Content warning: This story contains discussion of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism.
X, formerly, Twitter, has caught itself in another storm after an ad featuring Adolf Hitler, swastika armband on full display, smiling among a group of children was found on the platform.
The accompanying text mocking “gentiles” for believing well-documented historical facts about the Holocaust, suggesting that only a fool would trust teachers or museum guides.
This wasn’t just another algorithmically boosted post from a premium user; this was a paid advertisement—one that X allowed to be promoted across the platform. The account behind it, “Nixon Groyper,” is both a nod to both to former US President and arch-neo liberal Richard Nixon and the neo-Nazi “Groyper” movement, a far-right, white nationalist extremist group founded by American far-right political pundit Nick Fuentes.
The ad was eventually removed. But it wasn’t removed because it violated X’s terms of service—because, technically, it didn’t. The platform’s policies prohibit direct attacks based on race, religion, or ethnicity – which, this ad did not literally do (although we all get what was being said). The @NixonGroyper account was also suspended.
So why was it taken down? Most likely because it would add to the storm of scrutiny the X owner is facing from advertisers and journalists, especially given his new role in the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Musk took the reins at X, he has all but gutted its moderation team, reinstated banned extremists, and turned “free speech” into a catchall excuse for letting hate speech flourish. A pro-Hitler ad making its way into people’s feeds isn’t an anomaly—it’s a natural consequence of the platform’s new reality.
This ad, however, seems to plumb new depths. It wasn’t just an algorithmic recommendation or a post from a premium account given extra reach through a paid subscription. This was a paid advertisement, meaning the platform actively facilitated its spread.
This incident isn’t just about one horrifying ad. It’s about what X has become: a platform where paying for reach trumps any meaningful content moderation, where hate speech masquerades as free expression, and where extremists can amplify their message without much resistance.
X’s transformation from a mainstream social media platform to a far-right echo chamber has been well documented. But when you reach the point where a pro-Hitler ad can be paid for and distributed without immediate intervention, the question isn’t just how did this happen?—it’s how much worse will it get?
