Flyers have appeared around parts of Arlington County, Virginia, seemingly promoting the county’s Republican organization — but the group warns they are fake.
The Arlington County Republican Committee posted an image of one of the flyers on social media, telling the public they were not responsible for it.
The flyer featured the phrases “Make Arlington Great Again” and “Join the ArlGOP,” along with a photo of Elon Musk at a rally when he raised his hand in a way that some said resembled a Nazi salute.
“The Arlington GOP did not post these flyers,” said Matthew Hurtt, chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee. “It says ‘Join the ArlGOP,’ which is not how we stylize our name, and it is not a poster that we’ve put up.”
Elon Musk’s hand gesture at a rally in January sparked controversy.
“I just want to say, ‘Thank you,’ for making it happen,” Musk said during a speech at Capital One Arena, referring to Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election. He then slapped his right hand on his chest and extended his arm straight out and up with his palm facing downward.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said after turning around to make a similar gesture in the opposite direction.
Arlington leftists are RATTLED by the work we’re doing, so they’re posting anonymous defamatory posters claiming to be the Arlington GOP.
This Committee does not advertise by vandalizing public spaces, and we do not stylize our committee name this way.
This is a fake ad. pic.twitter.com/lPjpQFZrx0
— Arlington GOP (@goparlington) February 24, 2025
Many social media users noted that the gesture resembled a Nazi salute.
The Anti-Defamation League, an antisemitism and human rights watchdog, called it an “awkward gesture” and urged caution in jumping to conclusions. Other extremism monitors and experts pointed out it was unclear what Musk was trying to convey to the crowd of Trump’s supporters by thrusting his arm out.
Hurtt said the flyers have been plastered on streetlights and other locations, particularly in Arlington’s Courthouse neighborhood. While he blamed “leftist activists” for posting the flyers, it’s not clear who actually put them up.
“These are leftist activists who are upset about President Trump winning the White House and upset that Arlington Republicans are as involved and as organized as we are,” Hurtt said.
He called the flyers “defamatory and derogatory” and said his group is taking action.
“I’m doing what I can to raise awareness, to let people know that we are not the ones who posted those flyers and that we are taking swift action to hold those individuals accountable,” Hurtt said.
He said that his organization believes it knows who is responsible, and is pursuing a campaign disclosure violation complaint with Virginia state officials, which could result in fines for those involved.
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