Does CPAC Stage Represent A Nazi Symbol? Hyatt Hotels Responds To Controversial Event

The Conservative Political Action Conference is known for making headlines with the speakers that are featured, and with the specter of former President Donald Trump hanging over the 2021 event, all eyes are on what will be said or announced. However, the stage for the event seems to be the thing that is actually making more headlines than the speeches.

While speeches by known Trump supporters, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Senator Ted Cruz have led to some reaction, the stage they all stood on at the conference has also sparked some conversation on social media—specifically after many noted the shape of it, and that it resembled a relic of Nazi Germany.

Many swiftly criticized the conference and the GOP as holding Nazi views and no longer hiding the extremist views that were associated with both Trump and his followers, many of whom participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Some also called out that even after the setup was exposed to look like a Nazi symbol, nothing was done to change it, indicating it wasn’t an accident as some have claimed.

Others quickly called out the venue for the event, the Hyatt Regency Orlando, asking them to make a statement about the event and to denounce the setup.

A representative from Hyatt has since responded to the controversy and backlash, though their response, where they defended the conference and said they “believed in the right of individuals and organizations to peacefully express their views,” hasn’t led to encouraging tweets about the company any longer—and they have since begun to face backlash as well.

A Hyatt Hotels sign is seen in Berlin. Photo: Getty Images