Donald Trump is no Adolf Hitler.
Comparing the former U.S. president to Hitler is very disrespectful to Nazi Germany's millions of victims and minimizes the horrific, unprecedented crimes that Hitler encouraged and committed.
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First, let me say that this essay is not an “endorsement” of Donald Trump to be the next U.S. president.
Frankly, it does not matter what I think about the American presidential candidates, and I respect who each American decides to vote for and their reasons for doing so because I believe that is how democracy works. If I expected everyone to think and vote like me, whoever I am voting for and whatever my rationale, that would not be democratic — but rather a form of fascism.
Now, to the main event: In recent years, and especially this week, much political discourse has invoked a provocative comparison: former U.S. President Donald Trump as a modern-day Adolf Hitler.
If we were dealing with kindergarteners, this analogy might be understandable given Trump’s controversial rhetoric and the polarization of his public persona. He is definitely not presidential and speaks in such constant hyperbole that it is annoying to listen to him for more than a few minutes at a time.
But to equate Trump with Hitler is like comparing a house cat with a lion just because both have sharp teeth. In reality, this Trump-Hitler comparison plainly trivializes the horrors associated with the latter. That means this is not about whether you like or loathe Trump. It is about being intellectually honest and acknowledging that, no matter how polarizing and controversial one perceives Trump to be, such a comparison is outright absurd because Hitler was in an entirely separate, virtually unrelated league.
Let’s recall that Hitler’s actions resulted in one of the worst genocides in human history, global warfare, and the systematic dehumanization of millions — atrocities so severe that they reshaped international law and etched “never again” into humanity’s collective consciousness. Comparing Trump to Hitler effectively erases the unique horror of Hitler’s crimes, reducing the suffering of countless victims to a rhetorical device.
To engage in meaningful political critique, we must keep our historical parallels grounded in truth. This is not a dismissal of legitimate concerns about Trump’s impact or rhetoric, but rather a call to preserve the gravity of the Holocaust and the terrifying lessons of totalitarianism. By recognizing these differences, we honor the victims of history’s darkest chapters and better equip ourselves to resist any future dangers — however they may manifest.
Now, let’s take a look at a few examples:
1) Political Ideology: Nationalism versus Totalitarianism
Donald Trump’s version of nationalism, though polarizing, is markedly different from the virulent, genocidal ideology of Adolf Hitler. Trump’s call to “Make America Great Again” draws upon a vision of national rejuvenation but does not espouse racial supremacy in and of itself.
While Trump does criticize immigration and trade policies in inflammatory terms, he does not pontificate about the ideological drive to eradicate entire ethnic groups or construct a totalitarian regime.
Hitler’s vision, by contrast, was one of “racial purity” and global domination. The “Aryan” race, as he envisioned it, was to dominate through genocide a “Greater German Empire” — systematically eliminating Jews, Romani people, and others deemed “undesirable.”
Hitler’s Third Reich embodied a totalitarian regime in which personal freedoms were extinguished, and dissent was punishable by imprisonment or death. To suggest that Trump could be a Hitler-like figure risks conflating political fervor with a fundamentally malignant ideology.
2) Methods: Democracy versus Dictatorship
A crucial difference lies in the paths both men pursued to gain and exercise power. Trump’s rise to the presidency occurred within a democratic framework, characterized by an open electoral process that saw him both win and, later, lose an election. Trump’s governing approach, though confrontational, remained within the bounds of a constitutional republic, relying on checks and balances, albeit sometimes challenging these limits.
Hitler, on the other hand, was not directly elected to power in Germany, but was appointed chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg in 1933, even though the Nazi Party had less than a third of the seats in the Reichstag. Hindenburg was convinced to appoint Hitler by the conservative elite, and by the worsening political and economic instability.
Once in power, Hitler dismantled the Weimar Republic and imposed a totalitarian state where dissent was eradicated and the rule of law was supplanted by Nazi decrees. The Reichstag Fire Decree, for example, suspended civil liberties and served as a pretext to arrest political opponents, centralizing power under Hitler. This political strategy, grounded in oppression and absolute control, stands in stark contrast to Trump’s leadership, which operated within and was ultimately limited by democratic systems.
Even if you are convinced that another Trump presidency will be “the end of American democracy,” it is hard for me to imagine that everyday Americans will just stand pat should Trump indeed try to overrun our democratic institutions — because the U.S. today is not Germany of the 1920s and 1930s.
That version of Germany was disheveled by its loss in the First World War and an economic depression, making Germans increasingly desperate for change. Today’s United States certainly has its fair share of problems, but its economy and currency are strong, unemployment is incredibly low, and the U.S. has not been directly engaged in any war in recent years (no less a war on the scale of World War One).
Plus, Trump has been consistently campaigning about ending the two high-profile wars taking place right now. Hitler began hinting at the idea of war and expansionist ambitions in his early speeches and writings, particularly in his book, “Mein Kampf” (German for “My Struggle”), which was published in 1925 — a good eight years before he was appointed chancellor of Germany.
3) Use of Media: Propaganda versus Publicity
Both men used media, but their methods and goals diverged sharply. Trump’s media strategy is rooted in attention-seeking, often through inflammatory comments and his use of social media to bypass traditional outlets. He has regularly sparred with the press, labeling them “fake news,” but this approach is performative — a strategy to energize his base. His media manipulation lacks the meticulously coordinated propaganda apparatus developed under Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany.
Hitler’s propaganda machine, helmed by Goebbels, was systematic, designed to reshape reality and secure unwavering public allegiance. The Nazi regime controlled all aspects of the media, delivering a single, state-approved message that glorified the Führer and dehumanized entire populations.
Trump’s media interactions, by contrast, operate in a pluralistic society where opposing views thrive, even in direct opposition to him. The difference underscores the gap between an authoritarian propaganda network and Trump’s combative yet decentralized media presence.
4) Impact on Minority Groups: Persecution versus Polarization
Another stark contrast between Trump and Hitler is their approach to minority groups. Hitler’s regime perpetrated one of history’s most devastating genocides, systematically exterminating six million Jews and millions of others in an ideology-driven Holocaust.
His policies reflected a commitment to ethnic cleansing and the annihilation of entire populations. This industrialized slaughter was a direct result of the regime’s racist ideology, implemented through state-sponsored machinery of death.
Trump’s administration has been criticized for policies seen as harmful to minority communities, such as immigration restrictions. However, these policies, though sometimes contentious, do not constitute systematic genocide or ethnic cleansing. The implementation of Trump’s policies took place under the scrutiny of courts, media, and public debate, illustrating the difference between controversial policies within a democratic system and an orchestrated, ideologically motivated genocide.
5) Legacy and the Weight of History
The ultimate difference lies in the legacy left by each leader. Adolf Hitler’s legacy is an eternal symbol of evil, a harrowing reminder of the human capacity for inhumanity. The Holocaust, Second World War, and devastation caused by his policies have left an indelible mark on history.
Trump’s legacy, while unquestionably polarizing, will likely be judged through the lens of American political history. He has surely inspired fierce loyalty and equally intense opposition, but he does not embody the same existential threat to humanity as Hitler did.
The Trump era may be remembered as a period of political turbulence and division, but it lacks the atrocities that characterized Hitler’s rule. To equate Trump with Hitler risks diluting the profound lessons that history has provided on the dangers of unchecked authoritarianism.
This week, mainstream media outlets have continued to produce ridiculous headlines about Sunday’s Trump rally at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. For example: “Trump’s MSG event draws comparisons to 1939 Nazi rally,” according to an Axios headline.
And days before the rally, much of the mainstream media created the narrative that this event was a “reenactment” of an actual Nazi rally held at Madison Square Garden in 1939, organized by the pro-Nazi German American Bund.
Fritz Julius Kuhn, then-leader of the German American Bund, said at that event: “You have all heard of me through the Jewish-controlled press,” before adding that his group was demanding a “white, gentile-ruled United States.” Kuhn was not seeking office, but the German American Bund had set up secret camps around America to train young children in Nazism and antisemitic ideologies.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s rally was attended by author and Russian-British satirist Konstantin Kisin. Here is how he described it:
“The diversity of Nazis on display was unbelievable: Black Nazis, Latino Nazis, Asian Nazis, white Nazis, female Nazis and lots and lots of Jewish Nazis were all assembled in an orderly line, chatting politely to each other and cracking jokes. It was terrifying.”1
“Across the road, kept at bay by the few police who sadly haven’t been defunded yet, was a handful of mostly peaceful protestors. They were there to ‘save democracy’ by demanding that the democratically-elected leader of one of America’s two major parties be thrown in prison.”
“Reminiscent of Adolf Hitler’s rallies, the event opened with a stand-up comedian telling a few jokes — straight out of the Nazi playbook! The hateful comic made fun of everyone: celebrities, Israelis, Palestinians and even Puerto Ricans. It made me want to reach for a comfort animal but the person closest to me was a woman in a hijab and I didn’t want to commit a hate crime by hugging her without consent.”
“By the time I came to my senses, a radio personality called Sid Rosenberg was on stage. Hmm, Rosenberg, I thought to myself. Typical Nazi name. He had apparently just returned from Israel, which he claimed both he and the President support. I couldn’t help noticing that every time he mentioned Israel, the Nazi scum, who had by this point filled the stadium to the rafters, cheered and clapped. ‘This is just like one of Hitler’s rallies,’ I said to the man next to me who was wearing some sort of skullcap. He laughed as if I’d said something funny and resumed cheering, holding up his bigoted ‘Jews for Trump’ sign.”
“My Shocking Report from Inside Trump's Nazi Rally.” Konstantin Kisin.
You have the right to believe whatever you chose to! Just remember the similarities and parallels! For example: Shitler said: "The greatest Truth is a Lie a thousand times repeated!" Trumpanzee said: "If you say something the people want to hear often enough, then it is (becomes) True!" Looks to me like the same crap, different pile! Do yourself a favour: Do NOT get deceived by Fascist Liars! That is all that I can advise you to do for your own sake! I grew up under the fascist regime of Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay, whom I fought with whatever I had, risking life, limb and torture 24/7! So, I know pretty much all there is to know about the lies of fascism!
This is brilliant. Thank you, Joshua. History can instruct us to ignore the hysteria if only we had any sense of it. I’m old enough to have had a father who served in WWII so I grew up knowing of the evil of the Third Reich. The current lack of knowledge of that period of history is more alarming to me than any political operative shrieking “Hitler!”