Night of the Long Forks
Trump is not Hitler. That is ridiculous. Hitler was short. Ugly mustache. Hitler was an antisemite who instigated the second world war and was responsible for the Holocaust in which six million Jews died. Trump is tall. Orange hair. Fake tan. He is destroying America at present. Hitler is a metaphor for Trump. And an accurate one. Trump is not actually Hitler, but he is absolutely Hitler-Curious and Hitler-Adjacent.
I also don’t think it is helpful for folks to make veiled references to Trump being a Hitler-like Dictator with barely an example or two in common. Because that is incomplete and insufficient. It makes it too easy for MAGA’s to brush off the comments as “woke snowflakes” whining. So, in this column, I am going to paint a much more detailed, comprehensive, and compelling case, by addressing twenty-six eerily similar characteristics and behaviors that helped Hitler become a Dictator and have brought Trump to the precipice.
America is not under a dictatorship. Not today. But we are perilously close.
Trump is on record – and has never denied saying – that Adolph Hitler did “some good things.” Our nation elected him for a second time well after he made these comments. That disturbing comment failed to dissuade enough people from voting for him. The last five weeks, Trump’s actions have been uncanny in their resemblance to the Night of the Long Knives, which was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. It established Hitler as the supreme administrator of justice of the German people, as he put it in his 13 July speech to the Reichstag. Based on the Fork in the Road we find ourselves in, along with Trump’s penchant for getting his own nicknames, I am calling our transition into dictatorship, the Night of the Long Forks.
As you read these comparisons, with objectivity, keep in mind that if you can debate a half-dozen, you would still be left with twenty. A small handful should be enough to scare you to the core.
Propaganda. It was Hitler who came up with the idea, writing in Mein Kampf , that “the great masses of the people more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a little one, since they themselves lie in little things, but would be ashamed of lies that were too big. Such a falsehood will never enter their heads, and they will not be able to believe in the possibility of such monstrous effrontery and infamous misrepresentation in others.” MAGA’s work hard to defend their supreme being, but even they know Trump is an inveterate liar. In fact, fact-checkers have documented 30,573 lies. Documented. And that was just during his first term. Propaganda – you say something enough times, in enough ways, to willing ears, and they will believe anything. Most recently, days after Trump called Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy a Dictator, he denied ever saying it – even though it is captured on audio and video. Propaganda at its finest. This propaganda, these extremist statements, are very deliberately meant to provoke a reaction.
Broken Promises. Hitler broke promises regarding the Treaty of Versailles, expansion into Czechoslovakia, and even promises to protect Jewish citizens. Trump promised that he would build a wall and Mexico would pay for it and broke that promise the first time around. This time around he promised to bring prices down starting on day one. Broken. He also said, “On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out.” Broken. In his first month in office, the US deported 37,660 people – less than the monthly average of 57,000 removals and returns in the last full year of Joe Biden’s administration. Less than Biden! Here’s another, “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done – I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” Broken. Obviously.
Fuehrerprinzip. Hitler insisted on the “Fuehrerprinzip,” the assertion that curing the country’s problems required vesting all power in one leader. Trump recently declared himself a King. He takes credit for what he likes, vesting his power, and blames anything else on someone else. In this manner he builds up the false pretense that if he is given more absolute power then he can cure the country’s problems, just like the other Führer before him claimed.
Name-calling. Author Burt Neuborne’s “When at Times the Mob is Swayed: A Citizen’s Guide to Defending Our Republic” wrote, “neither Trump nor Hitler ever admitted a mistake and both responded to criticism with insults and name calling. Both used low forms of language, simple sentences so even a person with a low level education would understand.”
Scorched Earth Policy. The Nazi dictator ordered a scorched earth policy designed to destroy any remaining economic resources that the victors might use. This is a common theme with Trump recklessly destroying his own federal government offices without regard to the second and third order consequences that will torture the middle class and the poor. The more he can break, the more we become dependent on him.
Narcissistic. At their core the two men share egos that are plainly narcissistic in the extreme. And that self-centered focus generates a coarseness of vocabulary and behavior that degrades politics. Most of Trump’s property bears his name. He decided that being President of the nation is not enough and inserted himself as President of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. There was no one else in the entire nation who could have filled that role and left him to govern? He recently told a member of the media to report how great his cabinet meeting had been.
Changing Names. Hitler changed Jewish names and geographical locations to dehumanize people and assert dominance over conquered territories. Trump has declare a Gulf of America for the same reason. And one of his Republican minions has submitted a bill to rename Greenland, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, where we have zero authority or jurisdiction, into Red-White-and-Blue-land.
Media Control. Nazis quickly suppressed media. Trump has been equally quick to change the landscape of media representation in both the Pentagon and the White House to prioritize those that are loyal to him. And he has been vulgar and insulting to media hundreds and hundreds of times. The more he can got the public to not trust the media, the more he can get away with any behavior and no accountability.
Storm Troopers. Hitler relied especially on the large number of so-called “storm troopers” mobilized to support the Nazi party as it enlisted millions of voters in the 1920s and 1930s. No large-scale private militias exist in the United States, but Trump’s friendly stance toward the Proud Boys and others involved in the 2021 assault on the Capitol reveals a parallel inclination to threaten the constitutional order. Trump’s pardoning of 1,500 J6ers, regardless of their individual crimes, is not only an affront to the people they attacked and the assault on our nation, but also in so doing, he has empowered and emboldened them. His storm troopers are ready to act on his command.
Generals. On the night of June 30, 1934, German General Röhm and many more leaders of the SA were shot by members of Heinrich Himmler’s SS. Generals were hired and fired at will by the Führer. Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Jim Slife, and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan. These firings include the highest ranking black man and two of the highest ranking women. Some adversaries on this topic will point out that every president fires generals, there are two essential differences here. First, the speed with these terminations coupled with the references to them being DEI hires without any evidence (mainly because none exists) in unparalleled aside from Hitler. Second, he has nominated former Lieutenant General Dan “Razin” Caine to replace Brown in the top position despite not meeting the experience or criteria for the position. The only relevance he brings is as a blindly loyal follower of Trump.
Master Race. Hitler murdered and eliminated millions of Jews. Trump has not only eliminated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs (that never had anything to do with hiring), but he is also deleting these words form the vocabulary and all products of the government. Diversity does not have a place in Trump’s master race. There is no home for Equity in Trump’s master race. Inclusion is lost and forgotten in Trump’s master race. Transgender no longer exist in Trump’s master race. Trump has also said that “immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country,” Not just taking jobs, committing crimes, or all the other false, misleading and derogatory terms, but poisoning the blood. Poisoning the blood? Okay, Mr. Hitler-Adjacent.
Blitzkrieg. The Blitzkriegs were Hitler’s lightning wars; quick invasion campaigns. The idea was to move so fast that nobody could even have time to think, let alone prepare. The same technique is at play with Trump’s shock and awe speed of destroying everything all at once, everywhere. Doing things in a deliberate, methodical, and just manner would enable too much critical thinking, review, and observation. The faster he moves, the more off balance he keeps the citizenry. On a side note here, there is a whole glossary of Nazi terms we may need to learn sooner rather than later.
The Fourth Reich. I have not studied anything about a First or Second Reich. However, the Third Reich was the Nazi regime in Germany from 1933 to 1945. The term “Third Reich” was used to describe the Nazi dictatorship. The German word Reich means “kingdom” or “realm.” Trump’s Republican party is becoming the Fourth Reich. They are becoming the successor to the Nazis, with blind obedience to their leader, changing their beliefs, values, and previous comments to adhere to their emperor. They have become traitors to their own people and constituents as evident in their recent budget resolution where they look to give tax cuts to billionaires and cut Medicare and Medicaid funding for the poor and elderly.
Nazi Salute. I have learned in my business that you can write and talk all day, but some people just need to see if for themselves. We saw Musk give a Nazi Salute. We saw Steve Bannon give a Nazi Salute at the Conservative Political Action Conference. A picture is worth a thousand Nazis, or at least these two. This is a growing trend. MAGAs will have to decide whether to join in or denounce at some point.
Despots. One despot loves another. Birds of a feather flock together. Hitler has Mussolini. We all know that Trump is Putin’s puppet. This past week, it got worse. Trump had the United States vote with Russia, North Korea, and Iran – and against our long-standing European allies – against a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine and calling for the return of Ukrainian territory. The resolution still passed overwhelmingly in the U.N. General Assembly.
Constitution. Adolf Hitler came to power in Nazi Germany by passing the Enabling Act of 1933, which allowed him to rule by decree and ignore the Weimar Constitution.Despite Trump taking an oath, to ” solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” within the first five weeks of his Administration he has violated that oath and desecrated the Constitution. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution vests the president with executive power over the government, including the obligation to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Not only has Trump violated laws, but he has also demonstrated that he will continue to do so. Trump’s Feb. 18, 2025, executive order titled “Ensuring accountability for all agencies” said the president and attorney general “shall provide authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch.” Apparently he skipped his elementary school civics class where we learned that the Judicial Branch interprets laws.
Science. Hitler did not respect scientific experts, especially academics, who questioned his views on race. Similarly, Trump does not respect scientific experts regarding climate change, vaccinations, fracking, and more.
“Greatness.” Trump’s first wife, Ivana, stated Trump kept and studied a copy of Hitler’s speeches, “My New Order.” Hitler promised his version of nationalism, as a populist leader to “restore German greatness,” glorifying Aryan’s, demonizing Jews (requiring them to register and wear ID’s), Slavs, homosexuals, gypsies and Jehovah Witnesses — and blaming them for Germany’s problems. Trump’s slogan is “Make America Great Again,” He has demonized DEI, transgender, and immigrants. He consistently complements himself and refers to how great he is.
Detention and Deportation. Nazis used mass detention and deportation during WWII of Jews and Slavs, separating children from families. Trump is doing the same with non-white immigrants seeking asylum, placing them in detention centers, with plans for rounding them up and sending them to Guantanamo.
Power Elite. Hitler joined power with elite leaders of German industry while Trump has empowered corporate America with huge tax cuts and rolling back regulations that protected consumers and workers. Musk. Bezos. Zuckerberg.
Fascist. Donald Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, Gen John Kelly, warned us that the Trump meets the definition of a fascist and that while in office, Trump suggested that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler “did some good things.” Retired Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, who served as Trump’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Bob Woodward in his recent book “War” that Trump was “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”
Republican Project 2025 parallels Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. Each work outlines a vision for their respective nations that veers alarmingly toward authoritarianism, threatening the democratic fabric of the Weimar Republic and the United States.
Erosion of Civil Liberties. Hitler outlines a future where civil liberties are curtailed in favor of state control. Project 2025, although framed within the context of national security and public order, similarly suggests measures that could erode civil liberties. Proposals to expand surveillance, restrict protests, and limit free speech under the guise of combating misinformation resonate with the authoritarian overtones of Hitler’s vision.
Cult of Personality. Both documents promote a cult of personality around their authors. Hitler presented himself as the savior of Germany, a leader destined to restore its former glory. Project 2025, shaped by Trump’s influence, similarly positions him as the pivotal figure in America’s future. The whole King thing. This elevation of a single leader above the democratic process is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes.
Preyed on the disillusioned and dissatisfied. Hitler recognized the poverty and despair in Germany after the first World War. He leveraged that pain for his purposes, not theirs. Likewise, Trump campaigned on promises to the working class, like bringing down the price of groceries, protecting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and reducing taxes. He hyped up fear of immigrants and the border so he could sweep in as a savior. And he is doing just enough to keep just enough convinced (so far), despite the fact that the clear beneficiaries so far are him and his power elite.
Lemmings. The eventual segue for these individuals is either to see the light or, as lemmings, become people who follow the will of others, especially in a mass movement, and head straight into a situation or circumstance that is dangerous, stupid, or destructive. It is not an easy task to change horses in the middle of the stream, either emotionally or intellectually.
Conclusion.
If the breadth, depth, and sheer weight of these twenty-six points do not give you pause, or any reason for concern, then exactly how many pieces of evidence do you need? Thirty-two? Forty-four? Is there a number?
We can and should learn from Germany. There’s a German word that describes the process the Nazi party used to take total control of all aspects of life: Gleichschaltung, which essentially means “bringing into line.” An essential component of Gleichschaltung was cleansing the civil service of all who were deemed to be insufficiently loyal to Hitler. We all see this happening, whether we admit to ourselves or not.
In high school I wrote a paper on Hitler and propaganda. In my wildest imagination, I never thought I would some day have to write this.
We can and should have open and honest conversations about the threat of dictatorship. We should all be vocal about ways to prevent that. The time to stop a dictator is before they complete the transformation of power, not after. The Night of the Long Forks has begun.
Who will be standing at the end? Him or us?
Stoneking Strategic Communications (SSC) 