Like Donald Trumptheir allies continue whitewash Given the former president’s affinity for authoritarian governing styles, several former Trump administration officials publicly confirm the warning given by the former White House Chief of Staff. john kelly Earlier this week: Trump will rule like a dictator.

This week Kelly went on the record and said New York Times He said Trump is a textbook fascist and will rule like a dictator if re-elected. In a separate interview with AtlanticHe expanded on past memories in which Trump expressed his admiration for Hitler and his desire for generals as loyal as the Nazi dictator’s.

According to a Friday letter received by Policy, More than a dozen public officials (all Republicans) who served under Trump support the retired general. Signatories include former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Elizabeth Neumann, former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, former national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence Olivia Troye, and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

“The statements made by General Kelly are disturbing and shocking. However, knowing Trump and working for and alongside him, we are unfortunately not surprised by what General Kelly said,” they wrote.

The letter states, “Everyone should heed General Kelly’s warning.” “Like General Kelly, we did not take the decision to come forward lightly. We are all Republicans who have served our country for a lifetime. But there are moments in history when it is necessary to put country before party. This is one of those moments.”

Kelly is not the first senior Trump official to warn that Trump is prepared to use the military against American citizens and expects unquestioning loyalty from American generals.

In 2022, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper wrote in his book: Sacred Oath, It was stated that Trump suggested shooting the protesters “in the legs”. Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. “At this point, even if we were wrong and violence escalated in the city, I didn’t want active-duty forces to get to the president’s hands immediately,” Esper wrote in his memoirs.

esper publicly opposed Trump’s proposal to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell the protests was ousted from the administration shortly after Trump lost his re-election bid.

on a friday report by Washington Post, Former National Security Adviser John Bolton said placing troops in American cities is often “the first thing (Trump) would consider doing rather than following the traditional model.” A former senior administration official said: to mail He said Trump often complains that “nobody in the Pentagon will do what they’re told.”

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Charles Kupperman added: “Trump wants generals at his disposal.”

Trump responded with characteristic anger to Kelly’s comments and subsequent criticism from his former employees.

“Thank you for your support against a complete degenerate named John Kelly who made up a story out of pure Trump Imbalance Syndrome Hatred! This man had two traits that didn’t work well together. “He was tough and stupid,” Trump said Wrote at Truth Social Wednesday night. “John Kelly is a LOW LIFE and a bad General; I no longer sought his advice in the White House and told him to MOVE ON!”

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign drew on Kelly’s comments as part of her closing statement warning voters about Trump’s desire to rule with unquestioned authority.

“This is a window into who Donald Trump really is from the people who know him best, the people who work side by side with him in the Oval Office and the Situation Room,” Harris said. televised press conference on Wednesday. “In the second term, people like John Kelly would not be able to create a barrier against his tendencies and actions.”