Samoa PM apologises after video shows him making Nazi gesture, saying Heil Hitler

Prime Minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt of Samoa has expressed regret after a video surfaced showing him making a Nazi gesture and uttering the phrase "Heil Hitler" during a private family gathering that occurred nearly two decades ago. Schmidt clarified in a statement that the footage was not meant for public viewing and that the context and intent behind his actions at the gathering were not appropriate.

He acknowledged that using those words and gesture could cause offense and hurt, and apologized for his actions. Schmidt, who has previously endorsed Israel and pledged to open an embassy in Jerusalem by year's end, emphasized his opposition to Nazism, antisemitism, racism, and other forms of political extremism. Notably, he donned a Jewish prayer shawl during his swearing-in ceremony as prime minister in 2025, vowing to support Israel, the "land of God."

Samoa, a deeply religious Pacific nation, holds beliefs in Old Testament prophecy, which foretells the eventual return of Jews to the Land of Israel.