Fri Feb 21 20:25:22 UTC 2025: ## Far-Right Leader Cancels CPAC Speech After Bannon’s Controversial Gesture
**Washington D.C./Paris** – French far-right leader Jordan Bardella cancelled a scheduled speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington D.C. following a gesture made by conservative firebrand Steve Bannon that Bardella described as “alluding to Nazi ideology.”
Bannon, a key figure in Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, made the gesture during his CPAC speech on Thursday while discussing the possibility of a third Trump term. He extended his arm in a manner reminiscent of a Nazi salute, while urging the audience to “fight, fight, fight.”
Bannon vehemently denied the gesture was a Nazi salute, calling it a simple “wave to the crowd” in an interview with French publication *Le Point*. He further dismissed Bardella’s reaction, labeling the French politician a “wimp” and claiming his cancellation proved Bardella is “unworthy” of leading France.
Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN) party, was not present when the gesture occurred but stated in a Friday statement that he cancelled his speech immediately upon learning of the incident. He emphasized the seriousness of the gesture’s implication.
The incident echoes a similar gesture made last month by Elon Musk, which also drew comparisons to a Nazi salute. Bannon’s actions follow his four-month sentence last year for defying a Congressional subpoena related to the January 6th Capitol riot.
The cancellation highlights the ongoing tensions within the international far-right, and particularly the complex relationship between European and American right-wing movements. While Marine Le Pen, leader of the RN in the French Parliament, has increasingly sought to moderate the party’s image, incidents like this underscore the persistent presence of extremist views within its sphere of influence. Bardella himself had previously set limits to the RN’s support for Trump’s policies, stating in January that liking Trump’s patriotism “does not mean being the vassal of the United States.” The RN’s recent electoral successes in France, however, demonstrate the party’s growing power and the continuing relevance of its participation in international right-wing events.
First Piper 