US Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a sharp criticism of Donald Trump following former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s explosive comments to The New York Times, in which Kelly described the former president as a "fascist" who allegedly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Speaking at the vice president's residence, Harris condemned Trump’s remarks, which Kelly claims were made during his time in the administration.
"It is deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous that Donald Trump would invoke Adolf Hitler, the man who is responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews and hundreds of thousands of Americans," Harris stated. She warned that these revelations are “further evidence for the American people of who Donald Trump really is.”
Harris also cautioned against the dangers of a second Trump term, citing Trump’s past rhetoric. She referenced his comment about being a dictator "only on Day One" and his more recent threats to use the military against political opponents. "Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable," Harris said, warning that without figures like Kelly to temper his actions, Trump would be even more unpredictable and dangerous.
John Kelly, who served as Trump's chief of staff from 2017 to 2019, slammed Trump his interview. He claimed Trump sought generals like those who served Adolf Hitler and that Trump harbored authoritarian tendencies. "Well, looking at the definition of fascism, it's a far right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology," Kelly said. “Certainly, in my experience, those are the kinds of things that [Trump] thinks will work better in terms of running America.”
Kelly went further, alleging that Trump referred to wounded veterans as "losers and suckers" and had expressed admiration for some of Hitler’s actions. Kelly said he believed Trump "would love" to be a dictator.
The Trump campaign quickly issued a statement pushing back against Kelly’s claims. "John Kelly has totally beclowned himself with these debunked stories he has fabricated," said campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. He added that Trump has “always honored the service and sacrifice of all of our military men and women.”
Biden agrees Trump is a fascist: White House
Meanwhile, the White House expressed alignment with Kelly’s assessment. During a press briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that President Joe Biden agrees with Kelly’s characterization of Trump as a fascist. When asked if Biden himself believes Trump fits the description, Jean-Pierre responded, "Yes".
