politics19 hours ago
Samoa PM apologizes for 2007 video showing Nazi salute at family reunion
Samoa Prime Minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt issued an apology after a 2007 video surfaced showing him leading a Nazi salute and shouting 'Heil Hitler' at a family reunion. Schmidt, who took office in 2025, stated the clip was private and did not reflect his current beliefs, though he acknowledged the gesture was inappropriate. The controversy has drawn sharp criticism from historians and academics, who link the footage to concerns about authoritarianism and Schmidt’s recent ban on the Samoa Observer newspaper.