Grimes says she is "happy to denounce Nazi-ism" after her ex, Elon Musk, was accused of giving a "Nazi salute".

The world's richest man - who is CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and chairperson of social media platform X - has been met with fierce backlash after delivering a salute which many people believed resembled the infamous gesture during his speech at a celebration following Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, January 20.

His former partner Grimes, 36, responded on X after a fan said they would unfollow the musician and have a tribute tattoo covered up over the controversy.

However, she replied: "While I deeply respect your concern - it is unhealthy that people are this upset when I have not even been online yet today and am only just learning about this controversy now.

"I don’t know what happened and I will not make a rash statement... It’s absurd that someone can be this cancelled for something their ex did before they even heard it happened.

"I am not him. I will not make a statement every time he does something. I can only send love back into a world that is hurting.”

Another follower asked her to clarify her own political position, and she responded: "I’m happy to denounce Nazi-ism - and the far alt right. Would that help clear things up?”

Grimes - who has three children with the 53-year-old businessman - admitted she felt "way in over [her] head" amid the backlash.

She continued: "I’ve just gotten out of breakfast and have to catch a flight and am still debating how to approach things diplomatically because I feel in over my head.

"But if there’s concern about that, I am happy to set the record straight in a meaningful way. If I don’t respond for another 5 hours it’s cus there’s no Wi-Fi on my flight."

Elon has addressed the controversy - which has included criticism from historians focussed on fascism and Nazism.

He argued on X: "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired."