By JAZMIN GOMEZ
Communication exists as a powerful tool in any political campaign. Persuasion acts as the deciding factor. The politician’s ability to influence their masses depends on their ability to speak and persuade. Arguably, Adolf Hitler is among the many dictators with the unique talent to convince. Donald Trump, who echoes much of the conservative, dehumanizing rhetoric of Hitler, shares that ability.
In seeking to compare Hitler to Trump, one must consider language. As expected, Hitler’s language consists of that of a totalitarian dictator. Trump’s language echoes the same racist, mortifying rhetoric.
“They let — I think the real number is 15, 16 million people into our country. When they do that, we got a lot of work to do. They’re poisoning the blood of our country,” Trump told a crowd at a rally in New Hampshire back in 2023. In Hitler’s manifesto “Mein Kampf,” he wrote, “All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning.”
Hitler speaks against immigration as it ‘killed’ off the Aryan race. Trump speaks against immigration as ‘poisons the blood’ of the country, or arguably, as immigration diversifies the nation. This also begs the question of whose blood? White? European? True Americans? If so, then Trump must be showing concern for the erasure of the Indigenous peoples of America. But, everyone knows he is not.
This type of insanely prejudiced way of thought and behavior allows for a certain excusal to occur. Many Trump supporters consistently rely on excusing Trump’s remarks as merely jokes. When Trump told Fox News he would act as a dictator on Day One of his second administration, his supporters expressed no concern. John LaCair, an attendee at a campaign rally at the University of New Hampshire, said, “He’s like a guy with a laser pointer, and the left is a cat.”
Yet, when Trump talked about taking a third term in an exclusive NBC interview, he made one thing clear: He was “not joking.” Despite the 22nd Amendment explicitly stating, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” Trump hinted at alternative measures. Of course, amending the constitution exists as a method but proves exceedingly difficult. Yet, Representative Andy Ogles already crafted a resolution seeking extension for the presidential term limits. Trump also admitted JD Vance would run for office and pass the role to himself, saying, “That’s one” method.
This vow to dismantle a 236 year long history of presidencies following the constitution should not be taken lightly. The Supreme Court already allowed Trump the possibility of reelection despite the 14th Amendendeent’s clause against insurrectionists. Our very own governmental framework has rewarded Trump with too many absolutions. America’s president already mimics the language of a dictator and ‘jokes’ about becoming one, Americans need to grasp that he may already be one.
Featured Image: NPR
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