Special Poll
Retired General John Kelly, who served as Chief of Staff in the Trump administration, recently claimed in an interview with The Atlantic that former President Trump praised Adolf Hitler’s generals for their loyalty. This revelation is part of an ongoing discussion about Trump’s admiration for authoritarian figures.
In his conversation with The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, Kelly confirmed previous reports from a book titled The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser. According to the book, Trump once questioned Kelly, saying, “Why can’t you be like the German generals?” Kelly reportedly responded by pointing out that Hitler’s generals had actually attempted to overthrow him three times. However, Trump allegedly dismissed this, insisting, “No, no, no, they were totally loyal to him.”
Kelly explained that in further discussions, he asked Trump if he was referring to generals from an earlier period, such as those under Otto von Bismarck or Kaiser Wilhelm, but Trump clarified he meant Hitler’s generals. Kelly then informed Trump that even Erwin Rommel, one of Hitler’s top military commanders, had to commit suicide after participating in a plot against Hitler. According to Kelly, Trump seemed unfamiliar with Rommel’s story.
Goldberg’s article also suggests that Trump expressed growing interest in the benefits of dictatorship during his presidency. In one private conversation, Trump allegedly stated, “I need the kind of generals that Hitler had,” referring to their unwavering loyalty. This comment was reportedly confirmed by two individuals who overheard the conversation.
The Trump campaign has strongly denied these claims, stating they are “absolutely false.” A Trump campaign advisor, Alex Pfeiffer, released a statement saying Trump has always been a strong supporter of America’s military and has worked to protect troops, improve their pay, and advocate for veterans. The statement emphasized that Trump never made the remarks attributed to him and dismissed the accusations as unfounded.
This is not the first time Kelly has come forward with similar claims. In past reports, Kelly revealed that Trump once remarked, “Hitler did some good things,” a comment the Trump campaign also refuted, suggesting that Kelly was motivated by personal animosity towards Trump.
Kelly has also corroborated other reports, including one where Trump allegedly referred to fallen U.S. soldiers as “suckers” in 2018. Trump has consistently denied these remarks, accusing Kelly of dishonesty and personal bias.
The debate over these allegations continues, with differing accounts from those involved.