In a surprise speech from her Washington, D.C., residence, Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Donald Trump, labeling him a “fascist” who seeks “unchecked power” and a military devoted to him personally. This statement followed reports from John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, who spoke about Trump’s admiration for Hitler.
Harris’s remarks were in response to Kelly’s recollections of Trump expressing disappointment over not having generals who demonstrated the same loyalty as those who served Adolf Hitler. “Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable, and if he were to win a second term, figures like John Kelly would no longer be there to serve as checks against his dangerous impulses and actions,” she warned.
The vice president asserted that Trump is not interested in a military loyal to the Constitution but rather one that answers directly to him. “He wants a military that will follow his orders, even if those orders involve breaking the law or disregarding their oath to the Constitution,” she stated.
Harris framed her message as a critical choice for American voters ahead of the presidential election on November 5. “We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question in 13 days will be: What do the American people want?” she emphasized.
This address came after Harris had spent over a week criticizing Trump’s characterization of political opponents as “the enemy within” and his controversial calls for military intervention against what he perceives as election-related “chaos.” In conversations with the New York Times, Kelly disclosed that Trump had frequently spoken positively of Hitler, further defining Trump as fitting the label of a fascist. “He has commented more than once that ‘you know, Hitler did some good things, too,’” Kelly noted.
Responding to this characterization, Harris expressed deep concern, highlighting the historical atrocities committed by Hitler. “It is deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous that Donald Trump would invoke Adolf Hitler,” she remarked. “John Kelly’s words reveal that Donald Trump is someone who fits the general definition of a fascist, who vowed to act as a dictator from day one and use the military as his own personal army.”
This was not the first time Harris has alluded to Trump’s fascist tendencies; just last week, she agreed with a radio interviewer’s suggestion that Trump’s vision could be equated with fascism, though she stopped short of using the term.
Trump’s spokesperson has flatly denied these claims, labeling them “absolutely false.” Harris’s latest remarks represent a shift in her strategy from previous efforts to downplay Trump’s significance, such as mocking his fixation on crowd sizes at rallies.
In an earlier CNN interview, Republican pollster Frank Luntz indicated that Harris’s recent approach might not resonate with voters. “When she focused on her candidacy, the numbers improved. But when she turned against Trump, that’s when everything froze,” he said.
This characterization of Trump aligns with retired General Mark Milley’s remarks, who is quoted in a new book as labeling Trump “a total fascist” and “fascist to the core.”
Later in the day, Harris told NBC News that she was preparing for the possibility of Trump declaring victory before the election has concluded. She emphasized, “We have the resources, expertise, and focus to deal with whatever comes our way on election night and beyond.”
At the White House daily briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that President Biden agrees with the view of Trump as a fascist, stating, “Yes,” when asked. She further criticized Trump’s open intentions to govern dictatorially, adding, “We cannot ignore what happened on January 6, 2021.”
