On his first day back in office, former President Donald Trump issued over 1,500 pardons to individuals convicted in connection with the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Among those pardoned was Robert Keith Packer, who gained notoriety for wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" hoodie during the attack. This decision has sparked widespread criticism and concern, particularly in light of Trump's decision not to issue a statement marking Holocaust Remembrance Day—a tradition he maintained throughout his first term. Instead, the White House released a "presidential action" after 10 p.m. ET, designating it as a "National Day of Remembrance."
In conjunction with these actions, Trump has signed executive orders to reinstate hardline immigration policies, including plans for mass deportations. These moves mark a significant shift in policy direction and have been met with varied reactions from both supporters and critics.
Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump and a significant donor to his campaign, has also come under fire for recent comments made during an address to the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. The AfD is a far-right German political party known for its controversial views. Musk stated that "children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents," which drew criticism for being insensitive to the Holocaust.
“And Elon addressing the AfD, encouraging the AfD, clearly aligning with the AfD is also a form of election interference, in addition to being incredibly dangerous, given the extreme views of many of its members.”
Musks's presence in the White House complex and his remarks have raised concerns about his influence on the administration's policies. Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, expressed alarm over the implications of Musk's comments and actions.
“Donald Trump is taking Elon’s advice to ‘move beyond’ the Holocaust,” – Halie Soifer
“It’s (the end of) Holocaust Remembrance Day and Trump hasn’t said a word about it. But he did pardon the ‘Camp Auschwitz’ insurrectionist just in time for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.” – Halie Soifer
Soifer further noted that Trump's and Musk's rhetoric could embolden extremists and pose a threat to the security of Jews both in America and globally.
“This administration is clearly attempting to remake the world order in its image.”
In response to criticism, Musk denied any far-right sympathies while also trolling his detractors. He defended his speech by emphasizing cultural pride and moving beyond historical guilt.
“good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything” – Elon Musk
“too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that” – Elon Musk
The situation has intensified with Trump's recent actions. A delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Howard Lutnick was sent to Auschwitz on Monday, in an attempt to recognize Holocaust Remembrance Day. However, this came after significant backlash over the lack of an official statement earlier in the day.
Trump's inauguration speech added fuel to the fire when he gave two fascist-style salutes, which many interpreted as further aligning with extremist ideologies.
“It is not the norm for a senior adviser to the US president to align with a [foreign] political party in advance of elections” – Halie Soifer
Musk's controversial statement during his AfD speech has drawn parallels to historical figures, although he attributed it to Sulla, a Roman dictator.
“No one provokes me with impunity” – Elon Musk