Bardella cancels CPAC speech over Bannon's controversial salute
Jordan Bardella, leader of the French National Rally, canceled his speech at the CPAC conference in Washington after Steve Bannon's gesture reminiscent of a Nazi salute.
Jordan Bardella, leader of the French National Rally (RN), decided to cancel his speech at the CPAC conference in Washington. This decision was in response to a gesture made by Steve Bannon, former advisor to President Donald Trump, which resembled a Nazi salute. AFP reported this information.
Scandal grows? Bardella refuses to speak in the USA
Bardella had a speech planned about the relations between the USA and France and strengthening patriotic parties in Europe. However, in a communication on Friday, he announced that he would withdraw from the event.
Bardella explained that on Thursday, while he was not present in the room, a speaker on stage made a provocative gesture linked to Nazi ideology. As a result, he immediately decided to cancel his scheduled speech for the afternoon, though he did not directly name Bannon.
During the first day of the CPAC conference, Steve Bannon, who led Trump's election campaign in 2016, asked the crowd whether they were ready to fight for the president, the republic, and the USA. He urged the crowd not to give up, emphasizing that this was the only way to achieve victory. "We must fight, fight, fight," Bannon shouted, then made a gesture resembling a Roman salute. He also added, "Amen. God bless you. You are wonderful."
This is not the first time people associated with Trump have made similar gestures. In January, at one of the events accompanying the new president's inauguration, Elon Musk, a close associate of Trump, made a gesture that also sparked controversy.
Neither Jordan Bardella nor Marine Le Pen, leader of the RN faction in the National Assembly, was present at Trump's inauguration on January 20. Despite this, Bardella has repeatedly expressed admiration for the former US president.
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