Former strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, caused controversy at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland after appearing to make a Nazi-style salute during his speech. According to The Independent, Bannon raised his hand to the side in a stiff, outstretched gesture that many perceived as a Nazi salute.
The incident occurred after Bannon urged the CPAC audience to “fight, fight, fight,” prompting applause. In response, he nodded and said, “Amen,” before making the controversial gesture. The gesture quickly attracted attention, as it seemed to have no other obvious meaning than what it appeared to represent.
In response to the incident, French far-right leader Jordan Bardella canceled his scheduled speech at the event. Bardella, leader of the National Rally (RN) party, cited Bannon’s gesture, which he deemed an allusion to Nazi ideology, as the reason for his decision. Bardella said, “I was invited to speak about the relationship between the United States and France, as well as the recent electoral dynamics of patriotic parties in Europe. However, after witnessing a provocative gesture that alluded to Nazi ideology, I made the decision to cancel my speech.”
Bardella, who took over the leadership of RN from Marine Le Pen in 2022, is also a member of the European Parliament.
