Ventura County Star
Former President Trump called fascist; what does term mean?
Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star – October 29, 2024
Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly called his former boss and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump a fascist, a term that’s getting a closer look.
Kelly is a former Marine Corps general who served as Trump’s secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. He later became Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff.
When did the controversy start?
In an interview with the New York Times on Tuesday, Kelly defined the term.
“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.
Kelly said the definition described Trump.
“So certainly, in my experience, those are the kinds of things that he thinks would work better in terms of running America,” he said.
Kelly 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.”
Did Trump respond?
Former President Trump criticized Kelly on his social media site Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon.
“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. “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!”
Did Harris respond?
Trump’s opponent in the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris, said she believes Kelly’s statement that the former president is a fascist.
“Yes, I do,” she said at a CNN Town Hall event with Anderson Cooper. “And I also believe that the people who know him best on this subject should be trusted.”
What is fascism?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictonary, fascism is “a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition.”
According to the Cambridge dictionary, the word means “a political system based on a very powerful leader, state control, and being extremely proud of country and race, and in which political opposition is not allowed.”
According to dictionary.com, it means “a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.”