Politics is often a game of inches, but sometimes it’s a game of arm angles. On February 20, 2025, Steve Bannon walked onto the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and did something that nearly broke the internet before his speech was even over. Depending on who you ask, he was either waving a friendly "thank you" to a raucous crowd or dropping a full-blown Nazi salute in the middle of a political convention.
The clip went everywhere. You’ve probably seen it: Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and host of the War Room podcast, finishes a high-energy rant. He’s shouting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" He’s channeling the energy of Donald Trump’s defiant moment in Butler, Pennsylvania. Then, he snaps his right arm out, straight and stiff, palm flat, at a 45-degree angle. He holds it for a beat, pulls it back, and yells "Amen!"
Chaos followed. Within hours, European leaders were pulling out of the event, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) was issuing blistering statements, and Bannon was dismissively calling his critics "boys" who couldn't handle a simple wave. But was it just a wave?
The Gesture That Shook CPAC 2025
To understand why this specific moment blew up, you have to look at the timing. Bannon didn't just walk out and wave hello. The gesture happened at the absolute peak of his speech. He had spent twenty minutes hammering on familiar themes: the 2020 election, the January 6 "hoax," and a call for Trump to serve a third term—a move the U.S. Constitution currently forbids.
The crowd was already on its feet. When he threw his arm up, the visual was striking. For many viewers, it didn't look like a casual "hey there" wave. It looked like a Sieg Heil.
Critics, including Zeeshan Aleem at MSNBC and various monitors of extremist activity, pointed out that the mechanics of the gesture—the stiff arm, the flat palm, the sharp snap—are historically tied to the Nazi party. Bannon, a man who prides himself on being a "master of the narrative" and someone deeply steeped in historical imagery, surely knew how that would look on camera.
Why the ADL Jumped In
The Anti-Defamation League wasn't buying the "just a wave" defense. They’ve been tracking Bannon for years, documenting what they call his history of "stoking antisemitism and hate." Their statement on X (formerly Twitter) was blunt: they weren't surprised, just concerned about how this kind of behavior is being normalized in mainstream political spaces.
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The ADL’s reaction was actually more severe for Bannon than it was for Elon Musk. Just a month prior, Musk had made a similar gesture during an inauguration event for Donald Trump. In that case, the ADL called it an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm." With Bannon, they didn't give him that benefit of the doubt. They linked it directly to his "long and disturbing history."
The International Fallout: France Pulls the Plug
One of the most concrete consequences of the Steve Bannon Nazi salute controversy was the immediate reaction from abroad. Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old president of France’s National Rally (RN), was supposed to be a star speaker at CPAC. He’s the right-hand man to Marine Le Pen and a rising star in European right-wing politics.
Bardella was already in Washington, D.C. He wanted to build ties with the Trump administration. But after Bannon's speech, Bardella pulled the plug. He issued a statement saying a speaker had allowed himself a "gesture referring to Nazi ideology" as a "provocation." He didn't say Bannon's name, but everyone knew who he was talking about.
Bannon’s response? Typical Bannon. He told a French journalist that Bardella was "a boy, not a man" and "unworthy to lead France." He claimed he was just waving to the crowd exactly like he did years ago at a Front National event.
Honestly, the split between Bardella and Bannon highlights a weird tension in the global right. European parties like the National Rally have spent decades trying to "de-demonize" themselves—distancing themselves from their own historical ties to antisemitism and collaboration. For them, a Nazi-adjacent gesture isn't a "triggering" joke; it's a political death sentence. Bannon, meanwhile, seems to thrive on that exact edge.
Was it a "Roman Salute" or Just a Troll?
In the dark corners of the internet, the debate got even weirder. Some far-right influencers, like Nick Fuentes, actually expressed discomfort. Fuentes, who has openly shared antisemitic views, said in a livestream that the gesture was a "straight-up Roman salute" and that it was getting "a little uncomfortable even for me."
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Wait, what’s a Roman salute?
- The Myth: Some people claim this was a common greeting in ancient Rome.
- The Reality: Most historians say there's no evidence the Romans actually did this.
- The Fascist Connection: The gesture was actually popularized by Benito Mussolini’s Italian fascists in the 1920s and then adopted by Adolf Hitler.
So, calling it a "Roman salute" is basically a way to give it a historical "veneer" that feels less radioactive than saying "Nazi salute." But the visual effect is the same.
Bannon's Defense: The "It Was Just a Wave" Argument
Bannon hasn't budged an inch. He maintains that he was simply thanking the crowd. He told the Associated Press, "I do it at the end of all of my speeches to thank the crowd."
If you watch the full video of his CPAC appearance, he does walk around the stage later, waving more traditionally—moving his hand, arm less rigid. His defenders say the "salute" moment was just a split-second freeze-frame that looked bad, or that he was imitating the "Fight! Fight! Fight!" energy of Trump.
Matt Schlapp, the chairman of CPAC, stood by him. Schlapp pointed out that the conference had passed resolutions supporting Israel and opposing antisemitism. He basically argued that Bannon’s actions couldn't be hateful because the conference as a whole had taken those stances.
The Context of 2025 and 2026
It’s important to remember where Bannon was mentally and legally at this time. This happened in early 2025, just after Bannon had finished serving a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress. He was feeling defiant. He was also watching Elon Musk become the new "center of gravity" in Trump’s world.
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Some media analysts think Bannon was intentionally trying to out-provoke Musk. Musk had done the "awkward" version; Bannon did the "pro" version. It was a way to reclaim his spot as the ultimate MAGA firebrand.
What This Means for the Future of CPAC
CPAC used to be the place where mainstream Republicans like Mitt Romney or John McCain would go to prove their conservative bona fides. Now, it’s basically a MAGA pep rally. The Bannon incident is a symptom of that shift.
When a gesture that looks like a Nazi salute happens on stage and the response from the organizers is to defend the speaker while an international ally flees the room, it tells you exactly where the "center" of that movement has moved. It’s no longer about policy papers; it’s about vibe, provocation, and "triggering the libs."
How to Navigate the Noise
If you’re trying to make sense of these kinds of political firestorms, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the full clip: Don’t just look at a screenshot. Look at the speed of the arm movement, the hand position, and what was said immediately before and after.
- Look for the fallout: Usually, the most telling part of a political event is who stays and who leaves. When someone like Jordan Bardella—who is himself on the far right—leaves because a gesture is "too much," that’s a massive red flag.
- Consider the source: Bannon is a media strategist. He knows exactly how cameras work. He knows what a 45-degree arm angle looks like to a global audience.
- Check the "denial" pattern: Is the defense "I didn't do it" or "You're crazy for thinking I did it"? Bannon usually goes with the latter, which is a classic gaslighting tactic.
The Steve Bannon Nazi salute controversy isn't just a "did he or didn't he" moment. It's a look into the heart of a political movement that is increasingly comfortable flirting with the most radioactive symbols in history, all while claiming it's just a joke or a wave. Whether you believe him or not, the impact—the fractured alliances and the shock to the public system—is very real.
The best way to stay informed is to keep following the legal and political shifts of the key players. Bannon still faces various legal challenges in 2026, including state-level fraud charges in New York. Watching how those cases interact with his public persona will give you a much clearer picture of his ultimate goal than any single gesture on a stage ever could.