It started with a single gesture that sent shockwaves across the internet. In January, Elon Musk appeared to make a Nazi-style salute, sparking outrage. The backlash was immediate. More than 100 Reddit communities, including some that typically stay out of politics, banned links to X (formerly Twitter), cutting ties with Musk’s platform.
Publicly, Musk lashed out, ranting on X about Reddit’s decision. But behind the scenes, he wasn’t just complaining, he was pulling strings. According to a bombshell report from The Verge, Musk was privately pressuring Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, seemingly in an attempt to silence critics of Trump’s administration.
Musk’s Private Messages & Reddit’s Response
According to The Verge, Musk exchanged text messages with Huffman just before Reddit took down r/WhitePeopleofTwitter for 72 hours. The subreddit had been filled with posts condemning DOGE, an entity accused of dismantling the U.S. government and leaking personal data. Some of these posts contained violent rhetoric, giving Reddit an excuse to ban the entire community rather than moderate individual comments.
The contents of Musk’s messages to Huffman remain undisclosed, but the fallout was clear. Moderators from multiple subreddits caught wind of Musk’s interference, and their reaction was scathing. One simply called him a “giant baby.”
Musk’s Double Standards on Censorship
Musk has long silenced voices he doesn’t like, banning links to competitors on X, limiting access to journalists critical of him, but when Reddit turned the tables, he lost his cool. A Reddit moderator summed up the situation:
“I don’t have any problem with removing rule-breaking content (and taking the respective admin action on said accounts), but I find it a bit problematic that he’s able to exert influence on both public and private institutions.”
When asked about Musk’s possible involvement, Reddit dodged the question. Instead, a spokesperson issued a generic statement:
“We take any report of Reddit policy violations seriously, whether on Reddit directly or through other public or private means. We will evaluate content reported to us and action if violating.”
The Fallout & Musk’s Reaction
The X link ban spread across Reddit, even to non-political communities like r/NFL and r/Nintendo. The moderators of r/Military explained their decision in just three words: “Fuck that guy.”
Rather than clarifying his actions, Musk responded with a string of Nazi-related jokes on X:
“Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down!”
“Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming.”
The New York Times later reported that a Tesla employee was fired for objecting to Musk’s jokes. It wasn’t until much later, during an interview with conspiracy theorist Joe Rogan, that Musk explicitly denied making a Nazi salute.
Meanwhile, far-right figures openly embraced the gesture. Within weeks, a Michigan priest, actor Eduardo Verástegui at CPAC, and even Steve Bannon copied Musk’s salute at public events. Controversial influencer Andrew Tate, despite facing human trafficking charges in Romania, also joined in.
Musk’s Expanding Influence
America is inching toward authoritarianism, and Musk’s influence is growing at an alarming rate. As both the world’s richest man and a powerful political player, he has unprecedented control not just over X but over government policies and now, seemingly, even Reddit.
With Trump’s allies back in power, Musk’s reach is only expected to expand. He already has Reddit’s CEO on speed dial. The real question is: Who else is under his thumb?
sent shockwaves across the internet. In January, Elon Musk appeared to make a Nazi-style salute, sparking outrage. The backlash was immediate. More than 100 Reddit communities, including some that typically stay out of politics, banned links to X (formerly Twitter), cutting ties with Musk’s platform.
Publicly, Musk lashed out, ranting on X about Reddit’s decision. But behind the scenes, he wasn’t just complaining, he was pulling strings. According to a bombshell report from The Verge, Musk was privately pressuring Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, seemingly in an attempt to silence critics of Trump’s administration.
