Green Day Take Jab at Elon Musk During Show in His Birth Country

At their show in Johannesburg, South Africa last night (Jan. 20), Green Day again altered a lyric in “American Idiot,” this time taking a jab at Elon Musk.

Musk, who was born in Pratoria, South Africa and became a U.S. citizen in 2002, is the world’s richest man, tech and business mogul and administrator of the newly formed non-federal executive department, the Department of Government Efficiency.

While performing the American Idiot title track, Billie Joe Armstrong sang, “I’m not part of an Elon agenda.”

Green Day, “American Idiot” (Jan. 20, 2025)

Last year Green Day have changed the “I’m not part of a redneck agenda” to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda.” The group had also protested Trump’s 2016 role as President by chanting, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A.” during the American Music Awards.

Musk mocked Green Day for their actions last year while also using a word that does not exist, saying, “Green Day goes from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly [sic] raging for it.”

As of press time, Musk has not addressed the latest antics by Green Day, which came on the same day the mogul made a highly controversial series of gestures following Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Elon Musk’s Most Recent Controversy

Yesterday, at a parade following the inauguration of Donald Trump as 47th President of the United States, Musk delivered a speech which featured three highly controversial arm gestures. The gesture closely resembles the salute Nazi party members would greet each other with, as well as show subservience to Adolf Hitler while declaring, “Heil Hitler.”

That Nazi salute, also known as the “Roman salute,” is most commonly associated with fascism. The gesture is not cited in any historical texts or art of the Roman time period, either.

Musk, who made his gesture three times, including once with his back turned to the crowd. The actions have come under scrutiny, especially with Musk’s public support of a far-right German political party whose prominent star has been twice convicted of using Nazi slogans at political events.

He had told the crowd, “I want to give my heart to you” as he touched his hand to his heart and made the straight-arm gesture with his fingers extended and palm facing down.

There are minor discrepancies in the gesture he made compared to the well-known salute popularized in modern times, first by Italian fascist Benito Mussolini and later adopted by Hitler’s Nazi party. There are overbearing similarities as well.

The Anti-Defamation League, an organization Musk threatened to sue in 2023, shared a statement about the controversy:

This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety.

It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.

In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.

Others, such as Claire Aubin, a historian of Nazism in the United States, said (via Associated Press), “My professional opinion is that you’re all right, you should believe your eyes,” in reference to Musk’s gestures being perceived as a Nazi salute.

Musk has dismissed his actions, responding to a tweet by saying, “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”