12 March 2024 , 12:54
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Donald Trump allegedly said Adolf Hitler "did some good things" and praised other despots including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, China's President Xi Jinping, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, former advisers have claimed.
The former US president, who is now campaigning for a second term in the White House, admired autocrats and admitted he thought Vladimir Putin was "an OK guy", retired Gen. John Kelly, who served as Trump's chief of staff, claimed.
Kelly accused Trump of praising Hitler and when asked exactly why he thought the Nazi Germany leader did "some good things", the former president allegedly said: "Well, [Hitler] rebuilt the economy". But according to Trump's former chief of staff, his admiration for the German dictator went beyond his economic policies.
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A spokesman for Trump previously denied that the former president praised Adolf Hitler (Popperfoto via Getty Images)
Trump speaks to supporters during the Super Tuesday Election Night Watch Party in Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida (CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Kelly told CNN that Trump allegedly admired how Hitler was able to maintain the "loyalty" of senior Nazi officers, as he explained: "He truly believed, when he brought us generals in, that we would be loyal - that we would do anything he wanted us to do." Back in 2021, a spokesman for Trump denied allegations that the former president had praised Hitler.
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But according to Kelly, Trump regularly praised despots as he allegedly believed Orbán was "fantastic", Jinping was "brilliant" and Jong-un was "an OK guy". Last Friday, Trump hosted Orbán at his residence in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and said: "There's nobody that's better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orbán. He’s the boss and he’s a great leader, fantastic leader. In Europe and around the world, they respect him."
Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at his Mar-a-Lago residence (HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFIC)John Bolton, who served as national security adviser under Trump, claimed the former president "views himself as a big guy" who "likes dealing with other big guys, and big guys like Erdogan in Turkey get to put people in jail and you don't have to ask anybody's permission. He kind of likes that." Kelly added: "He's not a tough guy by any means, but in fact quite the opposite. But that's how he envisions himself."
Trump's former advisers also claim he often praised Russian President Putin. Kelly said: "Every incoming president is shocked that they actually have so little power without going to the Congress, which is a good thing. It's Civics 101, separation of powers, three equal branches of government.
Trump shaking hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in September 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)"But in his case, he was shocked that he didn’t have dictatorial-type powers to send US forces places or to move money around within the budget. And he looked at Putin and Xi and that nutcase in North Korea as people who were like him in terms of being a tough guy."
While attending a Fox News Townhall in Iowa last summer, Trump described Chinese President Jinping as "an exceptionally brilliant individual who governs 1.4 billion people with an iron fist." He said: "Think of President Xi: central casting, brilliant guy. When I say he's brilliant, everyone says, 'Oh, that's terrible.'"
Meanwhile, Trump is hoping to delay his hush money trial until after the US Supreme Court rules on whether or not he has presidential immunity in another of his four indictments, the election interference case. The businessman is hoping that, if the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) rules that he does have immunity, he can delay the hush money trial indefinitely — or have it vacated altogether. He has previously claimed he has immunity for every action he committed while in office, no matter the nature.
His legal team also argues that some of the actions outlined in the case constitute official acts while he was president, meaning he can't be tried for them, especially if he's found immune in the other trial. On Monday, the Republican frontrunner's legal team asked Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan to adjourn the trial until SCOTUS can rule, but he did not immediately rule on the demand.
Trump with Vladimir Putin in November 2017 (TASS via Getty Images)The hush money case centres on allegations that the former president falsified the Trump Organization's internal records in order to hide the true nature of payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen. It is scheduled to begin on March 25.
But with SCOTUS scheduled to hear arguments on April 25, a whole month later, Trump is hoping to delay the hush money trial until at least May, when a ruling could come down. The hush money case alleges that the payments to Cohen were for his services in helping the businessman cover up negative stories about him during his 2016 campaign that ultimately saw him win the White House.