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What Does Elon Musk's '14 Flags' Post Mean? Theories About The Controversial Meaning Of The 14 American Flag Emojis Explained
It seems like every day there's a new controversy surrounding Elon Musk, but the latest one is nothing to scoff at.
In the wake of Musk's infamous "salute moment" last month, the billionaire X / Twitter owner is now facing accusations of alluding to a white supremacist slogan after posting 14 flags on the app.
But what is the meaning of the "14 American flag Emojis" and why are some relating it to white supremacy? Here's what you need to know about Musk's latest controversy.
What Is The Meaning Of The '14 Flags' Posts?
Since as early as December 2024, Elon Musk has routinely responded to posts supporting President Donald Trump and conservative political viewpoints with 14 consecutive U.S. flag Emojis.
Sometimes Musk adds a message to these responses, and other times, he simply comments with the flags. This may seem innocuous or random at first, but the repeated usage of exactly 14 flags has raised a red flag for some online.
Various people have recently been theorizing that the 14 flags are a reference to the so-called "14 words," also known as 1488.
The 14 words refer to the white supremacist slogan, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children," which consists of 14 words and 88 letters. This is a well-known way for white supremacists to signal to one another and, in combination with Musk's recent salute moment, have some convinced that Musk is signaling to these people — though there's nothing to explicitly prove this.
How Are People Reacting To Musk's 14 Flags Posts?
People started to take notice of the 14 flags in February 2025 after the President posted, "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law." Musk responded to the post with his 14 flags, and soon enough, Redditors and X users alike spread the theory that it related to the 14 words.
While the theory is not proven, many are hopping on board with it due to the other purported evidence of Musk's alleged ties to white supremacy, with the main one being his contentious saluting gesture at the inauguration in January.
Others are more skeptical, suggesting it's just a coincidence and Musk isn't aware of the connection, perhaps merely doing it to fill the full width of his phone with the Emojis on a tweet, among other theories. Since the controversy started, Musk has continued to use the 14 flags.
For the full history of the 14 flags posts, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
