Some Are Excusing Elon Musk's Disturbing Salute As Autism — And Autistic People Have Thoughts

The symptoms of autism spectrum disorder are widely misunderstood. Here's what experts and advocates want you to know.

If you’ve dared to hop on X, formerly Twitter, in the last few days, you likely saw Elon Musk’s shocking salute at the end of his inauguration rally speech. You may have also come across users saying the move was a sign of autism.

Musk, who is working for President Donald Trump’s administration, revealed he had Asperger’s during a “Saturday Night Live” monologue a few years ago; that condition is now known as a presentation of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Users argued that gestures like the one Musk made at the rally, along with acting “weird,” are symptoms of the disorder.

As some experts and advocates may tell you, autism symptoms and gestures that appear like targeted hate toward people are typically two completely different things.

First, while autism can cause people to struggle more in social situations, it doesn’t mean it excuses cruelty and disrespect, whether intentional or not. While some individuals who are autistic may struggle to interpret social cues or engage in social settings, that doesn’t mean they’ll jump to controversial actions.

“Neurodivergent people are just like anyone else and are able to learn social norms, context and impacts of their actions,” Jennifer Vincent, a licensed mental health counselor who works with autistic and neurodivergent individuals, and has nearly 20 years of experience, told HuffPost.