Comment by dathinab

okay lets see

hand placement is that of the Hitler salute

arm placement is that of the Hitler salute

high of the hand is that of the Hitler salute

placement of hand before doing the salute is that of the Hitler salute

even his speech before indicates it's a Hitler salute:

"This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead"

Now this part needs a bit more explanation: The Hitler salute proper name is "Sieg Heil" which yes meas to "Hail!" someone. But it also literally translated means "victory heal".

The meaning here was to "heal" Germany (which include taking over territories in the twisted interpretation of Nazis) but also to "heal" Germany (from Jews, queer people, disabled people etc. by killing them. It also was all about creating a unified fascist Germany under Hitler. It was also about projecting power and that it's a new Germany.

I.e. "new beginning/new Germany", "heal", "unify", "let's make it grate again" (to use modern lingo) where the core aspects of "Sieg Heil" just with very perfidy interpretations of heal and unify. But then taking otherwise well meaning symbolism (e.g. the swastika) and then appropriating it and turning it into something evil was the standard mode of operation of Nazis.

So he makes a Hitler salute after saying things which Hitler (in slightly different words due to language changing over time) would have said (before going full maks off let's kill all yews).

I rally don't know how anyone could interpret it as not being a nazi salute, that would be supper naive/self blinding/foolish.

Now the more interesting interpretation is does it mean he is a Nazi?

Well probably no.

Nazi is a very specific term, and there are many other kinds of fascism which aren't Nazis (which to be clear "different" doesn't contain a judgement. It neither implies "better" nor "worse").

Through what it is is a very clear statement of "I'm a fascist" and/or "I idolizes at least some aspects of Nazi Germany".

Which, let's be honest, shouldn't surprise anyone who followed what he was doing in roughly the last year.