'Deeply Concerning': Former Trump Strategist Steve Bannon 'Flashes Nazi Salute' During Conservative Conference — Just Weeks After Elon Musk Made Similar Gesture

While riling up the conservative crowd at the end of his speech Thursday night, Bannon urged followers to "fight, fight, fight!" Then he paused, took a step back, and shot his right arm high into the sky at an angle that seemed pretty unmistakable.

The display had instant ramifications. On Friday, French far-right leader Jordan Bardella canceled his speech at the CPAC, after what he described as a Nazi salute by a speaker, an apparent reference to Bannon.

In a statement, Bardella said: "At this podium yesterday, while I was not present in the room, one of the speakers allowed himself, as a provocation, a gesture referring to Nazi ideology. Consequently, I made the immediate decision to cancel my intervention scheduled for this afternoon at the event."

Bannon, 71, later denied he had made a Nazi salute, telling a French journalist it was actually just a "wave."

The podcaster blasted Bardella's reaction, saying: "If he's that worried about it and wets himself like a little child, then he is unworthy and will never lead France."

But Bardella wasn't the only one to take offense. Critics swarmed social media, including X, where one person shared the clip and said: "Steve Bannon, after calling for Trump to be President for life, did a Nazi salute on stage at CPAC. 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."

Another person agreed: "Steve Bannon does a NAZI salute at the end of his CPAC speech. Someone try and convince me that he didn’t."

A third called it: "Deeply disturbing," while another said it was "Doncerning."

A fourth pointed out: "First Musk. Now Steve Bannon. America. You have a Nazi problem. I say this with no exaggeration."