Pennsylvania Republican Laura Smith resigned from her position as the Towamencin Township Supervisor after a TikTok video in which she mimicked billionaire Elon Musk's Nazi-like salute at President Donald Trump's inauguration sparked outrage.
Following Trump's swearing-in, Musk spoke at a rally held at D.C.'s Capital One Arena and said:
"Elections come and go, some elections are important, some are not, but this one really mattered. And I just want to say thank you for making it happen. Thank you.”
At this moment, Musk placed his right hand on his chest before extending it outward with his palm facing down and fingers pressed together—a gesture historically known as the “Roman salute.”
This gesture, co-opted by fascist movements in the early 20th century, is most infamously associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany. It remains a symbol tied to the far-right, particularly among fascist groups in Italy.
After making the gesture initially, Musk turned to face the crowd seated behind him and, with his back to the camera, repeated the same action before saying:
"My heart goes out to you."
You can see the moment in the video below.
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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) January 20, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Not long afterward, Smith posted a now-deleted video in which she hit her chest three times and then extended her arm out in front of her in a manner similar to Musk's own salute.
She says, smiling:
“Just checking in on my friends who are struggling this week. My heart goes out to you. Hope you’re doing OK.”
You can see the video below.
On Sunday afternoon, after the video went viral, township officials posted Smith’s resignation letter on the township’s website, stating that the remaining board “intends to accept this resignation at a public meeting as soon as possible.”
In her letter, Smith said her action had been "mischaracterized," adding:
"To allow the Township to move forward without the encumbrance of the fallout of my video, I tender my resignation from the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors effective immediately.”
“I abhor racism, anti-Semitic or discrimination in any fashion or form and my record as a township supervisor attests to my commitment to treat all people with dignity and respect."
But no one was buying it.
The Philadelphia region’s affiliate of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned the TikTok video as “utterly unacceptable,” emphasizing that Smith’s actions “have impacted and caused harm to the community which must be acknowledged.”
This strong rebuke contrasts with the statement issued by the ADL’s main office in response to Musk’s controversial salute, which described the gesture as an "awkward" one made "in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge."
The ADL faced backlash for its statement, with critics accusing the organization of downplaying Musk’s history of amplifying antisemitic and extremist rhetoric, his ties to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party—known for members using Nazi slogans and minimizing the Holocaust—and the fact that neo-Nazi groups celebrated the salute after the footage went viral.
