The comparisons between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler have increased in recent years, especially between historians and political commentators who study authoritarian movements. While no serious analyst equates Trump directly with the architect of the Holocaust, many point out that his use of language, scapegoating, and authoritarian themes mirror elements seen in Nazi propaganda.
One of the most concerning examples came in December 2023, when Trump said immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.” The phrase drew immediate backlash. “It’s straight out of Nazi ideology,” said historian Timothy Snyder. Adolf Hitler frequently used similar words in Mein Kampf, claiming that the purity of German blood was under threat from “foreign elements.”
This wasn’t a one-off. In a speech in November last year, Trump called his political enemies “vermin,” another term used heavily by fascists in the 1930s and 40s to dehumanize enemies. Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat commented that “calling people ‘vermin’ is a classic prelude to justifying violence against them.” Hitler and Mussolini employed the term in early speeches to justify crackdowns on dissent.
Trump’s rhetoric often paints him as the singular solution to national problems. In campaign speeches, he says things like, “I am your retribution” and “Only I can fix it,” language pretty close to what strongmen like Hitler used to build cults of personality.
While Trump’s defenders argue these are just words, critics worry they lay the groundwork for dangerous shifts. “This is how authoritarianism starts,” said Charlie Sykes. “You define enemies, dehumanize them, and create a constant emergency.”
Trump has also proposed policies that echo fascist tactics. He’s floated the idea of mass deportations, used military-style language to describe domestic protests, and suggested deploying the National Guard in Democratic-run cities. These aren’t plans that can lead to genocide, but they do reflect a desire to use state power against political enemies.
Even some Republicans have raised concerns. Liz Cheney warned that Trump’s language is “like what you’d hear in Germany in the 1930s.” While many on the right dismiss comparisons as overblown, Cheney argues that history demands vigilance: “We’ve seen what happens when democracies sleepwalk into authoritarianism.”
To be clear, Trump is not leading a genocide. But language matters. And the way he speaks about immigrants, political opponents, and even democratic institutions should raise alarms. Ben-Ghiat puts it, “The road to fascism is marked by dehumanizing language and lawless leadership.”
Whether or not one agrees with using the label “Nazi,” there’s no denying that Trump’s rhetoric shares troubling traits with that dark chapter of history. And ignoring those parallels has consequences.
