A right-wing British priest has been stripped of his church licence after appearing to mimic a controversial salute made by Elon Musk at a pro-Trump event in Washington DC.
Calvin Robinson lost his position with the Anglican Church after facing widespread backlash online following his controversial gesture at the National Pro-Life summit last Friday.
"He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC," a church spokesperson confirmed.
The incident occurred days after Musk faced a backlash for making what appeared to be a stiff-armed Roman salute at Trump's inaugural parade at Capital One Arena.
Father Calvin Robinson finished his remarks at the National Pro-Life Summit by throwing an Elon Musk salute, much to the delight of the crowd. pic.twitter.com/cAE9VyTsl1
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) January 29, 2025
Robinson strongly denied any Nazi associations, claiming he was "mocking hysterical liberals" who had accused Musk of being a Nazi. "Context is key, but sometimes people ignore context to confirm their own prejudices," he said.
During his summit address, Robinson claimed the old world was "crumbling" and only America was "fighting for life". He concluded by thumping his chest before making the controversial gesture.
"I am not a Nazi," Robinson insisted in an X post as he revealed he’d received hundreds of "nasty" calls and messages over the incident.
A spokesperson for the Anglican Catholic Church in the UK told The Sun: “While we cannot say what was in Mr. Robinson’s heart when he did this, his action appears to have been an attempt to curry favor with certain elements of the American political right by provoking its opposition.”
The controversy follows Musk's own gesture at Trump's parade, made after discussing American space exploration. "It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured," Musk had told supporters.
The Tesla chief's actions drew sharp criticism from prominent Democrats, including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Robinson, who is Lead Spokesman for UKIP, has denied making light of World War II and defended his actions, adding: "People see what they want to see."
Robinson was already a controversial figure in British media. He was dismissed from GB News in October 2023 after defending presenter Dan Wootton, who had been suspended over misogynistic comments made by Laurence Fox on his show.
During his time at the broadcaster, where he hosted "Calvin's Common Sense Crusade", he sparked controversy by promoting conspiracy theories about Ukrainian President Zelensky and the FTX crypto platform.
Both Robinson and the Anglican Church have been approached for comment
