Samoa PM Apologizes for Resurfaced Nazi Salute Video

Samoa’s Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has apologised after a video emerged showing him performing a Nazi salute and saying “heil Hitler” at a private family gathering in 2007. The Samoa Observer first reported the footage, which it said was a seven-second clip filmed at a family reunion on the island of Savai‘i. The newspaper reported that Schmidt, then a member of Parliament and deputy speaker, held a microphone and encouraged about 13 people to raise their right arms and repeat the phrase; the camera then showed others doing so. In a statement posted on social media, Schmidt said he recognised that the words and gesture were inappropriate and could cause offence and hurt, and apologised for using them. He said he rejected Nazism, antisemitism and racism, and that the episode did not reflect his beliefs or the values of Samoa’s government and people. He also affirmed his government’s commitment to constitutional democracy, human dignity and the rule of law. The article notes Schmidt’s German and Samoan heritage and the history of German rule in Western Samoa, now Samoa, from 1900 until World War I. It says German colonial rule left traces in buildings, infrastructure and families descended from German settlers. Schmidt became prime minister in 2025 after a snap election held following former prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa’s failure to pass the national budget. The report appeared two days after Schmidt’s government reaffirmed a ban on the Samoa Observer, preventing the paper from accessing the prime minister and covering government events and functions. The government press office had previously complained to the Media Council about articles it said breached media ethics. The Observer’s editor said the ban would not prevent the newspaper from doing its job. The Media Council had not yet issued its decision on the complaint.

The article reports that Samoa’s prime minister has apologised after a video of him resurfaced. The footage reportedly shows him leading a Nazi salute and saying “Heil Hitler” during a family gathering. The article identifies the setting as a family gathering and says the video resurfaced, but the supplied text does not name the prime minister, specify when or where the gathering took place, explain how or when the video first circulated, or provide the prime minister’s explanation or the wording of his apology. It also does not describe public, political, or official reactions, nor does it give further context about the circumstances surrounding the recording. The item is dated October 5, 2026, and is presented as an Al Jazeera Newsfeed video. Its central point is the apology following the renewed circulation of footage depicting the prime minister performing a Nazi salute and invoking Adolf Hitler. Because the provided article text is very brief, no additional details about consequences, responses, or subsequent developments can be reliably summarized.

Samoa Prime Minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt apologized after a video resurfaced showing him saying “Heil Hitler” and leading a Nazi salute at a family reunion in July 2007. The seven-second clip, reportedly filmed in Safotu on the island of Savai’i, shows Schmidt—then an MP and deputy speaker of parliament—calling “hip, hip!” as others answer “hooray,” before he tells the crowd to raise their right hands and say “Heil Hitler.” The Samoa Observer reported that about 13 people appear in the footage, but the clip does not reveal what happened immediately before or afterward. Schmidt was reportedly a main organizer and master of ceremonies for the reunion. In a statement issued through the prime minister’s office, Schmidt described the footage as historical, recorded at a private family gathering and not intended for public release. He said that whatever the context or intention, the words and gestures were inappropriate and could cause offence and hurt, and apologized for using them. He also rejected Nazism, antisemitism, racism, and political extremism, saying they do not reflect his beliefs or the values of Samoa’s government and people. The article notes that Schmidt has publicly expressed support for Israel. At his 2025 swearing-in as prime minister, he wore a Jewish prayer shawl and entered to a ceremonial shofar; he was quoted as saying, “I stand for Israel, the land of God.” The report also describes Samoa’s religious context, noting that Pacific nations such as Samoa often hold beliefs about Old Testament prophecy and the Jewish return to Israel. Schmidt emphasized Samoa’s constitutional democracy, respect for human dignity and institutions, and commitment to freedom of expression. He referred to national heroes who fought for independence from colonial rule, and said his government would continue working to strengthen the economy and create opportunities. He considered the matter addressed and said he remained focused on his responsibilities as prime minister.