Schmidt acknowledged the footage in a statement issued Oct. 5 after it was reported publicly. He said the video was recorded at a private family gathering in Savaiʻi and that, regardless of the context or intention at the time, the words and gesture were inappropriate and capable of causing offense and hurt.

“I apologise for using them,” Schmidt said in the statement.

He also rejected Nazism, antisemitism, racism and political extremism, saying they did not reflect his personal beliefs or the values of Samoa’s government.

What the video shows

The footage was recorded during a Schmidt family gathering in Savaiʻi in July 2007, according to reporting on the video.

The short clip shows Schmidt participating in the gesture and saying “Heil Hitler.” The footage itself is only about seven seconds long, leaving the circumstances immediately before and after the segment unclear.

That limitation is important. The available clip establishes what Schmidt is shown saying and doing, but it does not by itself establish his motivation or political beliefs at the time.

Schmidt was already a member of Samoa’s Parliament in 2007 and was serving as deputy speaker. He became prime minister in 2025.

Schmidt apologizes and rejects Nazism

In his statement, Schmidt said the gathering was private and was not intended for public viewing.

He nevertheless accepted responsibility for the words and gesture, saying that public officials must be prepared to listen when criticism is justified and take responsibility for their actions.

Schmidt also said Samoa is a constitutional democracy founded on respect for human dignity, the rule of law, Parliament, the courts, traditional institutions and freedom of expression.

He said the incident did not represent the values of his government or the people of Samoa.

The footage does not establish political allegiance

The resurfaced video has prompted political controversy, but there is no basis from the seven-second clip alone to describe Schmidt as a Nazi or conclude that he supported Nazism or antisemitism.

The historical footage also does not establish that the gesture was intended as a political statement or that Schmidt was involved in an organized extremist movement.

Those conclusions would require evidence beyond what is contained in the short video.

Schmidt’s own statement provides his present-day explanation: he says the footage came from a private family gathering and that he rejects Nazism, antisemitism, racism and political extremism.

Controversy comes amid media dispute

The resurfacing of the footage comes amid a separate dispute between Schmidt’s government and the Samoa Observer.

The newspaper has been barred from covering government events, a restriction that has drawn criticism from regional media organizations. The dispute has included allegations concerning government treatment of the newspaper and questions about media access.

That dispute provides current political context for the publication of the footage, but it is separate from the question of what occurred at the family gathering in 2007.

The video itself and Schmidt’s response remain the immediate developments.

A historical incident under renewed scrutiny

Schmidt’s apology does not dispute the authenticity of the footage. Instead, he acknowledged what it shows while rejecting the ideology associated with the words and gesture.

He said the incident occurred almost two decades ago and that his focus as prime minister remains on Samoa’s current economic and social challenges.

The resurfacing nevertheless places a historical action by a sitting head of government under public scrutiny.

The available evidence supports reporting that Schmidt appeared in the footage, used the Nazi-associated phrase and gesture, acknowledged the incident and apologized. It does not establish what motivated the behavior in 2007 or what political beliefs, if any, the act represented.

What remains unclear

The wider circumstances surrounding the seven-second recording remain unclear.

The footage does not provide a complete account of the gathering, and there is no established evidence in the material reviewed showing what happened immediately before or after the recorded segment.

That makes attribution and wording particularly important.

Schmidt’s apology addresses the conduct shown in the footage, while his rejection of Nazism and political extremism represents his current position. Neither should be expanded into a conclusion about his motives in 2007 without additional evidence.

For now, the immediate political development is the prime minister’s acknowledgment and apology after the historical video became public.

Reporting Credit: Government of Samoa / Prime Minister’s Office; Samoa Observer; RNZ Pacific; independently verified reporting on the resurfaced video.

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