WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday questioned U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) at a hearing on her nomination to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Murphy pressed Stefanik for her reaction to Elon Musk’s Nazi salutes at President Trump’s inauguration rally on Monday. He also asked Stefanik how the Trump administration plans to sustain U.S. leadership in global public health following its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Murphy highlighted disturbing reactions from neo-Nazi extremist groups following Elon Musk's two ‘heil Hitler’ salutes at President Trump's rally: “Let me share with you what a few Americans have said about it. Evan Kilgore, a right-wing political commentator, wrote on X: ‘Holy crap … did Elon Musk just Heil Hitler at the Trump Inauguration Rally in Washington DC… This is incredible. We are so back.’ Andrew Torba, who is the founder of the right-wing Christian-nationalist social platform Gab, said: ‘Incredible things are happening’ as he amplified the visual. The Proud Boys chapter in Ohio posted the clip on a Telegram channel with the text, ‘Heil Trump.’ A chapter of the white-nationalist group White Lives Matter posted it on Telegram: ‘Thanks for hearing us, Elon. The White Flame will rise again.’ I could keep going.”

Murphy continued: “Over and over last night, white supremacist groups and neo-Nazi groups in this country rallied around that visual. Does it concern you that those elements of the neo-Nazi and white supremacist element in the United States believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?”

On maintaining America’s influence in shaping global health standards, Murphy said: “The decision to leave the WHO I think is a mistake, but I think you would agree that we are going to need to still find a way to play a role internationally in global public health standards. We do not want to let the Chinese essentially set those rules for us, because ultimately pandemics will find a way to us. Can you commit to this committee, notwithstanding the decision to leave the WHO, that you are going to make sure we find a way to have impact on the global stage when it comes to global public health rules?”

A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with Stefanik can be found below:

MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much Representative for your commitment to the country and your willingness to serve. I deeply appreciate the work that you have done to combat antisemitism. I appreciate your commitment to bring that work to the United Nations. I think it is a cancer, both domestically and internationally. You and I worked together over the last year and a half to dramatically increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program that sends money to synagogues and Jewish community centers to invest in security upgrades. I'm heartbroken that we need to do that, but it is an important moment to support those communities. 

“I agree that it’s a problem you will confront at the U.N. It is also a problem, as you have raised, domestically, both on the right and the left. I think antisemitism work is best when we call out what is happening on both sides of the aisle. What do you think of Elon Musk, perhaps the President's most visible advisor, doing two ‘heil Hitler’ salutes last night at the President’s televised rally?”

STEFANIK: “No, Elon Musk did not do those salutes. I was not at the rally, but I can tell you I’ve been at many rallies with Elon Musk, who loves to cheer when President Trump says we need to send our U.S. space program to Mars. Elon Musk is a visionary. I’m looking forward to his work in DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, and I look forward to seeing how we can be more efficient and effective. But that is simply not the case, and to say so is– the American people are smart. They see through it. They support Elon Musk. We are proud to be the country of such successful entrepreneurs. That is one of our greatest strengths as Americans.”

MURPHY: “Let me share with you what a few Americans have said about it. Evan Kilgore, a right-wing political commentator, wrote on X: ‘Holy crap … did Elon Musk just Heil Hitler at the Trump Inauguration Rally in Washington DC… This is incredible. We are so back.’ Andrew Torba, who is the founder of the right-wing Christian-nationalist social platform Gab, said: ‘Incredible, things are happening’ as he amplified the visual. The Proud Boys chapter in Ohio posted the clip on a Telegram channel with the text, ‘Heil Trump.’ A chapter of the white-nationalist group White Lives Matter posted it on Telegram: ‘Thanks for hearing us, Elon. The White Flame will rise again.’ I could keep going. Over and over last night, white supremacist groups and neo-Nazi groups in this country rallied around that visual. Does it concern you that those elements of the neo-Nazi and white supremacist element in the United States believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?”

STEFANIK: “What concerns me is these are the questions you believe are most important to ask to the U.N. Ambassador. I have a very strong record when it comes to combating antisemitism. We just had a historic election where President Trump earned historic support from American voters because of his strong leadership combating antisemitism, which has been a scourge across the country, skyrocketing since October 7th. So, I intend to bring moral clarity to this position and continue to speak out as a voice, as a beacon of light, condemning antisemitism at the United Nations, which is representative of President Trump's record and President Trump's promises that he made on the campaign trail.”

MURPHY: “You are right, these are the questions I choose to ask because I think that your work and the administration’s work on antisemitism only comes with real impact and credibility if it holds both right and left accountable. I simply don't believe that if a member of the ‘Squad’ made that same gesture last night, that there wouldn’t be commentary from you and others. So, I want to make sure our work has credibility, and credibility comes with calling antisemitism and antisemitism behavior out when it comes from both the right and the left.”

“Let me just turn to one issue that has come up several times and ask you for a quick response. The decision to leave the WHO I think is a mistake, but I think you would agree that we are going to need to still find a way to play a role internationally in global public health standards. We do not want to let the Chinese essentially set those rules for us, because ultimately pandemics will find a way to us. Can you commit to this committee, notwithstanding the decision to leave the WHO, that you are going to make sure we find a way to have impact on the global stage when it comes to global public health rules?”

STEFANIK: “I support President Trump’s decision to leave WHO, I have a record of that. But yes, I think we need to be the leader in terms of global health. I think that is very important and there are programs within the U.N. that are very committed to global health. We are the leader when it comes to global health, and we need to absolutely continue to be so.”

MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

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