Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dismissed a campaign worker who shared a video featuring the ‘Black Sun’ symbol, a notorious icon used by neo-Nazis in Ukraine and elsewhere. The worker, Nate Hochman, was a former writer for the conservative publication National Review.
A campaign official confirmed on Tuesday evening that Hochman is no longer employed by the campaign and declined to provide further comment. It is unclear whether Hochman was fired specifically because of the video or as part of budget cuts. The campaign had recently let go of 26 staff members, in addition to a dozen others since DeSantis announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in May.
The one-minute video in question was shared by a Twitter account called ‘Ron DeSantis Fancams’, which had a small following of 800 users. The video criticized former President Donald Trump, who is currently the leading Republican candidate, and ended with a shot of the “sun wheel” symbol superimposed on the words ‘Make America Florida’, positioned behind DeSantis’ head like a halo.
The “sun wheel” symbol, also known as the Sonnenrad, has a dark history. It was originally commissioned by Heinrich Himmler, the head of the Nazi SS, for a mosaic at his Wewelsburg castle in the 1930s. In more recent times, it has been adopted by Ukrainian nationalist Andrey Biletsky as one of the symbols for his neo-Nazi Azov militia. Although Azov leaders have tried to downplay their ties to neo-Nazis, the unit still embraces fighters who openly display nationalist and neo-Nazi views and symbols.
The use of the “sun wheel” symbol in the video shared by Hochman drew immediate criticism. NBC described the symbol as being co-opted by the Nazis and promoted by fascist sympathizers, while Axios referred to it as an ancient symbol appropriated by the Nazis and still used by some white supremacists. Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald noted that the symbol is known as the Black Sun and is constantly used by the Azov Battalion, which is currently receiving support from the US and NATO.
Following the public backlash, Hochman’s retweet and the original video were both deleted. However, Axios reported that Hochman was not just a campaign worker, but he was actually the author of the video itself, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
It is essential to condemn any association with symbols and ideologies that promote hate, discrimination, and division. The use of symbols like the “sun wheel” is deeply problematic, as they are closely linked to the crimes and atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War II. Public figures and political campaigns should take utmost care in vetting their content to prevent any associations with extremist ideologies and symbols.
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