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Resignation from Breitbart over statements on pedophiliaIn February 2017, it was announced that Yiannopoulos would address the Conservative Political Action Conference. A conservative website, Reagan Battalion, then posted a video of clips of a YouTube interview.[81][82] In the interview in a January 2016 episode of the podcast Drunken Peasants,[83] Yiannopoulos supposedly stated that sexual relationships between 13-year-old boys and adults can be "consensual," because a minority of thirteen year olds are, in his view, sexually and emotionally mature enough to consent to sex with adults.[84][85] He used his own experience as an example, saying he was mature enough to be capable of giving consent at a young age.[81] He also stated that "pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old, who is sexually mature" but rather that "pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty".[84][85] Mainstream media personalities on the right and the left condemned these comments, and interpreted them as an endorsement of pedophilia; the Conservative Political Action Conference withdrew Yiannopoulos's invitation to speak at their annual event because he "condoned pedophilia."[86] Defending himself, Yiannopoulos has described his comments as the "usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humour",[87]expressed abhorrence for pedophilia, and called the critical reaction to his comments a smear campaign. He also noted that, later in the interview (in response to criticism by the hosts, who disagreed with his view of the propriety of pederasty), he said that the age-of-consent law (in Britain age 16, in the United States ages 16–18) was "about right".[88]

Yiannopoulos is a popular YouTuber with predominantly conservative/libertarian content.[citation needed] Editorials in conservative media, including National Review,[89] The Blaze,[90] Townhall,[91] and The American Conservative[92] have characterized his comments as supportive of pedophilia or pederasty. An opinion piece in the Daily Calleroffered a qualified defense of Yiannopoulos, emphasizing that he himself was a victim of sexual assault.[93] Yiannopoulos stated that: "I will not apologize for dealing with my life experiences in the best way that I can, which is humor. No one can tell me or anyone else who has lived through sexual abuse how to deal with those emotions. But I am sorry to other abuse victims if my own personal way of dealing with what happened to me has hurt you."[94]

Media outlets reported on February 20 that Breitbart was considering terminating Yiannopoulos, also because of the views he expressed on sex with minors.[95][96][97] In response to the controversy, Simon and Schuster cancelled its plans to publish his autobiography in June 2017.[98]

As a result of this incident, Yiannopoulos resigned from Breitbart on February 21 after half a dozen employees threatened to leave.[99][100]