Samoa prime minister apologises over leaked video of 'Heil Hitler' and Nazi gesture
Samoa's prime minister, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, apologised after the Samoa Observer obtained video of him saying "Heil Hitler" and making a Nazi gesture at a private family gathering in 2007. He said the words and gesture were inappropriate and that he rejects Nazism and antisemitism.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Samoa's prime minister, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, apologised on Monday 5 October after video surfaced showing him saying "Heil Hitler" and making a Nazi gesture. South China Morning PostN “Samoa’s prime minister apologised on Monday after video surfaced showing him saying “Heil Hitler” and making a Nazi gesture.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ ABC News (Australia)LC “Samoa's prime minister has apologised after video emerged showing him giving a Nazi salute while saying "heil Hitler".” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗ Mixed · 2In a statement, Schmidt said the footage came from a private family gathering about 20 years ago that was not meant for the public. ABC News (Australia) reports the statement said the gathering was in Savai'i in 2007. South China Morning PostN “Prime Minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt said the footage was from a family gathering almost 20 years old and was never meant to see the light of day.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ ABC News (Australia)LC “the video was recorded at a private family gathering in Savai'i in 2007 and was not intended for the public.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗ Mixed · 2He said: "I recognise that those words and gesture were inappropriate and capable of causing offence and hurt, and I apologise for using them." He also said: "I reject Nazism, antisemitism, racism and all forms of political extremism." South China Morning PostN ““I reject Nazism, antisemitism, racism and all forms of political extremism,” he said.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ ABC News (Australia)LC “"I recognise that those words and gesture were inappropriate and capable of causing offence and hurt and I apologise for using them," he said.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗
Left · 1According to the Samoa Observer, which first reported the video on Sunday, the 7-second clip shows Schmidt holding a microphone and encouraging a group of about 13 people to raise their right hands and say the phrase. The camera reportedly pans across others repeating it with their right arms raised. ABC News (Australia)LC “the 7-second clip shows Mr Leuatea Schmidt holding a microphone in his left hand before encouraging a group of about 13 people to raise their right hands and say the phrase.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗ Left · 1Schmidt said the words and gesture do not reflect his personal beliefs or the values of the government or people of Samoa. He said his government remains committed to a constitutional democracy founded on respect for human dignity and the rule of law. ABC News (Australia)LC “"They do not reflect my personal beliefs, nor the values of the Government or people of Samoa as in the public record of statements I made since becoming Prime Minister."”“Mr Leuatea Schmidt said his government remained committed to a constitutional democracy founded on respect for human dignity and the rule of law.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗ Left · 1Schmidt has German and Samoan heritage. He was deputy speaker of Parliament in 2007, having won a seat in the general election the year before. He became prime minister in 2025 after a snap election, following former prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa's failure to pass the national budget. ABC News (Australia)LC “Mr Leuatea Schmidt — who has German and Samoan heritage — said he rejected Nazism, antisemitism and racism in all forms.”“He became prime minister in 2025 following a snap election after former prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa failed to pass the national budget.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗
Centre · 1AFP, carried by the South China Morning Post, notes that Schmidt has voiced staunch support for Israel and has committed to opening an embassy in Jerusalem before the end of the year. It adds that he wore a Jewish prayer shawl at his 2025 swearing-in and said then, according to local media: "I stand for Israel, the land of God." South China Morning PostN “Schmidt has previously voiced his staunch support for Israel and has committed to opening an embassy in Jerusalem before the end of the year.”“He wore a Jewish prayer shawl when he was sworn in as prime minister in 2025, entering the room to the sound of a ceremonial shofar horn.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Left · 1ABC News (Australia) notes that the report came two days after Schmidt's government reaffirmed a ban on the Samoa Observer, which bars the paper from the prime minister and from coverage of government events. The Government Press Secretariat had earlier complained to the Media Council that some of the paper's articles breached media ethics standards, and the Council's decision has not been released. ABC News (Australia)LC “The report was published two days after Mr Leuatea Schmidt's government reaffirmed a ban on the Samoa Observer, barring the newspaper access to the prime minister and coverage of government events and functions.”“The Media Council's decision on the matter has not yet been released.” Read at ABC News (Australia) ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- ABC News (Australia) leads with the apology and gives details of the clip and its source, the Samoa Observer. It puts the story in the context of the government's ban on that newspaper.
- Emphasis
- The clip's details, Schmidt's background and Samoa's German colonial history, and the press freedom dispute.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Schmidt's pro-Israel stance or the planned Jerusalem embassy.
- Charged language
- “Nazi salute”“hailing Adolf Hitler”
- For example
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“The report was published two days after Mr Leuatea Schmidt's government reaffirmed a ban on the Samoa Observer” — ABC News (Australia)
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- AFP copy carried by the SCMP leads with the apology and sets it against Schmidt's strongly pro-Israel record, including the planned Jerusalem embassy and the prayer shawl at his swearing-in.
- Emphasis
- Schmidt's pro-Israel stance and the religious context in Pacific nations.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Samoa Observer as the source, the 2007 date, the 7-second clip details or the dispute over the paper's ban.
- Charged language
- “Nazi gesture”
- For example
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“Pro-Israel Samoa prime minister apologises for Nazi gesture in leaked video” — South China Morning Post
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Schmidt apologised on 5 October 2026 after video emerged of him saying 'Heil Hitler' and making a Nazi gesture.
- He said the footage was from a private family gathering about 20 years ago, not intended for the public.
- He called the words and gesture inappropriate and capable of causing offence and hurt, and said he rejects Nazism and antisemitism.
La'auli Leuatea Schmidt person
Apologises, calling the words and gesture inappropriate and capable of causing offence. He says the video was a private family moment that does not reflect his beliefs, and that he rejects Nazism, antisemitism and racism.
““I reject Nazism, antisemitism, racism and all forms of political extremism,” he said.” — South China Morning Post
“"They do not reflect my personal beliefs, nor the values of the Government or people of Samoa” — ABC News (Australia)
East and Southeast Asia1 outlet
The SCMP, running AFP copy, stresses Schmidt's pro-Israel politics and religious context.
“Deeply religious Pacific nations like Samoa hold strong beliefs in Old Testament prophecy” — South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
Oceania1 outlet
ABC Australia stresses the clip's details, Samoa's German history and the government's dispute with the Samoa Observer.
“Germany controlled Western Samoa — now known as Samoa — from 1900 until World War I.” — ABC News (Australia)
ABC News (Australia)
Left2 articles
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Samoan PM apologises for 'heil Hitler' salute at family event in 2007
Neutral Detailed account of the clip and its source, set against the government's ban on the Samoa Observer.
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Centre1 article
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South China Morning PostN · · via AFP
Pro-Israel Samoa prime minister apologises for Nazi gesture in leaked video
Neutral AFP wire copy that pairs the apology with Schmidt's prominent pro-Israel record.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 03:57 First South China Morning PostN Pro-Israel Samoa prime minister apologises for Nazi gesture in leaked video via AFP
- 5 Oct 04:59 +1h 1m ABC News (Australia)LC Samoan PM apologises for 'heil Hitler' salute at family event in 2007
- 5 Oct 06:08 +2h 11m Al JazeeraLC Samoa PM apologises after Nazi salute video emerges
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.