“This is the last stand for Christendom. It’s make-or-break time. The whole of the old world is crumbling,” Robinson said, slamming European nations, saying, “Every country in Europe is embracing death. America, as far as I can see, is the only country fighting for life. And that’s down to you guys. So God bless all of you for doing what you’re doing. Please keep doing it.”
Robinson concluded his speech by imitating Musk’s arm gesture, joking with the crowd, many of whom reacted with laughter.
After, Robinson defended himself on X, where he posted a clip of the moment. “Today I received hundreds of nasty calls, texts, voicemails and emails today from very bitter, angry, vile leftists. They are often the very thing they accuse you of. I am not a Nazi. But I forgive you of your ignorance! My heart goes out to you!”
In a separate post, Robinson said that the gesture was taken out of context, stating it was meant to mock those who accused Musk of Nazi sympathies: “The joke at the end was a mockery of the hysterical ‘liberals’ who called Elon Musk a Nazi for quite clearly showing the audience his heart was with them. Context is key, but sometimes people ignore context to confirm their own prejudices. People see what they want to see." Robinson said joke was misunderstood. “My attempt at dry wit, in that typical British way, was not a joke at the expense of WWII, nor an admission of my membership in the National Socialist Party. That would be an incredibly ignorant and bad-faith assumption to make.”
Despite his explanations, the Anglican Catholic Church swiftly took action. In a statement posted on its website, the ACC’s College of Bishops acknowledged the controversy, stating, “In it, he closed his comments with a gesture that many have interpreted as a pro-Nazi salute. 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 church also revealed that Robinson had previously been warned against online trolling: “Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist.”
As a result, Robinson’s license to serve as a priest in the ACC was revoked. According to Rolling Stone, Robinson left the Church of England in 2022, accusing the church of rejecting him due to his politics. He briefly ministered with the Nordic Catholic Church before becoming a member of the ACC in 2024.
The statement said, “Furthermore, we understand that this is not just an administrative matter. The Holocaust was an episode of unspeakable horror, enacted by a regime of evil men. We condemn Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms. And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialize the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.”
Robinson responded on X with a follow-up post, saying that he had learned of his dismissal through social media.
"Yes, it does seem my license has been revoked. I cannot go into any detail yet because I have none. I am obedient to my bishops, and I have not heard from the Archbishop yet—so I do not know the situation or what I am able to share. I learned this the same way you did, via social media.”