Samoa PM Apologizes for Old Video Showing Nazi Salute

Samoa's Prime Minister, Laauli Le Tagaloa Schmidt, has apologized after an old video surfaced showing him giving a Nazi salute and saying "Heil Hitler" during a private family gathering in 2007. The seven-second clip, revealed by the Samoa Observer newspaper, was filmed when Schmidt was a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker. In the footage, Schmidt appears to be holding a microphone and asks attendees to raise their right hands, repeating the phrase "Heil Hitler," with about a dozen participants mirroring the gesture. Schmidt stated the video was from a private family event on Savai'i island and was not intended for public release. "Whatever the context or intention was at that gathering almost 20 years ago, I recognize that these words and gestures were inappropriate and could be hurtful and offensive, and I apologize for their use," he said, adding that he rejects "Nazism, antisemitism, racism, and any form of political extremism."

The controversy is particularly notable given Schmidt's strong pro-Israel stance. Upon taking office in September 2025, he wore a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) during his swearing-in ceremony, which also included the blowing of a shofar. He has since declared Samoa's unwavering support for Israel, calling it "the land of God's people," and pledged to open a Samoan embassy in Jerusalem by the end of 2026. This video's release occurs amidst a severe and ongoing dispute between Schmidt and the Samoa Observer, the country's largest press group. Since November, the newspaper's journalists have been barred from attending government press conferences and events following Schmidt's accusations of misleading coverage. Last Friday, the Prime Minister confirmed an aide deleted photos from a reporter's camera taken outside government buildings during an official event, which Schmidt defended as the newspaper violating its ban. The Samoa Journalists Association expressed deep concern, while the newspaper called the government ban "authoritarian."

Samoa is a small Pacific island nation with approximately 220,000 inhabitants. Support for Israel is common among some Pacific island nations due to their deep Christian traditions. Three Pacific island countries have opened embassies in Jerusalem since September 2023, with Samoa's government intending to join them. Samoa also has historical ties to Germany, having been under German rule in the early 20th century until World War I, before being occupied by New Zealand in 1914. The country gained independence in 1962. Schmidt himself is of Samoan and German descent.