Well, it looks like Elon Musk is back at it again. In addition to posting unpopular opinions and launching rockets, the CEO of Tesla enjoys a good lawsuit more than anything else in the world.
This time, what is his intended target? Tim Walz, the current governor of Minnesota and a former candidate for the Democratic nomination for vice president, is the individual in question.
Let’s get down to business: what exactly is the big deal? Make sure you fasten your seatbelts because this one has everything: politics, drama on social media, and even gestures that could be considered contentious.
The accusation that was the impetus for everything
When Donald Trump was inaugurated as president in 2025, everything took place. Musk performed a hand motion when cameras were flashing and the entire world was watching. He placed his right hand on his chest and then diagonally extended his arm outward. This could have been an overly passionate gesture of support, or it could have been something far more sinister, depending on who you ask today.
Who is this Tim Walz? There is no doubt in his mind that Musk was displaying a Nazi salute.
“We spent three days debating whether Musk gave a Nazi salute,” that is what Walz said during an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Walz did not hold back. Without a doubt, he did not.”
And now for the uproar. A portion of the audience demanded that Musk be held accountable for his strange gestures, while another portion of the audience yelled defamation. The internet flew into a frenzy. As expected, Musk, who is never one to let things go unchecked, came to the conclusion that he had had enough.
Musk’s Reaction: It’s Time to File a Lawsuit!
Just one post on X (which was once known as Twitter) was all that was required to confirm that Musk was going to go after Walz. Using the caption “Creepy Tim Walz says ‘of course’ Elon did a Nazi salute,” a user uploaded a video clip of the conversation to the internet. I have high hopes that Elon will sue him for whatever he is worth.
Musk, who never misses an occasion to throw a wrench into things, responded, “I believe I will.” “Tim Walz is in a creepy way.”
And just like that, we were in the process of moving forward with a fresh legal action.
A Salute That Is Controversial or Is It Just an Uncomfortable Gesture?
Let us take a step back before we begin to imagine Musk and Walz engaged in a legal battle in a courtroom. To what extent did Musk truly act? Was that really an homage to the Nazi party, or are they just seeing what they want to see that they are seeing?
Historians and other specialists have provided their opinions. “My professional opinion is that you’re all right, you should believe your eyes,” stated Claire Aubin, a specialist in Nazism in the United States that was quoted in the article. The essence of her belief is that she believes Musk was well aware of what he was doing.
Contrary to this, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is of the opposite opinion. Instead of the problematic salute that is prohibited in many nations, they stated that Musk’s motion was nothing more than a “awkward movement of enthusiasm.”
Could it be that Musk was simply experiencing a little bit of excitement? Is it possible that this was a wink to the far right that was not so subtle? Despite this, the internet continues to be deeply divided.
An Examination of the Bigger Picture: Why Is This Important?
The question that you could be asking yourself is, “Okay, but why does this even matter?” In any case, this drama brings to light something much more significant than the sight of a millionaire suing a politician; it demonstrates how polarized things have gotten.
A single-handed movement has the potential to cause controversy on a global scale in this day and age. As a result of his takeover of X, his contentious political ideas, and his one-of-a-kind style of humor, Musk has become a lightning rod for both praise and condemnation. He was already a character that polarized people.
In contrast, Walz has had a difficult year. He has been struggling. Since he and Kamala Harris were defeated in the election of 2024, he has been searching for methods to continue to remain engaged in the political discourse. Some people believe that his comments about Musk were nothing more than a desperate attempt to grab headlines once more. David Hogg, a well-known gun control activist, was recently backed by him for the position of vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Then, what will take place?
There is a possibility that this will be a contentious legal struggle if Musk actually goes through with the lawsuit (and let’s face it, he is not exactly known for backing down).
When it comes to instances involving public personalities, defamation cases are notoriously difficult to win. On the other hand, Walz’s defense will most likely argue that his statement was an opinion and not a factual claim, which means that it is protected under the principle of free speech.
Musk, on the other hand, will be required to demonstrate that Walz intentionally disseminated misleading information on purpose.
From what we know of Musk, it is highly likely that he will live-tweet the entire event.
One thing is abundantly clear: Musk is not going to let Tim Walz get away with calling him a Nazi. This is true regardless of whether Musk was simply waving excitedly or doing something that is more problematic.
In the already wild career of Musk, it remains to be seen whether this case will go somewhere or whether it will become another weird footnote. But there is one thing that is certain: this drama is not even close to being ended.
Gather your popcorn, everyone of you guys. This one is going to be a roller coaster ride.