Lets Talk About The Comparisons between Trump and Hitler

Is President Trump displaying similarities to Adolf Hitler?

It might be a contentious comparison, but perhaps we should pay attention when President Donald Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, says his former boss fits the definition of a fascist.

High-ranking former officials have voiced their opinions on Trump.

John Kelly and retired Army Gen. Mark A. Milley have called him “fascist to the core” and pointed out his troubling admiration for “German generals.”

“Perhaps the most sinister analogy between Trump and Hitler is the readiness to lie.” Alton Frye, Former staff director for Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-MA)

Kelly’s revelations paint a dark picture;

According to John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, Trump allegedly made positive comments about Hitler and expressed admiration for Nazi generals410. Kelly claims that Trump said, “Hitler did some good things, too,” and wanted “the kind of generals Hitler had”410.

Statements like this should raise alarm bells, but it’s important to note that Trump has vehemently denied these allegations.

He stated, “Never said it,” when asked about praising Hitler2. Trump also refuted claims that he wanted generals like Hitler’s, calling The Atlantic, which reported this, “a failing magazine”7.

It’s worth noting that Trump has recently used language that some have compared to Hitler’s rhetoric, such as referring to immigrants as “poisoning the blood” of America. Trump claims he was unaware of Hitler’s use of similar phrasing58.

People compare political figures to Hitler so often these days that the practice has its own name – “reductio ad Hitlerum”.

Of course, no one should ever compare any politician to Hitler without serious cause.

Consider the following quote:

In 1923, Adolf Hitler incited an insurrection against the German government. He was tried, given a slap on the wrist, and became a convicted felon. Despite being treated charitably by the judge, Hitler claimed the trial was political persecution and successfully portrayed himself as a victim of the “corrupt” Social Democrats. Hitler cleverly positioned himself as the voice of the “common man,” railing against the “elites,” cultural “degeneracy,” and the establishment, who he all labelled as “Marxists.” He claimed the education system was indoctrinating children to hate Germany and promised to return Germany to greatness. Monica Aksamit. Bluesky

There are striking similarities between Donald Trump’s background and the events described above regarding Adolf Hitler in 1923:

1. Inciting an insurrection: Trump has been accused of inciting the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which aimed to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election 1.
2. Legal consequences: While Trump has faced legal challenges, he has not been convicted of a felony. However, he has portrayed his legal troubles as political persecution, similar to Hitler’s claims 1.
3. Portrayal as a victim: Trump has consistently portrayed himself as a victim of the “corrupt” establishment, echoing Hitler’s strategy after the Beer Hall Putsch 13.
4. Positioning as the voice of the “common man”: Trump has positioned himself as an outsider fighting against the “elites” and the establishment, similar to Hitler’s approach 13.
5. Rhetoric against cultural changes: Trump has used rhetoric that some analysts have compared to Hitler’s, particularly in his statements about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of America 13.
6. Promises to restore national greatness: Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” mirrors Hitler’s promise to return Germany to greatness 13.
7. Claims about the education system: Trump has criticised educational institutions for promoting what he sees as anti-American ideas, similar to Hitler’s claims about the German education system 1.
8. Trump portrays himself as a victim of political persecution, frequently calling his legal troubles a “witch hunt” and accuses the Biden administration of using the justice system against him. He and his supporters compare his indictments to authoritarian crackdowns despite the charges stemming from independent investigations.
9. Trump presents himself as the Voice of the Common Man, a champion of the “forgotten” working class against “elites” in Washington, media, and academia. He uses populist rhetoric, railing against globalists, “woke culture,” and political correctness.
10. Hitler blamed Marxists, Jews, and communists for Germany’s problems 13. Similarly, Trump has consistently blamed “radical leftists,” the media, and the “deep state” for America’s issues 26.
11. Hitler denounced democracy and parliamentary government 1. Trump has repeatedly attacked government institutions, particularly those he perceives as part of the “deep state” 26.
12. Hitler vowed to “exterminate Marxism” 1. Trump has pledged to “demolish the deep state” and remove “rogue bureaucrats” 2.
13. Hitler depicted his opponents as threats to the nation 13. Trump characterises his critics, including the media, as enemies of the people 68. Both leaders used nationalist rhetoric to galvanise support.
14. Trump has accused schools of indoctrinating children with “woke” ideologies, claiming they teach students to hate America. He has called for cutting federal funding for schools that include “critical race theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content” 1. He has signed executive orders aimed at restricting the methods of teaching racism in classrooms 4.
15. Trump has opposed teachings that portray the U.S. as “inherently racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory”4. He has promoted “patriotic education” to counter what he sees as misconstrued accounts of American history 2.
16. Hitler’s rhetoric of restoring Germany to greatness parallels Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. Trump’s rhetoric emphasises “fixing the problems in public policy and society” and claims that “he alone can fix the problems” 4. Trump’s approach is described as having a “monomaniacal approach to politics, “emphasising his unique ability to solve national problems 4. His rallies and media presence are compared to Hitler’s mass events, both designed to “animate his followers” 4.

While these parallels are concerning, it’s important to note that Donald Trump has not explicitly called for genocide or implemented policies in any way comparable to the Holocaust. However, his rhetoric and actions have raised the alarm among scholars and political analysts due to their authoritarian tendencies and similarities to historical fascist leaders 135.

Key Differences:

• Trump has not been imprisoned or outright banned from politics despite his legal troubles.
• The U.S. is a more stable democracy than Weimar Germany, making a direct comparison imperfect.
• Hitler was explicitly antisemitic and promoted racial purity, while Trump’s rhetoric, though often divisive, does not focus on the same themes in the same way.

While there are historical echoes, Donald Trump is not Hitler, and the U.S. is not 1920s Germany. However, the pattern of leveraging legal troubles for political gain, positioning as a victim of elites, and using nationalist rhetoric bears similarities.

The Holocaust remains the most documented crime in human history. Its study challenges us to understand how societies fall apart and what happens when state power goes unchecked.

Social media has supercharged the spread of comparisons such as the ones outlined above. Quick online exchanges and viral memes make it easy to share oversimplified historical analyses and create dramatic comparisons, distracting people from real societal challenges and blocking meaningful dialogue. People, in general, are too quick to share social media posts citing so-called facts without first verifying said facts themselves. Hence, we live in the age of information coupled closely with disinformation.

Examining Trump’s Concerning Statements

The Washington Post’s fact-checking team documented an unprecedented 30,573 false or misleading claims during Trump’s first presidential term. His pattern of untruths grew at an alarming rate. What started as 492 false claims in his first 100 days turned into 39 claims per day in his final year.

The Toronto Star tallied 5,276 false claims from January 2017 to June 2019, an average of six per day 1.

Trump’s propensity for false or misleading statements was consistently high throughout his first presidency, with fact-checkers and news organisations describing his mendacity as unprecedented in American politics 1.

Trump’s rhetoric has now shifted toward more violent and authoritarian language. The words he uses that associate with violence increased from 0.6% in 2016 to 1.6% in 2024. These levels match what we typically see from authoritarian figures like Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro.

These statements highlight his authoritarian tendencies:

1. Trump has used the term “vermin” to describe his political opponents, which is comparable to language used by dictators 5.
2. He described immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country” 5.
3. Trump suggested the execution of Gen. Mark Milley, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 7.

Trump’s campaign now uses more dehumanising language than ever. His spokesperson has vowed to “crush the entire existence” of critics. This violent rhetoric is associated directly with increased threats against public officials, according to court security officers.

The impact of this rhetoric is becoming increasingly evident. A recent Reuters investigation found an increase in politically motivated violence since Trump entered politics in 2016 7. The poll revealed that 23% of voters, including one-third of Republicans, believe “true American patriots may have to resort to violence to save our country.” 38% of Americans think the U.S. needs a leader willing to “break some rules” to “set things right.”

A study mentioned that exposure to Trump’s rhetoric increases expressed prejudice 6.

Democracy’s Warning Signs

“It’s true. They’re destroying the blood of the country, they’re destroying the fabric of our country, and we’re going to have to get them out.” — Donald Trump, Former President of the United States

In a recent campaign event, Trump referred to some migrants as “animals” and questioned whether they should be called “people” 4.

Trump has repeatedly used similar language about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of the country in recent campaign speeches and social media posts 23.

This rhetoric has drawn significant criticism and comparisons to language used by authoritarian leaders and white supremacists, including Adolf Hitler 23.

Trump has doubled down on these remarks despite the backlash, continuing to use dehumanising language to describe immigrants 34.

Democratic Decline

Recent research shows a worrying trend of worldwide democratic decline.

There has been a consistent decline in voter turnout of about 10% in established European democracies over the past 25 years, with low voter turnout among young people and over 70% abstention in European elections for the 16-24 age group 2.

Political Polarisation.

Political polarisation is the increasing divide in political beliefs and ideologies, where individuals align strongly with one of two opposing sides, often leading to extreme views and an “us vs. them” mentality. This divide can result in legislative gridlock, making it difficult for parties to cooperate and address critical issues and can result in government gridlock. Additionally, it affects social interactions, as people may isolate themselves from those with differing opinions, reinforcing echo chambers and reducing constructive dialogue.

Polarisation harms democracy in several key ways:

1. It fosters distrust and enmity between political groups. As polarisation intensifies, each side increasingly views the other as a threat to the nation or their way of life 6.
2. Political leaders exploit and exacerbate these divisions for electoral gain. They often stoke fear of “enemies” to establish a clear divide between “Us” and “Them” 6.
3. The process narrows the political discourse, making compromise more difficult. It leads to gridlock, erosion of democratic norms, and increased vulnerability to autocratic tendencies 24.

The United States stands out among wealthy democracies and has experienced a notable democratic decline in recent years.

Evidence of democratic decline in the U.S. includes:

• Attempts at election subversion and laws restricting voter access 79.
• Expansion of executive power and efforts to erode civil service independence 9.
• Hyperpartisanship in Congress, limiting effective oversight of the executive branch 9.
• Concerns about judicial impartiality 9.

These trends are not unique to the U.S., as global studies show widespread democratic decline in 2023, with 47% of countries experiencing deterioration in at least one core democratic metric 10.

Summary.

Democratic systems face real threats, and we should consider the potential gravity of the current situation instead of simply dismissing these parallels as political exaggerations.

Comparing any leader to Hitler indeed requires extreme caution, but Trump’s documented statements and actions follow disturbing historical patterns. His rhetoric about “blood poisoning” and “vermin,” along with his former officials’ warnings, paints a troubling picture that should be closely monitored.

There is clear evidence that some democratic institutions have lost public trust. People now accept political violence more readily, and unprecedented polarisation shows dangerous changes in our society.

History shows that democracies do not collapse overnight. They weaken slowly through small compromises while people tell themselves, “It can’t happen here.”

Our collective duty involves spotting these warning signs early.

Democracy’s preservation requires more than passive observation. We must actively defend democratic principles and reject authoritarian rhetoric.

Past societies believed their institutions were too strong to fail.

The choice between democracy and authoritarianism exists not just in voting booths but also in our daily dedication to truth, justice, and human dignity.

FAQs

Q1. Is it appropriate to compare modern politicians to Hitler? While such comparisons are often overused, careful examination may be warranted to protect democratic values in cases where a leader exhibits authoritarian tendencies or rhetoric.

Q2. What are some warning signs of democratic erosion? Warning signs include declining trust in government institutions, increased polarisation, acceptance of political violence, weakening of democratic pillars, and decreased voter participation. Studies show that many established democracies are experiencing these trends.

Q3. How has Trump’s rhetoric changed over time? Trump’s use of false or misleading claims increased significantly during his first presidency. His language has also become more violent and authoritarian, with an increase in words associated with violence from 0.6% in 2016 to 1.6% in 2024.

Q4. What impact does polarisation have on democracy? Severe polarisation can lead to democratic decline by breeding hatred between groups, allowing political elites to exploit divisions, and reducing the diversity of interests and issues. This weakens democratic safeguards against autocracy.

Q5. How can citizens help protect democracy? Citizens can protect democracy by staying informed, actively rejecting authoritarian rhetoric, defending democratic principles, and participating in politics. Recognising warning signs is crucial, and democratic institutions should not be assumed to be too strong to fail.