Elon Musk has labelled the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) a “hate group” after it documented extremist statements linked to Christian identity movements. In a post on his social media platform X, Musk wrote: “The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is a hate group.” He added that using such labels “encourages murder”.
The ADL had previously defended Musk against accusations of antisemitism following his widely criticised gestures at Donald Trump’s inauguration. The organisation described the gestures as “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute”. That defence led to backlash from donors and staff.
Musk’s latest comments were prompted by an ADL webpage detailing the Christian Identity movement, an extremist ideology that promotes racial holy war. The page also documented racist and bigoted remarks by members of Turning Point USA, a conservative group led by Charlie Kirk. Incidents included a chapter head joking about the murder of three Black students and another caught on video yelling “white power”.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt responded: “The idea that @ADL is anti-Christian is offensive and wrong. Many of our staff members are Christian.” He said the organisation works with Christians to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate.
The relationship between Musk and the ADL has been fraught. In 2023, Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X, yet Greenblatt later praised him for banning the pro-Palestinian slogan “From the river to the sea”. That incident led to the resignation of the head of the ADL’s Center for Technology and Society.
