OXON HILL, Md. — Steve Bannon found himself in the spotlight after allegedly making a Nazi salute while concluding his speech at a conservative event where former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak this weekend. Bannon defended his action on Friday, insisting that the gesture was simply a “wave.”
Bannon, who previously served as Trump’s chief strategist and played a significant role in the 2016 Republican campaign, was on stage during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside Washington, D.C., when he raised his right arm with a flat palm. This occurred after he urged attendees to “Fight! Fight! Fight!”—a phrase reportedly echoing Trump’s outburst following an assassination attempt during last year’s campaign in Pennsylvania.
The action quickly drew criticism due to its resemblance to the historical right-arm salute associated with Nazi Germany and its affiliates. In a statement on X, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which monitors antisemitism and human rights, expressed concern about Bannon’s history of promoting hate and violence. They remarked that such behavior’s normalization is alarming, stating, “We are not surprised, but are concerned about the normalization of this behavior.”
In response to the controversy, French far-right leader Jordan Bardella announced he had canceled his scheduled speech at CPAC, referring to Bannon’s gesture as “a gesture referring to Nazi ideology.” Bardella stated in a written message, “While I was not present in the room, one of the speakers allowed himself, out of provocation, a gesture referring to Nazi ideology. As a consequence, I made the immediate decision to cancel my speech.”
Conversing with a journalist from Le Point Magazine on Friday, Bannon argued that his gesture was misinterpreted, asserting it was merely a wave, a customary act he performs at the conclusion of his speeches to acknowledge the audience. “I do it at the end of all of my speeches to thank the crowd,” Bannon explained.
Bannon was critical of Bardella’s cancellation, labeling him as “unworthy to lead France” and implying that the French politician’s decision to withdraw showed a lack of maturity. He emphasized, “If he canceled because I waved to the crowd like I did at the Front National seven years ago … he’s not a man and he will never be the leader of France.”
On social media, some far-right commentators suggested that Bannon’s gesture was intentionally provocative to upset liberals and the media, while others distanced themselves from him. Far-right influencer Nick Fuentes, known for his antisemitic rhetoric, remarked during a livestream that he found Bannon’s gesture “a little uncomfortable even for me.”
Bannon’s speech included repeated false claims about the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden, as he continued to advocate for Trump to pursue a third presidential term, a move prohibited by the Constitution. He concluded by saying, “The future of America is MAGA. And the future of MAGA is Donald J. Trump. We want Trump in ’28!”
Bannon is not the only figure within Trump’s circle to face scrutiny over gestures. Recently, Trump advisor Elon Musk faced backlash after making an unclear hand motion during a speech at an event celebrating Trump’s inauguration. Extremist monitors had difficulty discerning Musk’s intent, with the ADL stating that it was not a Nazi salute. Musk later insinuated that his critics needed to come up with more original attacks, dismissing the allegations. “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he commented on social media.
Marshall Lerner, a Jewish conservative who attended CPAC and did not witness Bannon’s actions, expressed concern over the tendency to equate Trump’s Make America Great Again movement with Nazi ideology. He criticized this approach as “silly” and “ridiculous,” suggesting it lacked merit. “It’s like saying if the Nazis got up in the morning and they ate breakfast and Trump got up in the morning and ate breakfast, he is doing things that the Nazis are doing,” he stated.
CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp supported Bannon, highlighting his participation in resolutions promoting strong support for Israel and opposition to antisemitism as the conference commenced. “I stand w Israel and Bannon,” Schlapp declared, defending his colleague. This year’s conference, hosted in Oxon Hill, Maryland, features numerous notable conservative leaders and various former Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who spoke earlier that Thursday.
