Politics in the 2020s feels like a fever dream that never actually breaks. Honestly, if you blinked during the first quarter of 2025, you might have missed one of the loudest, most chaotic media cycles in recent memory. It centered on a single, split-second gesture. We’re talking about the Steve Bannon Nazi salute controversy that exploded at CPAC 2025.
It wasn't just a Twitter spat. This thing had actual international diplomatic consequences.
One minute, Steve Bannon is on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, doing his usual firebrand routine. The next, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally is canceling his speech and fleeing back across the Atlantic. People were losing their minds. Was it a calculated "dog whistle," a weird "Roman salute," or just a guy waving to a crowd of fans?
Let’s get into the weeds of what actually went down on that stage and why everyone is still arguing about it.
The Moment Everything Went Sideways
It happened on Thursday evening, February 20, 2025. Bannon was wrapping up a high-energy speech where he was basically acting as the hype man for a third Trump term. He was leaning into the "War Room" persona that his followers love.
The room was electric. Bannon shouted "Fight! Fight! Fight!"—the now-iconic phrase Donald Trump used after the Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt. As the crowd roared, Bannon snapped his right arm out. It was straight, at a 45-degree angle, with his palm flat and facing downward.
He held it for a beat. Then he dropped it and yelled "Amen."
If you’ve seen the video, the motion is fast. It’s sharp. It lacks the loose, swaying motion of a typical "hello" or "goodbye" wave. This is exactly why the Steve Bannon Nazi salute allegations took flight within minutes of him leaving the podium. To a lot of people watching, it didn't look like a greeting. It looked like a "Sieg Heil."
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Why the Anti-Defamation League Stepped In
The backlash was instant and heavy. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which tracks extremist behavior, didn't mince words. They defined the gesture as "raising an outstretched right arm with the palm down." According to their experts, the physical mechanics matched the historical Nazi salute perfectly.
ADL leadership expressed deep concern over what they called the "normalization" of this kind of imagery. They pointed out Bannon’s long history of platforming fringe elements through Breitbart and his podcast. For them, this wasn't an isolated accident; it was part of a pattern.
But here’s where it gets kinda complicated.
Just a month earlier, Elon Musk had been caught in a similar firestorm. At an inauguration event in January 2025, Musk made a gesture that many also labeled a Nazi salute. Musk's camp called it an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm." Interestingly, the ADL actually gave Musk a bit of a pass, concluding his was likely unintentional.
Bannon didn't get that same benefit of the doubt. Critics argued that Bannon, a master of media optics and historical symbolism, knew exactly how that gesture would be perceived.
The International Fallout: Jordan Bardella Quits
The most shocking part of this saga wasn't the American media reaction. It was the French reaction.
Jordan Bardella, the president of France’s National Rally, was supposed to be the star European guest at CPAC. He was already in Washington, D.C., ready to go. But after the footage of the Steve Bannon Nazi salute hit the wires, Bardella pulled the plug.
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He put out a statement saying he wouldn't share a stage with someone using "gestures referring to Nazi ideology."
Think about that for a second. Bardella is a leader of the French "far-right." He’s someone Bannon has supported for years. But even Bardella felt the gesture was radioactive. It shows a massive divide: the European right spent decades trying to scrub away any association with 1940s fascism, while some in the American MAGA movement seem to enjoy "triggering" people with that exact imagery.
Bannon’s Defense: "It Was Just a Wave"
Bannon, for his part, wasn't apologizing. He talked to a journalist from Le Point and later the Associated Press, basically calling the whole thing ridiculous.
His side of the story?
- It was a "wave" he does at the end of every speech.
- He claimed he’d used the same gesture seven years prior at a Front National event in France.
- He dismissed Bardella as "a boy, not a man" for canceling.
Bannon’s supporters jumped in to defend him, too. CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp stood by him, pointing to resolutions the conference passed in support of Israel. The argument from the pro-Bannon camp is basically: "How can he be a Nazi if he supports the Jewish state?"
They see the accusations as a "dirty trick" or a "reach" by a desperate media. They argue that if you freeze-frame any person waving, you can make them look like they’re doing a salute.
The "Roman Salute" Argument
Inside certain corners of the internet, the conversation took an even weirder turn. Some far-right influencers, like Nick Fuentes, didn't shy away from the comparison. Fuentes called it a "straight-up Roman salute" and even admitted it was "getting a little uncomfortable" for him.
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Historians usually point out that the "Roman salute" is mostly a myth. There’s no real evidence the ancient Romans actually did it. It was actually popularized by Italian fascists under Mussolini in the 1920s and then adopted by Hitler.
So, calling it a "Roman salute" doesn't really get someone off the hook. It just shifts the reference from German fascism to Italian fascism.
What You Should Take Away
Whether you think the Steve Bannon Nazi salute was a deliberate provocation or a poorly timed wave depends entirely on how much you trust Bannon’s intent. There is no smoking gun "confession," but the visual similarity was enough to cause a genuine rift in global right-wing politics.
Here is the reality of the situation:
- Context is King: The gesture happened right after a "Fight! Fight! Fight!" chant, a phrase rooted in political combativeness.
- Optics Matter: In politics, what things look like is often more important than what they are. For a savvy operator like Bannon, appearing to do a fascist salute is either a massive blunder or a calculated attempt to dominate the news cycle.
- The Bardella Shift: The fact that a French right-wing leader felt the need to distance himself tells you that this wasn't just "liberal outrage." It was a bridge too far for many conservatives as well.
If you’re trying to stay informed in this hyper-polarized environment, your best bet is to watch the raw footage yourself rather than relying on a 280-character summary. Check the angles. Look at the speed of the arm movement. Most importantly, look at the reaction of the people in the room. They weren't shocked; they were cheering.
The next time a viral gesture hits your feed, remember the Bannon incident. It's a masterclass in how a three-second clip can redefine a person's reputation and alienate their own allies in a heartbeat. Stick to the primary sources and keep an eye on how different political factions use these "moments" to fundraise or attack. That’s where the real story usually hides.