A video of Samoa’s prime minister giving a Nazi salute at a 2007 family gathering has sparked a debate about political accountability and press freedom.

The Samoa Observer obtained a seven‑second clip filmed at a private family reunion on the island of Savai'i in 2007. In the video, Laulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt raises his right hand, says “heil Hitler” and performs a Nazi salute.

Schmidt later posted an apology on social media, saying the words and gesture were inappropriate, could cause offence, and that he rejects Nazism, antisemitism and racism. He emphasized that the incident does not reflect his personal beliefs or the values of the Samoan government.

Schmidt, who is of mixed German and Samoan descent, served as deputy speaker of Parliament in 2007. He rose to the premiership in 2025 after a snap election that followed the previous prime minister’s failure to pass the national budget.

Soon after the clip surfaced, his administration reaffirmed a ban on the Samoa Observer, preventing the newspaper from attending press conferences or covering official events. Critics say the move threatens press freedom and reduces scrutiny of the leader’s actions.

Germany ruled Western Samoa from 1900 until the First World War, leaving a lasting imprint on the islands’ architecture, infrastructure and families with German ancestry. The historical link adds another layer to the controversy surrounding Schmidt’s gesture.