Trump responds to ex-chief of staff after he's labeled 'authoritarian' and the 'general definition of fascist'
Former President Trump responded to his former White House chief of staff John Kelly — who in recent days said his ex-boss met the definition of a "fascist" and had an affinity for Adolf Hitler and dictators — saying he’s a "total degenerate."
"Thank you for your support against a total degenerate named John Kelly, who made up a story out of pure Trump Derangement Syndrome Hatred!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account Wednesday. "John Kelly is a LOWLIFE, and a bad General, whose advice in the White House I no longer sought, and told him to MOVE ON!"
Kelly spoke with The New York Times earlier this week, voicing his concerns about Trump potentially returning to the White House.
He told the outlet he believed Trump met the definition of a "fascist" and would govern like a dictator if allowed.
"Certainly, the former president is in the far-right area, he’s certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators — he has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure," Kelly said. "He certainly prefers the dictator approach to government."
Democratic strategist Leslie Marshall said Kelly is respected in military and political circles, and Trump’s reaction to the retired Marine general’s remarks shouldn’t come as a surprise.
"Anybody who says anything negative about him, even if they were within his inner circle, he comes back and insults them," she said Wednesday on "Special Report." "That seems to be his M.O., and sadly, his supporters are OK with that."
Talk radio host Chris Ryan said whatever Kelly says has "validity," "substance" and "gravity."
"But I also don't think that it's going to change anything in regard to this race other than this — Kamala Harris wants to shift the race back onto Donald Trump. She does not really have a closing argument other than the fact that she is, in her view, not Donald Trump, and provides more stability than Donald Trump, and her close has to be a focus on him," Ryan added.
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Ret. Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata questioned the timing of Kelly’s remarks just weeks before Election Day, arguing it "smacks of personal revenge."
Kelly also told the Times that Trump spoke positively of Hitler.
"He commented more than once that, ‘You know, Hitler did some good things, too,’" Kelly said.
The Atlantic also released a story earlier this week using two unnamed people who claimed Trump said he needed "the kind of generals that Hitler had."
Trump campaign adviser Alex Pfeiffer pushed back against the claims, telling the outlet, "This is absolutely false." "President Trump never said this."
Mike Pence's former chief of staff Nick Ayers wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Kelly’s commentary is "patently false."
"I’ve avoided commenting on intra-staff leaks or rumors or even lies as it relates to my time at the White House but General Kelly’s comments regarding President Trump are too egregious to ignore," Ayers wrote.