Entertainment
Elon Musk and the Roman salute: What it is and why it doesnt matter what you call it
At Donald Trump’s post-inauguration rally on Monday, presidential adviser, DOGE head and world’s richest human Elon Musk twice made a gesture that many identify with a “seig heil,” the infamous Nazi salute.
The X, Tesla and SpaceX CEO thanked the assembled crowd saying, “I just want to say thank you for making it happen,” before biting his lip, dramatically slapping his chest with his right hand and sending his right arm skyward, palm out. Musk turned around and made the gesture again, adding, “My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.”
As Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) laid out during Tuesday’s confirmation hearings for Trump’s future UN ambassador, it wasn’t just left-wing activists and anti-Musk figures who considered the gesture an ode to the genocidal German leader: “Evan Kilgore, a right-wing political commentator, wrote on X, Holy crap, did Elon Musk just heil Hitler at the Trump inauguration rally? This is incredible. We are so back’…the Proud Boys chapter in Ohio posted the clip on a Telegram channel with the text, ‘Heil Trump.’ A chapter of the white nationalist group White Lives Matter posted it on Telegram, ‘Thanks for hearing us, Elon. The white flame will rise again.”
For his part, Musk — who recently voiced support for far-right political parties in both the U.K. and Germany — wrote on X that “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.” He followed that up by reposting right-wing images of Democrats like Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton making out-of-context motions with their hands that could scarcely be described as similar to his.
Andrea Stroppa, a right-wing Italian friend and supporter of Musk, took the discussion in a whole different direction on Monday when she posted on X that Musk’s salute had Italian origins: “Roman Empire is back starting from Roman salute.”
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Some of Musk’s fans and followers on X hopped on the Roman bandwagon, claiming it absolved the titan of hate-mongering since it was less Hitler and more Nero.
The Roman salute’s origins
The problem with claiming Musk was simply showing an appreciation for chariots and gladiators is there is no proof of the gesture being used in ancient Rome, according to historian Martin M. Winkler, who wrote a book about the salute. There is no Roman art, writing, or coins that display the gesture, according to Winkler. “The gesture of the raised right arm or hand in Roman and other ancient cultures that is attested in surviving art and literature had a significantly different function and is never identical with the modern straight-arm salute,” Winkler wrote in his book, The Roman Salute.
Instead, the hand motion like that used by Musk was popularized in 19th-century books, toga plays and, later, early 20th-century films as a fictional fixture of ancient Rome, the Guardian reports. Through those media depictions, the so-called Roman salute then became a favorite of 20th-century Hitler ally/Italian fascist Benito Mussolini and his political party. “…the salute as a unifier — and as a path to punish those who don’t conform by immediately raising their arms — was present before Hitler came to power,” according to Forward.
Upon gaining power in the late 1920s, Hitler and his cronies adopted the Italian gesture for themselves, according to to the BBC, and it symbolized fealty to the leader and his racist, anti-Semitic, xenophobic principles. Once World War II began in 1939 following Germany’s invasion of Poland, pro-Hitler gestures and pronouncements had penetrated daily life. “In public, ordinary Germans were expected to praise Hitler and give the so-called German greeting (“Heil Hitler!”),” according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, which is hosted by the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
The Roman salute is conditionally allowed in Italy and outright banned in Germany. German chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to Musk’s gesture by saying, “We have the freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany,” he said, “what we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme right positions.”
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
