Steve Bannon's CPAC Gesture Draws Nazi Salute

The former Trump advisor denies accusations of invoking Nazi imagery, but fallout includes backlash from far-right figures and event cancellations.

Steve Bannon's extended arm gesture during his CPAC speech has been widely criticized as resembling a Nazi salute, though he denies the accusation, calling it a wave to his audience.
French far-right leader Jordan Bardella canceled his CPAC appearance, citing Bannon's gesture as a provocative reference to Nazi ideology.
The controversy follows a similar incident involving Elon Musk at Trump's second inauguration, raising concerns about the normalization of fascist imagery in conservative spaces.
Prominent white nationalist figures, including Nick Fuentes and Richard Spencer, expressed discomfort, with some calling the gesture excessive and performative.
The incident has sparked heated debate online, with critics condemning the gesture as dangerous and others dismissing the backlash as overblown or politically motivated.