Did Steve Bannon Flash A Nazi Salute? Former White House Strategist Breaks Silence

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon has responded to accusations that he performed a Nazi salute at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Speaking to the Daily Mail, Bannon strongly denied the allegations, blaming the liberal media for misinterpreting his gesture during his speech at the event held just outside Washington, DC.

“That was a wave to the crowd,” Bannon told the Daily Mail. “And it shows you how petrified, particularly, the Daily Mail,” he added, dismissing the claims as baseless.

Defending Himself and MAGA Supporters

The 71-year-old expressed frustration over the accusations, calling them an insult to the crowd of MAGA supporters who had gathered at CPAC. According to Bannon, the allegations are part of a larger trend of media outlets misrepresenting right-wing figures and their actions.

“Once again, this is the left-wing media insulting these people,” Bannon stated. “The speech was about them. They have to understand something: These people can’t be bought, they can’t be defeated.”

The accusations against Bannon come just weeks after Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was similarly accused of making a Nazi salute during former President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

Calls for a Third Trump Term Stir Controversy

During his CPAC speech on Friday, Bannon energized the crowd by making a highly controversial statement advocating for an unconstitutional third term for Trump. “The future of America is MAGA, OK? And the future of MAGA is Donald J. Trump. We want Trump in ’28. That’s what they can’t stand.”

Bannon further praised Trump, calling him a once-in-a-lifetime leader. “A man like Trump comes along only once or twice in a country‘s history, right?” he said, leading the audience to erupt into chants of “we want Trump.”

As he concluded his fiery address, Bannon made a quick wave to the audience after shouting, “Fight, fight, fight.” It was this moment that many critics online have pointed to as the alleged Nazi salute.

Viral Backlash on Social Media

Videos and photos from Bannon’s CPAC speech quickly went viral, with many netizens accusing him of using extremist imagery. Joshua Reed Eakle, president of the Project Liberal organization, took to social media to condemn Bannon’s actions.

“Steve Bannon, after calling for Trump to be President for life, did a Nazi salute on stage at CPAC,” Eakle wrote.

He went on to claim that the GOP has fully embraced far-right ideology, saying, “Nazism has officially taken over the GOP. The few remaining conservatives have a choice: either leave the party and obstruct it—or choose to be complicit.”