Controversial Salute by Steve Bannon Leads to Cancellation of French Far-right Leader’s Speech

In the recent unfolding of events characterized by political tension, Jordan Bardella, the French far-right leader, has cancelled his planned address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. The cancellation follows an off-putting gesture made by Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former aide, that was seen by many as a fascist-style salute.

Bannon, who is credited with assisting Trump in his 2016 victory and presently hosts a popular rightwing podcast, concluded his CPAC speech with a gesture that has ignited controversy. With an outstretched arm, fingers pointed, and palm facing down, Bannon’s salute mirrored elements of the Nazi salute and a gesture Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, made during the US president’s second inauguration in January.

Following Bannon’s gesture, Bardella, from the hard-right National Rally party in France, decided to withdraw his participation from CPAC. He cited Bannon’s allusion to “Nazi ideology” as his primary reason. Bardella, who initially planned to discuss US-France relations, voiced his disapproval through a statement, explaining that the speaker’s provocative gesture forced him to cancel his event.

Interestingly, the gesture made during Bannon’s speech received applause from the audience at the US gathering. This response further highlights the polarizing views within the political landscape. Bannon’s comments, made directly after Musk, who has now superseded Bannon in Trump’s circle, also contributed to the overall charged atmosphere.

Bannon’s speech at the CPAC was characterized by defiant rhetoric indicative of the hard-right political stance. The phrase, “The only way that they win is if we retreat, and we are not going to retreat, we’re not going to surrender, we are not going to quit, we’re going to fight, fight, fight,” was used by Bannon as a rallying call against opponents, echoing Trump’s exhortation to supporters.

The Anti-Defamation League, an organization campaigning against antisemitism, describes the Nazi salute as Bannon performed it – “raising an outstretched right arm with the palm down.” Some rightwing supporters, without substantial evidence, have claimed that this salute originated in ancient Rome, a claim debunked by historians who have traced its adoption to Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini in the 1920s, and later, Hitler’s Nazi party in Germany.

The CPAC, once a traditional conservative conference, has now evolved into a Trump-centric rally. This was evident in Bannon’s speech, which sparked chants of “We want Trump,” and his own statement, “We want Trump in 28,” in reference to the upcoming 2028 elections.

Musk, on the other hand, brought a chainsaw onto the CPAC stage, symbolizing the slashing of federal jobs he is overseeing across multiple departments. This move, despite legal challenges and protests, was described by Musk as “the chainsaw for bureaucracy” and was handed to him by Argentina’s rightwing president, Javier Milei.

As these events continue to unfold, the political divide continues to widen. The implications of such divisive actions, like Bannon’s controversial salute, extend beyond the immediate audience and reverberate throughout the global political landscape.