John Kelly Targets Trump in NYT Interview
“Wanted Personal Loyalty over the Constitution”
Urges Voters to Consider Suitability and Character of Candidates
In an exclusive interview with The New York Times, John Kelly, who served as the White House Chief of Staff for 1.5 years during the first half of Donald Trump’s administration (January 2017 to February 2021), described Trump as a “fascist with a strong potential to become a dictator.” He warned that a Trump re-election would be “truly dangerous.” Kelly, known as part of the “axis of adults” along with former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, was known for curbing Trump’s impulsive policy decisions.
In the interview released on the 22nd (local time), Kelly emphasized that voters should focus more on a candidate’s “suitability” and “character” rather than their positions on specific election issues when choosing a president. While not endorsing any specific candidate, he stated, “I repeat, electing the wrong person to a high position is a very dangerous thing,” implicitly discouraging votes for Trump in the upcoming election on November 5.
Kelly asserted that, based on his experience, Trump fits the definition of a “fascist.” He stated, “If you look at the definition of fascism, it includes a dictatorial leader, centralized autocratic politics, militarism, coercive suppression of the opposition, characterized by extreme right-wing authoritarianism and ultranationalist political ideology and movements.” He added with emphasis that this accurately describes Trump, who is clearly in the realm of extreme rightism and has openly expressed admiration for dictators.
Reflecting on Trump’s time in power, Kelly recalled, “Trump truly preferred an approach to governance akin to that of a dictator. He never acknowledged that he was not the world’s most powerful leader.” He expressed concern about Trump’s recent comments on potentially deploying the military against domestic opposition.
Kelly also criticized Trump for having a lack of understanding of the U.S. Constitution and history, remarking that Trump often demanded “personal loyalty” from his aides over loyalty to the Constitution. Despite Kelly’s attempts to prioritize constitutional loyalty, Trump seemed unable to relate, he recounted. Shockingly, Kelly testified that Trump repeatedly said, “Even Hitler did good things.”
A former general who served as the Commander of the U.S. Southern Command and the head of the Marine Corps, Kelly was appointed as the first Secretary of Homeland Security under Trump in January 2017. He became the White House Chief of Staff in July of the same year, where he was noted for restoring order within the chaotic White House and earned Trump’s deep trust. However, his relationship with Trump soured due to his frequent candid criticisms of Trump’s impulsive governance, ultimately leading to his resignation in January 2019, a move seen as both voluntary and pressured. The NYT noted that Kelly provided the most extensive commentary on Trump’s suitability and character, while CNN remarked that Kelly has “hit” Trump with this interview.