The former president of the USA Donald Trump on Thursday denied a report that he made positive comments about Adolf Hitler during his tenure, including an alleged remark that he wanted “the kind of generals that Hitler had.” Responding to a reporter’s question while campaigning in battleground Nevada, Trump said, “I never said that.”

Trump, referring to a recent report by The Atlantic, added: “I would never say that.”

The article published earlier this week reported that during a private conversation while in office, Trump expressed his desire to have generals similar to those under Adolf Hitler. According to The Atlantic, Trump reportedly noted that he wants “people who are totally loyal to him, who follow orders.”

NBC News reported that The Atlantic defended its article when reached for comment, with spokeswoman Anna Bross saying, “We stand by our reporting, as we have done with our previous reporting on former President Trump and his various statements”.

John Kelly, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, backed up those claims, saying in recent interviews that Trump had spoken favorably of Hitler’s leadership style on several occasions.

Former chief of staff John Kelly criticizes Trump’s leadership and ideology

John Kelly expressed serious concerns about the former president’s leadership style and political leanings in a recent interview with The New York Times. Kelly, who served from 2017 to 2019, described Trump as aligning with the “general definition of a fascist” and pursuing an authoritarian approach to governing.

In his interview, Kelly claimed that Trump admired authoritarian figures, referring specifically to Hitler’s leadership style, and would have wanted generals who showed absolute loyalty, similar to those who served under Hitler. “Looking at the definition of fascism, it’s a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology,” Kelly explained, suggesting that Trump’s tendencies aligned with such a model.

Trump responds to John Kelly amid sharp criticism

The former president of the USA Donald Trump hit back at John Kelly, his former White House chief of staff, after Kelly’s recent criticisms, accusing Trump of disrespecting American soldiers and showing authoritarian tendencies. Kelly, who served in Trump’s administration from 2017 to 2019, made the allegations in a recent interview, sparking a strong response from Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social.

In his posts, trump card dismissed Kelly as a “total degenerate” and claimed the retired Marine general made up stories due to “Trump derangement syndrome.” Specifically rejecting Kelly’s claim that he called fallen US soldiers “losers and crazy”, Trump labeled the allegation “a lie”. He emphasized his frustration at having to address what he considered falsehoods, saying he felt compelled to “respond in the pursuit of truth.”

Trump’s remarks included other criticisms of Kelly’s character and performance during his tenure as chief of staff. Describing Kelly as “tough and stupid,” Trump added that Kelly has “turned to JELLO” over time and suggested he no longer considers him a valuable adviser. Ultimately, Trump noted that he asked Kelly to “move on,” saying, “John Kelly is a vile man and a bad general whose advice in the White House I no longer seek.”

Trump’s campaign stop in Nevada is part of his larger effort to rally support in key states ahead of the upcoming election. While the former president’s team dismissed The Atlantic’s report as another attempt to discredit him, the article reignited the debate over Trump’s past controversial remarks and interactions with the military leadership.