicle for making extremism socially acceptable. Musk’s flirtation with this culture brought massive mainstream visibility to ideas that would otherwise remain in the shadows.

Musk’s defense for his actions consistently hinges on freedom of speech. Since acquiring Twitter (now X) in 2022, he has positioned himself as a champion of open expression. That sounded noble until he reinstated accounts belonging to figures like Andrew Anglin, founder of the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer, and rapper Kanye West, whose antisemitic remarks had previously led to suspension. By giving these voices renewed platforms, Musk expanded their reach and provided a stage for hate speech and radicalization. This decision was far from neutral; it was a calculated move to amplify disruptive, conflict evoking ideas fuelling far-right sympathy. This pattern became even more apparent in December 2024 when Musk praised the far-right German political party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in an op-ed for Die Welt, calling it “the only party that can save Germany.” A month later, he downplayed allegations of extremism during a live interview with AfD leader Alice Weidel.

Musk’s actions also reveal a troubling pattern of antisemitism. In May 2023, he targeted George Soros, a frequent subject of antisemitic conspiracy theories, accusing the Jewish philanthropist of “hating humanity” and “undermining the fabric of civilization.” In November 2023, Musk went even further, endorsing an antisemitic tweet claiming that “Jews hate white people” by replying: "You have said the actual truth." 

The backlash was swift. Major advertisers like IBM and Volkswagen pulled their ads from X, while human rights organizations condemned Musk’s words. In an attempt to mitigate the damage, he visited Auschwitz in January 2024. During this private visit, he was accompanied by commentator Ben Shapiro, a radical-right conservative political commentator known for his often controversial takes on social and political issues. Alongside Shapiro were European Jewish leaders. Earlier, Musk had also visited several kibbutzim in Israel, highlighting his engagement with Jewish communities. These visits were presented as attempts to foster dialogue and understanding, but critics questioned their sincerity, suggesting they might have been calculated efforts to salvage his reputation under mounting scrutiny. The New York Times characterized the visits as an image "rehabilitation tour."

My heart goes to you? Or a fascist salute?

On January 20, 2025, Musk’s actions reached a new height of controversy. During Donald Trump’s inauguration, he made a gesture widely interpreted as a fascist salute. German publication Die Zeit minced no words: “A Hitler salute is a Hitler salute.” While critics expressed outrage, far-right groups celebrated. 

Elon Musk urges people to awaken with his red pill rhetoric, but perhaps it’s time for us to wake up instead. 

Neo-Nazis like Patrick Casey and Andrew Torba from GAB enthusiastically shared the footage, while Telegram groups hailed the gesture as a sign of their resurgence. Musk dismissed the controversy, saying, “It’s exhausting to compare everyone to Hitler.” This is classic Musk: shock with enough ambiguity to deny responsibility. Ambiguous because it is provoking and after performing it he denies its meanings. Such strategic ambivalence is politically functional: it enables musk stretching the overtone window, while at the same time denying responsability. It is hyperbolic behaviour to shock and cause chaos while he is making money and building power out of the public attention he gets.

What sets Musk apart from other powerful men is his ability to normalize extremist ideas by cloaking them in memes, humor, and ambiguity. He walks a fine line, like a fool playing emperor, masterfully stoking controversy while ensuring he can always defend his intentions as reasonable or misunderstood. But this strategy comes at a cost. His actions undermine not only his own reputation but also societal cohesion: they normalize far-right ideologies. By opening his platform to hate speech and divisive voices, he contributes to the dangerous normalization of extremism.

Elon Musk urges people to awaken with his red pill rhetoric, but perhaps it’s time for us to wake up instead. Freedom of speech ends where it becomes a pretext for spreading hate.