Trump's Chief of Staff John Kelly: "Trump Met the Definition of a Facist"

[wing2000]

Retired General John Kelly, Trump's former WH Chief of Staff, stated the following in a recent interview with the NYT's:

In response to a question about whether he thought Mr. Trump was a fascist, Mr. Kelly first read aloud a definition of fascism that he had found online.
“Well, looking at the definition of fascism: It’s a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy,” he said.

“So certainly, in my experience, those are the kinds of things that he thinks would work better in terms of running America,” Mr. Kelly said.

He added: “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.”

“He certainly prefers the dictator approach to government,” Mr. Kelly said.

Mr. Trump “never accepted the fact that he wasn’t the most powerful man in the world — and by power, I mean an ability to do anything he wanted, anytime he wanted,” Mr. Kelly said.

As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator

John Kelly, the Trump White House’s longest-serving chief of staff, said that he believed that Donald Trump met the definition of a fascist.

www.nytimes.com

 

[wing2000]

...and using the U.S. military against citizens:

“And I think this issue of using the military on — to go after — American citizens is one of those things I think is a very, very bad thing — even to say it for political purposes to get elected — I think it’s a very, very bad thing, let alone actually doing it,” Mr. Kelly said.

Mr. Kelly said that Mr. Trump was repeatedly told dating back to his first year in office why he should not use the U.S. military against Americans and the limits on his authority to do so. Mr. Trump nevertheless continued while in office to push the issue and claim that he did have the authority to take such actions, Mr. Kelly said.
“Originally, conversation would be: Mr. President, that’s outside your authority, or you know that’s a routine use, you really don’t want to do that inside the United States,” he said. “But now that he’s talking about it as ‘I’m gonna do it’ is, again, it’s disturbing.”

 

[Hammster]

FTW

 

[Hazelelponi]

X person is a racist.

X person is a fascist.

I can make that x into any name I desire.

Do you believe what I say?

This whole he said she said is pointless.

Trump ran this country in the manner the American people wanted him to. We understand the war mongering globalists are opposed to the American voter.

 

[durangodawood]

X person is a racist.

X person is a fascist.

I can make that x into any name I desire......

Sure, you can.

But this is a retired Marine general who was Trumps own White House chief of staff.

 

[wing2000]

Sure, you can.

But this is a retired general who was Trumps own White House chief of staff.

...the longest serving Chief of Staff in the Trump White House (2017-2019)....and a former US Marine General and Gold Star Father to a son lost in Afghanistan (2010).

edit + ...and prior to Chief of Staff, he served as the head of the DHS.

 

[Whyayeman]

Whether Trump fits the description of fascist is a matter of opinion. It is General Kelly's.

Trump is authoritarian. He admires autocrats in other countries. They are people he 'can do business with'. though he did not do well when in power. His 'America first' slogan echoes fascist dictators throughout the twentieth century. He has no respect for the rule of law, the primacy of democracy or the integrity of the American constitution.

He has threatened to use military power against his own people (the enemy within). If nothing else warns American voters of the character of the man, this should.

 

[HarleyER]

Retired General John Kelly, Trump's former WH Chief of Staff, stated the following in a recent interview with the NYT's:

In response to a question about whether he thought Mr. Trump was a fascist, Mr. Kelly first read aloud a definition of fascism that he had found online.
“Well, looking at the definition of fascism: It’s a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy,” he said.

“So certainly, in my experience, those are the kinds of things that he thinks would work better in terms of running America,” Mr. Kelly said.

He added: “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.”

“He certainly prefers the dictator approach to government,” Mr. Kelly said.

Mr. Trump “never accepted the fact that he wasn’t the most powerful man in the world — and by power, I mean an ability to do anything he wanted, anytime he wanted,” Mr. Kelly said.

As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator

John Kelly, the Trump White House’s longest-serving chief of staff, said that he believed that Donald Trump met the definition of a fascist.

www.nytimes.com

Didn't someone submit a post about how there is too much name calling and not enough info on political positions?

BTW-you left out (and so did most of the newpapers) that General Kelly was fired by Trump. I'm sure that wouldn't color his judgement.

 

[Whyayeman]

Didn't someone submit a post about how there is too much name calling and not enough info on political positions?

BTW-you left out (and so did most of the newpapers) that General Kelly was fired by Trump. I'm sure that wouldn't color his judgement.

It may have coloured his judgment. It may have confirmed his already formed opinion. It does show that they were at odds.

The accusation of fascism is a bit more than political name-calling in my opinion. So far no post has attempted to rebut it.

 

[iluvatar5150]

When people regularly use inappropriate language one has to believe what they say.

Believe Iranians when they chant, death to America.

Believe lefties when they call you fascist or Nazi. And what do you do with Nazis?

Lefties love to play the dictionary game. Constantly changing the definition of things, so even those on the left don't know what they mean.

The definition for fascism in the OP is not correct. Fascism is basically an economic system that requires a strong central government. There is the illusion of private ownership but the state has total control over the use and disposal of property. China is an example of a fascist state.

Ayn Rand dictionary:

The dictionary definition of fascism is: “a governmental system with strong centralized power, permitting no opposition or criticism, controlling all affairs of the nation (industrial, commercial, etc.), emphasizing an aggressive nationalism . . .” [The American College Dictionary, New York: Random House, 1957.]

Your own definition contradicts itself. "Private ownership but the state has total control over the use and disposal of property" isn't an "economic system." It's authoritarianism or autocracy. Even your definition from the Ayn Rand dictionary (seriously?) doesn't describe it as an economic system.

 

[durangodawood]

.....Believe lefties when they call you fascist or Nazi. And what do you do with Nazis?....

John Kelly is anything but a leftist. He was Trumps own chief of staff.

 

[rambot]

X person is a racist.

X person is a fascist.

I can make that x into any name I desire.

Actually, you can't really.
A reasonable person would not use a label like that without having solid evidence and experience to say that.

But if you are NOT a reasonable person, then yes you could put in any name you desire.

I understand the compulsion to say "He said she said". But ultimately, the people saying these things about Trump had their own experiences with him that the public was not privy to and are no longer beholden to him and so they are free to speak their minds about him. So I would want to know who are the "She saids". Because the general public doesn't really have a good idea about Trump and how comptent, informed and intelligent he actually is behind closed doors.

When Donald Trump posited the idea of putting a moat along the southern border and filling it with alligators, snakes and all manner of dangerous animals, Miles Taylor (the whistle blower) realized Trump was an idiot. He did this in a large meeting.


And the silly thing is Donald Trump's stupid ideas aren't being shielded from you. He's saying these stupid ideas OUTLOUD and to the press (Think: Injecting bleech, buying Greenland, maybe russia can find some dirt on him) some of them but his supporters retranslate what he says so it makes him look less idiotic (the Trump Babelfish). But other people, behind closed doors are also repeating other stupid things he has said.

 

[Aldebaran]

John Kelly is anything but a leftist. He was Trumps own chief of staff.

And the Liz/Dick Cheney duo are Republicans, with Dick having been the "evil warmonger" who worked for Bush. Now they both endorse Harris. So it doesn't matter if John Kelly used to be Chief of Staff for Trump. People become disgruntled and switch sides all the time. See: Tulsi Gabbard, Joe Manchin and any number of other dems who are endorsing Trump.

 

[durangodawood]

And the Liz/Dick Cheney duo are Republicans, with Dick having been the "evil warmonger" who worked for Bush. Now they both endorse Harris. So it doesn't matter if John Kelly used to be Chief of Staff for Trump. People become disgruntled and switch sides all the time. See: Tulsi Gabbard, Joe Manchin and any number of other dems who are endorsing Trump.

Those R's bailing on Trump, theyre still all quite conservative. Their new position is above policy differences. Its about the man himself and his personal threat to the country.

 

[Aldebaran]

Those R's bailing on Trump, theyre still all quite conservative. Their new position is above policy differences. Its about the man himself and his personal threat to the country.

If Trump's policies aren't a threat to the country, then neither is he.
If you're now going to tell me that it's his policies that are the threat, then it's policy differences after all.
People voted for Biden over Trump last time because they claimed they didn't personally like Trump and believed Biden would unite the country. Almost 4 years later, they've learned their lesson (or hopefully enough of them have learned that they'll make a difference this time around).

 

[durangodawood]

If Trump's policies aren't a threat to the country, then neither is he.

I dont get this principle at all. Forget about this side or that side for a second. Corruption, misconduct, negligence, malice, etc, etc.... all that stuff is a threat to the country and has nothing to do with policy per se - no matter who we're discussing.

 

[Aldebaran]

I dont get this principle at all. Forget about this side or that side for a second. Corruption, misconduct, negligence, malice, etc, etc.... all that stuff is a threat to the country and has nothing to do with policy per se - no matter who we're discussing.

None of that mattered when it was Biden's son, or even Joe himself as information about him started leaking out.
But concerning Trump, he's been president before and the country benefitted from his leadership, only to falter under Biden. Clearly, how the country fares is dependent on the president's policies--not his personal life.

 

[perplexed]

If Trump's policies aren't a threat to the country, then neither is he.

the fact that a large group of people like you have a casual attitude to Trump's use of Fake electors is a threat to the USA

 

[Aldebaran]

the fact that a large group of people like you have a casual attitude to Trump's use of Fake electors is a threat to the USA

Is that the debunked thing you wish to base your votes on?

 

[HarleyER]

It may have coloured his judgment. It may have confirmed his already formed opinion. It does show that they were at odds.

The accusation of fascism is a bit more than political name-calling in my opinion. So far no post has attempted to rebut it.

Trump is not a politician. He is a businessman and used to running things the way he thinks they should be run. I don't have a problem with saying Trump is an authoritarian leader because I think that is his leadership style. Trumps has clear goals and expect people under him to carry out those goals. So, he tends to go through people rather quickly that don't perform to his expectations. It's simply his business style.

What some people object to is Trump's policies and beliefs which resonate with half the country. Consequently, some feel the need to sling mud instead of discuss policies. If one wants to talk policies, then the issues become do we want opened borders or real solutions to the border. Do we want something done about inflation or are we happy to live with things as they are now. Do we want to defund the police or do we want more police on the streets. These, and many other things, are what this election is about.

Quite frankly, I'm surprise Trump appointed General Kelly to Chief of Staff simply because Generals normally have the same authoritarian leadership style. I've dealt with a few of those. They give an order and expect it to be carried out. No questions, just do it because he's the General (or so I was told). So when two authoritarian leaders are put into the same room, there are bound to be problems.

But it is beyond the pale to say that Trump is a fascist. Authoritarian leadership is not the same as a dictator. Steven Jobs was an authoritarian leader but I doubt if anyone would have called him a facist. Nor is Trump militaristic, another part of the definition of a facist.

Kelly, for whatever reason, failed to give the full definition. But the press was happy to run with it and not question the General.