This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox.
Donald Trump told his chief of staff John Kelly that “Hitler did some good things,” including rebuilding the German economy.
The revelation, first made in 2021 and since expanded on by Kelly, plays into a trend for Trump, who has invoked the Nazis several times since 2015, and was reported, well before his political aspirations, to own a copy of the German dictator’s speeches. As a new ad for Democratic Majority for Israel makes clear, the former president has people in his orbit who espouse antisemitic ideas, or even apologetics for Nazis.
But Trump is not alone in praising the tyrant who Kelly said “you can never say anything good about.” He’s not even the only one to do it recently.
Colombian presidential candidate said he’s a follower of Hitler — then said he meant to say Einstein
Rodolfo Hernández, who ran for president of Colombia in 2022, said in a 2016 interview that he considered himself himself a follower “of a great German thinker, who is named Adolf Hitler” (Hitler was Austrian) and urged his listeners to follow the “recommendations that he gives” that “if you’re looking for different results, don’t always do the same thing.” At the time, Hernández, a small business owner who has some TikTok fame, was serving as mayor of the city of Bucaramanga.
In 2021, when the audio resurfaced, Hernández apologized “to the Jewish community,” claiming his remark was a “slip of the tongue” and that he meant to praise another man: Albert Einstein. Hernández did not win.
Republican primary winner said ‘Hitler was right’
In Jan. 2017, Missouri Republican Steve West, in a radio interview, said, “Looking back in history, unfortunately, Hitler was right about what was taking place in Germany. And who was behind it.” West won the 2018 primary for a state seat, but was never elected to hold office.
Erykah Badu ‘found something good in Hitler’ — namely his paintings
In a 2018 interview with Vulture, musician Erykah Badu said, “Hitler was a wonderful painter.” She later said her words were misconstrued and she “used the worst examples possible” to “exaggerate a show of compassion.”
US rep. featured Hitler quote about children
On Jan. 6, 2021, Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois, addressing a Moms for America rally crowd, said, “Hitler was right on one thing: ‘Whoever has the youth has the future.’” Miller apologized, stating that “Hitler wasn’t right on anything.”
Game show host Chuck Woolery suggests Hitler was right to ‘crack down’ on intellectuals
In a May 31, 2021, Twitter post, Chuck Woolery, former host of Love Connection, implied that Hitler was correct to crack down on the Frankfurt School in Germany.
“Critical Race theory is based on Critical theory, given to the world by Marxists from the Frankfort [sic] School in Germany. When Hitler cracked down on them they moved,” Woolery tweeted. “Yes they moved to Columbia University in NYC and they remain there to this day.”
Nick Fuentes celebrates Hitler; Kanye West says he has ‘value’
Nick Fuentes, who dined with Trump at Mar-A-Lago with Ye, the musician and entrepreneur formerly known as Kanye West, is an avowed white supremacist who regularly praises Hitler, once beginning a speech to his followers, “I love you and I love Hitler.”
In a 2022 appearance on Alex Jones’ Infowars, with Fuentes, Ye said, “Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.” (Ye reportedly has long admired Hitler and even considered naming an album for him.)
Ye claimed that Hitler’s value included inventing highways and a microphone he uses as a recording artist, neither of which are strictly true.
US Rep. Paul Gosar promotes ‘Stand up for Hitler’ site in his newsletter
Twice in 2023, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona used his official House.gov newsletter to promote websites that praised Hitler. One called the Führer a “man of valor” and another urged its readers to “stand up for Hitler.” Gosar’s office blamed a “third-party aggregating service.” Gosar’s digital director was found to reportedly be an acolyte of Nick Fuentes.
Moms for Liberty chapter quotes Hitler in newsletter
In 2023, the Hamilton County, Indiana, chapter of Moms for Liberty quoted Hitler in their newsletter. Like Rep. Miller, they quoted “Whoever has the youth has the future,” taken from the 1935 speech introducing the Nuremberg laws. The chapter’s chairperson apologized.
North Carolina gubernatorial candidate (and current lieutenant governor) Mark Robinson preferred Hitler to Obama
Among the odd revelations about Mark Robinson, who professed to be a “Black NAZI” on a porn message board, was the quote, “I’d take Hitler over any of the sh*t that’s in Washington right now,” a view expressed in March 2012.
Countless people online and — increasingly — in real life have found nice things to say
If you search “Hitler was right” online, it will direct you to countless news stories about graffiti seen at bullfights in Madrid, fliers at universities in Arizona and a Jewish member of British parliament harassed by an online troll.
The sentiment, whether expressed over a seemingly benign quotation or a part of Hitler’s record, is far from new, nor does it show signs of abating anytime soon. But, to riff on a famous tweet, you do not, under any circumstances, “gotta hand it to” Hitler.
This story was originally published on the Forward.
