Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is facing mounting scrutiny after a video surfaced showing him making a gesture strikingly similar to one that drew widespread criticism when it was made by Elon Musk earlier this year.
The footage, recorded at the recent Democratic convention in California, appears to show Booker placing his hand over his heart before extending his arm outward toward the audience with an open palm—an action that closely mirrors Musk’s gesture at President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
Back in January, Musk’s action was met with a wave of backlash from media outlets and several prominent Democratic politicians. At the time, critics described Musk’s gesture as reminiscent of a Nazi salute, prompting an intense debate across news platforms and social media. However, supporters and some analysts pointed out that Musk was actually making a symbolic gesture—placing his hand over his heart, then outward—to convey affection and unity with the audience. Musk later clarified that his intent was to show love and respect.
The uproar over Musk’s gesture dominated media cycles for days. Numerous television segments, op-eds, and social media discussions examined the incident from every angle. It became a flashpoint in the broader conversation about political symbolism, optics, and how public figures communicate in tense, divided times.
Now, the emergence of footage showing Booker doing what appears to be a nearly identical motion has sparked a new round of questions—but this time about consistency in media coverage. Critics on social media were quick to point out the contrast in how the two incidents have been treated. Several users on X (formerly Twitter) suggested that media outlets had selectively covered Musk’s gesture while largely ignoring Booker’s, raising concerns about potential bias or double standards in news reporting.
Cory Booker Does Nazi Salute leaving an event…
Hey i didn’t make the rules… you idiots did pic.twitter.com/M2McPPqvAh
— kevin smith (@kevin_smith45) June 1, 2025
One user wrote, “Is the media’s selective coverage a sign of bias, or do they simply prioritize what fits their narrative over actual newsworthiness?” Others echoed similar sentiments, noting the relative quiet from major outlets following the release of the Booker video.
Newsweek was among the few national publications to report on the latest incident. According to their article, the video of Booker shows him addressing the crowd and then placing his hand over his heart before extending it outward—mirroring the same sequence of motions that Musk had used during the January event. Newsweek included a statement from Maya Krishna-Rogers, a spokesperson for Senator Booker, who dismissed the comparison outright.
“Cory Booker was obviously just waving to the crowd,” Krishna-Rogers said. “Anyone who claims his wave is the same as Elon Musk’s gesture is operating in bad faith. The differences between the two are obvious to anyone without an agenda.”
In response, Elon Musk reposted the footage and images of Booker’s gesture on his own social media platform, pointing out the similarities. The billionaire entrepreneur’s repost reignited the conversation online and brought renewed attention to how political gestures are interpreted and reported.
We saw countless news articles and reports from the media claiming Elon Musk was making a Nazi salute even though he mouthed the words, “my heart goes out to you.”
How many stories will we get from Legacy media on Cory Booker for making the same gesture? pic.twitter.com/Q5Xj0Zj9ZI
— Righteous⚡️Crusader (@Craftmastah) June 1, 2025
While some have chalked the situation up to coincidence or context, others say the two incidents deserve equal scrutiny—or at least equal coverage. As of now, most major outlets have not covered the Booker footage in depth, leaving many to wonder whether the conversation around political symbolism will remain consistent across the board, regardless of who is making the gesture.
The story continues to circulate on social media, and it remains to be seen whether additional media outlets will follow up on the incident or if it will fade from the spotlight.
