Did a Democrat Senator 'copy' Elon Musk's Nazi-like salute?

A US Senator appeared to do an Elon Musk-like Nazi salute at the California Democratic convention on Saturday that took the internet by storm.

The senator, while addressing a group of delegates at the convention, invoked the famous words of late civil rights icon John Lewis and asked voters to get into ‘some good trouble’. However, as the US Senator concluded his speech, he sealed it with a ‘controversial’ hand-gesture – which is now reminding folks of yet another hand-gesture of the same kind.


Yes, you got that right.

It is bringing back the memory of Elon Musk ’s ‘salute’ during the inaugural ceremony of Donald Trump earlier this year.


What happened?

Senator Cory Booker , who made headlines for delivering a 25-hour speech on the Senate floor, last month called on people to find out what they can do to push back on President Donald Trump's agenda.

The same Senator, at the California Democratic convention, ended his speech with a Nazi-salute like gesture – as now social media is calling it. However, the New Jersey lawmaker is yet to address the now-viral claims.

pic.twitter.com/QMuRcwXLlS Cory Booker sending his heart out to everyone🤦‍♂️😂

— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) May 31, 2025

Has Elon Musk reacted to it?

When Musk got ‘hate’ for his Nazi-like salute during Trump’s inaugural ceremony, and was ebing harshly criticized by many Democrats, who claimed the move resembled fascist symbolism, the Tesla CEO had defended his gesture, explaining it as a heartfelt message: “My heart goes out to you.”

Now, with Booker, who is a prominent Democrat, making a near-identical gesture, Musk hasn’t kept his mouth shut. Rather, he reacted to the video with an emoji (which raises an eyebrow) on his X handle.

🤨 https://t.co/HP6RApoMju

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 1, 2025

Internet’s reaction:

Booker’s Nazi-like salute took the internet by storm in no time.

Reacting to Booker's gesture, one social media user wrote: “I'm literally shaking right now. Cory Booker is literally Hitler. I can't wait for fake news to cover this as extensively as they did Elon when gave his heart out to everyone!”

Another added, “Cory Booker does a NAZl SALUTE at the California Democratic Convention HOLY CRAP! LITERALLY HlTLER!”


But who is Cory Booker?

Cory Anthony Booker is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party , Booker is the first African-American U.S. senator from New Jersey. He was the 38th mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013, and served on the Municipal Council of Newark for the Central Ward from 1998 to 2002.

Although born in Washington, D.C., Booker was raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey. He attended Stanford University, receiving a BA in 1991 and a master's degree a year later. He attended Queen's College, Oxford, on a Rhodes Scholarship before attending Yale Law School. He won an upset victory for a seat on the Municipal Council of Newark in 1998, staging a 10-day hunger strike and briefly living in a tent to draw attention to urban development issues in the city.


Booker ran for mayor in 2002 but lost to incumbent Sharpe James. He ran again in 2006 and defeated Deputy Mayor Ronald Rice. Booker's first term saw the doubling of affordable housing under development and the reduction of the city budget deficit from $180 million to $73 million. He was reelected in 2010.

Booker was elected to the U.S. Senate in New Jersey's 2013 special election and reelected in 2014 and 2020. Throughout his Senate tenure, Booker has written, sponsored, and voted for legislation advancing women's rights, affirmative action, same-sex marriage, and single-payer healthcare. He has pushed for economic reforms to address wealth inequality in the U.S., particularly the racial wealth gap.

Booker has pursued measures to reform the criminal justice system, combat climate change, and restructure national immigration policy. In foreign policy, he has voted for tougher sanctions against Iran, voiced support for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and lobbied for increased diplomacy in the Middle East. He became New Jersey's senior senator when Bob Menendez resigned on August 20, 2024.