Political commentator and priest Calvin Robinson has lost his Anglican Catholic licence after making a gesture interpreted by some to be a Nazi salute.
Robinson was speaking at the National Pro-life Summit in Washington DC, when he mimicked a controversial gesture made by Elon Muskm following Donald Trump’s inauguration.
"It's make or break for Christendom," Robinson said, before telling the crowd that he believed America to be the only nation "fighting for life".
He then raised his right arm straight with a flat hand, and echoed Musk’s words: “My heart goes out to you.”
Laughter and applause ensued, with Robinson smiling before exiting the stage.
A statement by the Anglican Catholic Church said: “At approximately 3:00 pm today (1/29) members of the College of Bishops of the ACC were made aware of a post made on X showing the end of a speech made by Calvin Robinson… in it, he closed his comments with a gesture that many have interpreted as a pro-Nazi salute.”
It continues: “While we cannot say what was in Mr. Robinson’s heart when he did this, his action appears to have been an attempt to curry favour with certain elements of the American political right by provoking its opposition
“Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist.
“Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC.”
Father Calvin Robinson closed out his speech at the National Pro-Life Summit with an Elon Musk salute. pic.twitter.com/jmxGtUt08p
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) January 30, 2025
Robinson defended his actions online, arguing that he was mocking “hysterical liberals”.
Taking to X, the platform owned by Musk, he said: “The joke at the end was a mockery of the hysterical ‘liberals’ who called Elon Musk a Nazi for quite clearly showing the audience his heart was with them. Context is key, but sometimes people ignore context to confirm their own prejudices. People see what they want to see.”
He also confirmed that his licence had been revoked, saying: “I learned this the same way you did, via social media.”
The Anglican Catholic Church did not accept that the gesture was a "joke", and highlighted its cultural symbolism.
“This is not just an administrative matter,” its statement reads: “The Holocaust was an episode of unspeakable horror, enacted by a regime of evil men. We condemn Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms.
“And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialize the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.”
Father Calvin Robinson has previously served as a deacon in the Free Church of England, and as a presenter on GB News. In 2023, he was suspended from the network after defending fellow presenter Dan Wooton, who had supported misogynistic comments made by Laurence Fox.