In the latest chapter of CNN's ongoing saga of sensationalism, anchors Erin Burnett and Kasie Hunt ventured into legally precarious territory yet again, this time attempting to tie SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk to far-right ideologies. The performance was a masterclass in insinuation without evidence, made even more egregious by CNN’s recent billion-dollar defamation settlement that should have served as a cautionary tale. Clearly, it didn’t.
The scene unfolded as Burnett and Hunt dissected a moment from Elon Musk’s appearance at the Inaugural Parade. With carefully orchestrated language, they described Musk’s hand gesture as "odd-looking" and “evocative of things we have seen throughout history.”
What things, you might ask? Enter Hunt, who obligingly connected the dots by referencing Musk’s expressed support for Alternative for Germany (AfD), a political party in Germany often labeled as far-right. The not-so-subtle implication? Musk is flirting with extremism. But here’s the kicker: the so-called "salute" wasn’t a salute at all.
CNN's Erin Burnett and Kasie Hunt omit @elonmusk saying "I'm giving you my heart" after greeting the crowd, failing the "smear @elonmusk as a Nazi without saying Nazi so as to avoid another defamation lawsuit" challenge pic.twitter.com/3Pd0mHO7DE
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) January 20, 2025
In reality, the gesture was nothing more than an exuberant display of affection and appreciation directed at the crowd. This context wasn’t hidden—it was right there in Musk’s full speech, which CNN itself aired. However, instead of relying on the full footage, Burnett and Hunt conveniently cut away at the precise moment to weaponize a snippet of video that could be misconstrued when divorced from its broader context. What followed was an attempt to construct a narrative that tiptoed around directly calling Musk a Nazi but left little room for any other interpretation.
Viewed in its full context, the CNN exchange on @elonmusk seems even MORE defamatory. The "sending you my heart" moment happened a minute before they cut into the speech in order to do their Nazi smear. https://t.co/cw5YdbYDdg pic.twitter.com/OIqUKCmvtA
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) January 21, 2025
This is not just sloppy journalism; it’s reckless. By framing the story in this way, CNN isn’t just risking public trust—it’s inviting another high-stakes lawsuit. The echoes of the recent defamation settlement should have resonated loud and clear: recklessly labeling individuals or groups without ironclad evidence can and will cost media organizations dearly. Yet here we are, with Burnett and Hunt providing a textbook example of how not to handle a news segment.
Beyond the legal risks, this incident highlights a deeper issue: the media’s pivot from its once-obedient role as a mouthpiece for the establishment to its current posture as part of the “Resistance.” In their rush to frame Musk as a dangerous figure, CNN’s anchors contorted themselves into an almost laughable exercise of guilt by association. The result? A spectacle that undermines not only their credibility but also the very concept of responsible journalism.
NEW: CNN suggests Elon Musk made a Nazi salute during Trump's event at Capitol One arena, purposely leaves out Musk's comments when he said his heart goes out to the crowd.
CNN: "It's a salute. It was quick. I think our viewers are smart and they can take a look at that, but it… pic.twitter.com/LDoWQODod4
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 20, 2025