Washington — Former Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, who served as Donald Trump’s longest-tenured White House chief of staff, said in a recent interview that Trump prefers a dictatorial style of governance, has made comments praising Adolf Hitler, and disliked being seen with veterans who had lost limbs.
In an interview with The New York Times just two weeks before Election Day, Kelly discussed his former boss’s views on military service, disabled veterans, and how Trump would like to govern. Kelly clarified that he wouldn’t tell Americans how to vote, but during his time as Trump’s chief of staff from July 2017 to January 2019, he observed Trump’s behaviors and opinions firsthand.
Why John Kelly Labels Trump as a Fascist
When asked by The Times’ Michael Schmidt whether Trump fits the definition of a fascist, Kelly responded:
“Looking at the definition of fascism — a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, and belief in a natural social hierarchy — those are the kinds of things he seems to believe would work better for running America. He certainly falls into the far-right, authoritarian camp, admires dictators, and has expressed that. So yes, in my experience, he fits the general definition of a fascist.”
Kelly, a career military officer, found Trump’s attitudes toward service members troubling, particularly his inability to understand why someone would serve their country. Schmidt asked whether Trump repeatedly referred to fallen service members as “suckers and losers,” to which Kelly affirmed:
“Yes, he said it more than once. He would go off on tangents, often focusing on Senator John McCain’s military service. Trump, as you know, has said in the past he prefers ‘people who weren’t captured.’ He could never grasp why people would willingly serve their country, always asking, ‘What’s in it for them?’ That was a recurring theme.”
In response to Kelly’s interview, Trump’s campaign dismissed the claims as false, labeling Kelly’s remarks as “debunked” and “fabricated.”
“John Kelly has made a fool of himself with these fabricated stories. He failed to serve President Trump well and now suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. “President Trump has always respected the sacrifices of our military men and women, while Kamala Harris has disrespected the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, such as the Abbey Gate 13.”
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Discomfort Around Veterans and Controversial Comments
Kelly also recalled that Trump expressed discomfort with appearing alongside veterans who had lost limbs, saying it “didn’t look good for him.”
“Trump would say things like, ‘It doesn’t look good for me’ when it came to being seen with amputees — veterans who had sacrificed their limbs defending this country. It’s an interesting mindset for a commander-in-chief,” Kelly said. “But I’m not a psychiatrist, so I can’t diagnose him. That’s up to the experts.”
Kelly further shared that Trump occasionally praised Hitler, saying, “You know, Hitler did some good things, too.”
“He would mention that from time to time,” Kelly said. “But if you know history, which I believe he does not, it’s difficult to argue that Hitler did anything good.”
This wasn’t the first time Kelly discussed Trump’s comments about Hitler. He also shared similar stories in The Atlantic.
Kelly concluded by emphasizing that Trump admires authoritarian leadership and has expressed a desire to govern similarly.
“He prefers a dictator’s approach, where he could simply tell people to do things and they would obey without worrying too much about legalities,” Kelly noted. “I didn’t know him before he entered politics, but it seems he liked running his business that way, and he’d prefer to run the country similarly.”
Vice President Harris’s Reaction
On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris responded to Kelly’s revelations during a statement from her residence, criticizing Trump’s comments and warning of the dangers of his potential return to power.
“It is deeply disturbing and dangerous for Donald Trump to invoke Adolf Hitler, the man responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews and countless Americans,” Harris said. “This is a glimpse into who Donald Trump really is, as revealed by those who worked closest to him in the Oval Office and the Situation Room.”
She added, “Trump is increasingly unstable. In a second term, figures like John Kelly would no longer be there to act as guardrails against his dangerous tendencies.”
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