Samoa's Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has issued an apology after a 2007 family video surfaced in which he performs a Nazi salute and says "Heil Hitler".
The seven‑second clip shows the then deputy speaker leading a dozen family members in the salute, a gesture widely condemned worldwide.
Schmidt said the video was taken at a private gathering and was "not intended for the public", adding that his words and gesture were "inappropriate and capable of causing offence and hurt".
In a Facebook statement he rejected Nazism, antisemitism, racism and all forms of political extremism, pledging that Samoa stands with Israel.
The incident, highlighted by a Samoa Observer report, illustrates how old footage can resurface to reignite controversies in a globally connected media landscape.
Schmidt, who has Samoan and German heritage, was sworn in September 2025. His support for Israel, evidenced by wearing a Jewish prayer shawl at his swearing‑in, underscores his pro‑Israel stance.
Samoa, a small Pacific nation of 221,000 people that was once German‑colonised, now faces scrutiny over the conduct of its leaders.
