Trump's anti-democratic mindset mirrors that of Hitler

Comparing Trump to Hitler is not about equating their crimes but recognising similar patterns of demagoguery and democratic decay, writes Arthur Burgif.

THE COMPARISON between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler has sparked intense debate, with historians and political analysts divided on its validity.

While such analogies risk trivialising the horrors of Nazism, they also serve as a lens to examine the erosion of democratic norms and the rise of authoritarianism factors that contributed to World War II.

This article explores key parallels between Trump’s political strategies and Hitler’s rise, linking them to the systemic failures and ideologies that precipitated global conflict in the 1930s.

Exploiting grievances and undermining democratic institutions

Both leaders capitalised on societal divisions and economic anxieties to consolidate power. Hitler rose to prominence by blaming Germany’s post-WWI economic collapse on Jewish “scapegoats” and the Treaty of Versailles, framing himself as the saviour of a humiliated nation.

Similarly, Trump weaponised grievances around globalisation, immigration and cultural shifts, targeting marginalised groups like Muslims and Latino immigrants as threats to American identity.

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Hitler’s dismantling of the Weimar Republic (Germany's democratic Government from 1919 to 1933) began with sidelining parliamentary oversight through emergency decrees, a tactic mirrored in Trump’s reliance on executive orders and attacks on judicial independence, such as his pardoning of far-right extremists involved in the insurrection on 6 January 2021.

This erosion of checks on executive power echoes the pre-WWII collapse of democratic safeguards in Germany, where leaders like Hindenburg enabled Hitler’s authoritarianism.

Propaganda, lies and cult of personality

A cornerstone of Hitler’s regime was the use of propaganda to manipulate public perception. Joseph Goebbels’ control over media narratives and the dissemination of antisemitic conspiracies normalized extremism.

Trump’s rhetoric labelling the press as “enemies of the people” and promoting baseless claims like “stop the steal” reflects a similar strategy to delegitimise truth and foster loyalty to his persona. Both leaders also relied on performative lies to reshape reality.

Historian Henk de Berg notes that Trump and Hitler were 'political performance artists' who used shameless, repetitive falsehoods to galvanise supporters and destabilise opponents. This tactic, combined with dehumanising language (for example, Trump’s description of immigrants as “vermin” and Hitler’s portrayal of Jews as “parasites”), fosters an “us vs them” mentality critical to authoritarian consolidation.

Militarism and expansionist ambitions

While Trump’s policies lack Hitler’s genocidal intent, his transactional approach to geopolitics and isolationist tendencies recall pre-WWII appeasement failures.

Hitler’s annexation of Sudetenland (parts of former Czechoslovakia) and demands for Lebensraum (a German concept of expansionism “living space”) were enabled by global powers hesitant to confront him.

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Similarly, Trump’s threats to withdraw from NATO and his transactional diplomacy with autocrats like Putin risk destabilising international alliances that have maintained post-WWII stability.

Trump’s rhetoric about seizing Greenland and Gaza and militarising space (Mars colonisation) also mirrors Hitler’s territorial ambitions, albeit framed through a capitalist lens rather than ethnic expansion. Both leaders framed aggression as national renewal, appealing to nostalgia for past greatness, whether Hitler’s “Third Reich” or Trump’s “Make America Great Again”.

Systemic polarisation and the threat of illiberalism

The hyperpolarisation of Weimar Germany, exacerbated by economic crises and political gridlock, created fertile ground for Nazi extremism.

Historian Christopher R Browning warns that Republican tactics under Trump, such as voter repression and judicial politicisation, mirror the degradation of democratic norms in pre-Nazi Germany.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell’s obstructionism likened to Paul von Hindenburg’s enabling of Hitler, highlights how institutional decay can pave the way for authoritarianism.

Trump’s alliance with Christian nationalists further parallels Hitler’s alignment with conservative elites who believed they could control him. The repeal of Roe v Wade and attacks on “woke” ideologies reflect a reactionary push to reverse social progress, akin to Nazi efforts to roll back Weimar-era freedoms.

Lessons from history — avoiding the path to conflict

The causes of WWII economic instability, failed diplomacy, and unchecked authoritarianism offer stark warnings. While Trump’s actions have not led to genocide or global war, his presidency underscores how democracies can unravel through incremental erosion of norms.

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Historians like Sylvia Taschka caution against simplistic comparisons but stress that dismissing parallels outright risks ignoring red flags.

The Holocaust survivor mantra “never again” demands vigilance against dehumanisation and institutional complacency. As Trump’s rhetoric fuels division and his allies push for unchecked power, the lessons of the 1930s remind us that preventing catastrophe requires confronting authoritarianism before it escalates.

Comparing Trump to Hitler is not about equating their crimes but recognising patterns of demagoguery and democratic decay. The interwar period teaches that appeasing extremism and normalising hatred have dire consequences.

Whether the U.S. avoids a similar trajectory depends on upholding accountability, defending marginalised communities and rejecting the normalisation of authoritarian tactics — a task as urgent now as it was in 1933.