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CBS Reporter Gets Axed After Public Outburst

A meteorologist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was let go from her position at WDJT-TV (Channel 58) after her social media comments critiqued an action by Elon Musk during a Trump inauguration event held at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Sam Kuffel, 31, who had dedicated over five years to the CBS affiliate, was relieved of her duties on January 22, 2025. This came after her Instagram posts concerning Musk. Her profile and picture were removed from the network’s website by the afternoon of the same day, following an email to staff members announcing her exit.

News director Jessie Garcia notified staff through an email that Kuffel is no longer an employee at CBS58 and that they were in the process of finding her replacement.

The incident took place at Capital One Arena during the celebrations of Trump’s presidential inauguration. Musk was one of the prominent speakers addressing Trump’s supporters. The controversial act occurred during a part of Musk’s speech when he was expressing unity with the audience. Musk has since made light of the allegations in his posts, without explicitly denying them.

The debate centers on Musk’s hand gesture during his speech on Monday, where the billionaire brought his hand to his chest and extended it straight out twice, saying, “My heart goes out to you.” The moment gained rapid attention online, with numerous neo-Nazi leaders sharing clips of the viral instance.

Kuffel’s initial Instagram post read, “Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration,” followed by, “You (expletive) with this and this man, I don’t (expletive) with you. Full stop.” She then shared a GIF from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” captioned, “Screw that old (expletive). He’s a Nazi.” By late Tuesday, Kuffel made her Instagram profile private.

The Anti-Defamation League, an organization focused on antisemitism and human rights, referred to Musk’s action as an “awkward gesture” and advised against drawing hasty conclusions. Other experts monitoring extremism stated that it was unclear what message Musk was trying to convey to Trump’s supporters.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, answered the criticism through various social media posts, although he did not directly deny the allegations. However, he did make light of the criticism and countered those suggesting he performed a Sieg Heil (Hitler) salute.

Conservative radio presenter Dan O’Donnell blamed Kuffel’s posts on Tuesday, accusing her of “spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute” and describing her posts as “vulgar.”

According to her LinkedIn profile, Kuffel started at Channel 58 over five years ago, earning a reputation as a popular local weather forecaster. She had previously made a name for herself at WAOW-TV (Channel 9) in Wausau, Wisconsin, before moving to Milwaukee following her graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2016. Her role extended beyond weather forecasting, as she was a regular on WRNW-FM (97.3), the all-sports radio station.

A representative from Weigel Broadcasting Co. confirmed Kuffel’s exit but did not elaborate, citing concerns over personnel privacy. Multiple attempts by the media to contact Kuffel on Wednesday via email, text, and phone were not successful.

The controversy has garnered international attention. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Musk, highlighting his support for Israel’s right to self-defense. Maye Musk, Elon Musk’s mother, also posted photos of other leaders making similar gestures, questioning the interpretation of such actions.

Kuffel’s departure coincides with larger industry shifts impacting local television meteorologists. She was recently quoted on CNN about the importance of local weather forecasters amid a wave of layoffs affecting weather teams nationwide. “Local meteorologists are essential to local news,” Kuffel wrote, expressing worry about the effect on community safety during severe weather events.

This incident underscores the growing complexity of the relationship between social media, traditional news outlets, and public personalities. While the Anti-Defamation League and other extremism monitors urge a careful examination of the context, the incident has ignited a broad debate about the duties of public-facing media figures and their use of social media platforms. The controversy surrounding the gesture further escalated as several neo-Nazi leaders shared clips of the viral moment from Musk’s speech.

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