Senator Cory Booker is facing a wave of backlash after footage surfaced of him making a raised-arm gesture during a speech to California Democrats, a move some online are calling a “Nazi salute.” The reaction from conservatives was swift and pointed, with many accusing the media of blatant double standards, referencing the media firestorm that erupted earlier this year when Elon Musk made a similar motion.
“NEW: Democrat Senator Cory Booker appears to do a ‘Nazi’ salute in front of a large crowd of Democrats. I’m looking forward to the wall to wall coverage from the ‘honest’ and totally not biased media,” wrote Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics, in a post to X alongside a clip of the gesture.
“If Elon Musk is a Nazi for doing this gesture… Cory Booker is one too. Sorry, I don’t make the rules,” added X user Angela Belcamino, reflecting the sentiment echoed throughout conservative circles.
A Familiar Scene — Different Coverage?
Booker’s appearance at the California Democratic Party convention in Anaheim on Saturday was meant to be a rallying call to action. The New Jersey senator urged Democrats to resist what he described as President Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, a theme he heavily leaned into during his record-setting 25-hour filibuster back in March.
“Real change does not come from Washington. It comes from communities. It comes from the streets. It comes from the people who’s standing up and have shown over and over again – against the powerful, against the elected, against the rich – that the power of the people is greater than the people in power,” Booker said to thunderous applause.
But the message was overshadowed by how he closed his speech with a gesture: right hand to chest, then raised to the crowd. That was enough for critics to draw immediate comparisons to Musk’s inauguration day wave on January 20, which was widely labeled a “Nazi-style salute” by major media outlets.
Where’s the Media Now?
The comparisons were impossible to ignore. And for many on the right, the outrage wasn’t just about the gesture, it was about the silence.
“Will Corey Booker be plastered all over msm with headlines claiming he’s a ‘Nazi’?” The Post Millennial’s X account posted, alongside footage of the event.
Others were more blunt, publishing lists of outlets they say are conspicuously quiet on Booker – including The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and USA Today – all of which published extensive stories about Musk earlier this year.
“Here’s a list of all the news networks who have not covered Cory Booker’s salute: – NYTimes – CNN – Washington Post – MSNBC – NPR – USA Today – Reuters – Axios – ABC News Every single one of them wrote stories on Elon Musk’s ‘salute’… …do you get it yet?” wrote former government scientist Matt van Swol.
Musk himself replied: “Legacy media is one big psy op.”
Booker Team Responds, Dismisses ‘Bad Faith’ Attacks
Booker’s office has pushed back firmly against the criticism.
“Cory Booker was obviously just waving to the crowd. 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,” said Booker’s spokesperson Maya Krishna-Rogers in a statement.
Booker, notably, did not publicly comment on Musk’s gesture back in January, even as many Democrats likened Musk to fascist figures. Still, his history with Trump is well documented. In 2019, he labeled the then-president as “worse than a racist,” accusing him of deploying “racist tropes” to fracture the nation.
The Backlash Isn’t Going Anywhere
Still, the comparisons continue to flood social media. “Cory Booker is a straight up NAZI! WOW,” conservative influencer Gunther Eagleman posted to X, while others posted side-by-side images of Booker and Musk, highlighting the identical posture.
The controversy has once again exposed the fractured political lens through which public figures are judged. For critics, the question remains: if one wave was enough to spark days of headlines, why is the other barely mentioned?
In a political climate where optics can outweigh intent, it seems the debate over who gets scrutinized, and who doesn’t, it’s just heating up.
