Historical Echoes
In the corridors of history, some voices resonate with an intensity that transcends generations.
Speeches, though shaped by disparate contexts, may exhibit rhetorical patterns that unveil something profound about human nature and the inherent dangers of certain forms of political communication to democratic models.
Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump are figures separated by almost a century, yet united by peculiarities that transcend time and political space. Both came to power through popular vote, gaining significant majorities and consolidating control over a system that prides itself on being the most stable in history—both in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Although emerging from distinct backgrounds—military in Hitler's case and business in Trump's—both share a common core: the exercise of power over fanatical followers, sustained by the support of elites.
Their trajectories weakened regimes that many deemed immune to authoritarian threats. Thus, examining their speeches—both formal and informal—becomes essential when unsettling parallels emerge that demand careful attention.
For what occurred in the decades following the rupture of the archaic hegemony of states derived from monarchist autocracies, especially between 1933 and 1945, left indelible marks on the collective memory of humanity.
History teaches us that the echo of words laden with hatred and division can pave dark paths whose consequences resonate even today.
Illustration: Flávio Costa - https://x.com/flaviocostaf
In the following assessment of some speeches by these leaders, an impressive rhetorical similarity stands out, despite crucial differences in historical context.
The analogy of oratory and dissemination not only highlights the weight of words as tools of political persuasion but also warns of the risks of their manipulation and objectives in times of crisis.
In today’s world, where democracies face unprecedented challenges, reflections on historical processes and contemporary realities acquire powerful and urgent relevance.
Leadership
To exercise power over a state requires effective leadership or, symbolically, the exercise of populist leadership. In this latter form, any representative of state power with fascist ambitions employs key elements:
Cult of the leader’s personality as the sole savior
Highlighting that this leader always presents themselves as exactly like an ordinary individual, exhaustively showing they possess the same concerns and ambitions as you, building the image of the... supreme leader.
Our two characters presented themselves—as soon as they began—as indispensable saviors of the nation, cultivating a cult of their own image.
Adolf Hitler
"I am your leader... follow me!" - Speech in Berlin (1933).
"Only I can rebuild this nation. Only I understand the threat we face. Only I can lead you to greatness." - Speech at the Reichstag (Jan. 30, 1937)
Donald Trump
"Only I can fix this." - Republican National Convention (Jul. 21, 2016).
"I am your voice. No one else will fight for you like I will." - Speech at the Republican Convention (Jul. 21, 2016)
How to acquire this leadership? Imposing concerns and ambitions on the people.
Methodology
Nationalism, resentment, and return to an idealized past
Both emphasize in their speeches an exacerbated national pride and exploit social and economic resentments, claiming the country is being exploited or betrayed by internal and external enemies, promising to restore the past glory of their nations.
Adolf Hitler
“Germany, awaken!” - Nazi slogan from the 1920s-1930s.
“The German people were betrayed by internal elements, those who placed their own interests above the good of the nation. Our homeland was sold, humiliated, and plundered by traitors within our ranks.” - Speech in Munich (Apr. 12, 1922)
“Germany must rise again! Let us rebuild our nation and restore its honor.” - In various speeches (Early 1930s)
Appeal to national rebirth and the supposed greatness of Germany after the humiliation of losing territories and paying reparations from World War I, which were considered unpayable at the time—and were only settled on Oct. 3, 2010.
Donald Trump
“Make America Great Again” - Campaign slogan (2016)
“The United States is a devastated country. The world is exploiting us, our companies are fleeing, our government is controlled by interests that don’t care about you, the American people.” - Speech at the Republican Convention (Jul. 21, 2016)
“Together, we will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again.” - Speech at the Republican Convention (Jul. 21, 2016)
Idea of recovering a supposed "greatness" of the USA that is supposedly lost and threatened.
Primary enemies
Both use treachery and demonization (internal and external) in their rhetoric, and a national need to purge “corrupt elements” to restore the “nation's greatness”.
Adolf Hitler
“The Jews are the great masters of deception, and we must combat these hidden forces that work to destroy Germany.” - Mein Kampf, Volume 1, Chapter 10 (1925)
“The Jew is the parasite of the people... the cause of all corruption.” - Mein Kampf, Volume 1, Chapter 11 (1925).
Campaign to demonize Jews through the economic crisis and moral decay of Germany.
Donald Trump
“Mexico is sending people. They bring drugs. They bring crime. They are rapists.” - Speech announcing presidential candidacy (Jun. 16, 2015).
Campaign associating immigrants (primarily Mexicans) with crime to justify anti-immigration policies (ethnic cleansing).
“The fake news media and corrupt politicians are destroying this country from within. They are lying to you, trying to weaken us, but we will not let them!” - Rally in Phoenix (Aug. 22, 2017).
Campaign of creating internal enemies and discrediting the opposing press.
Democratic status
Both express contempt for the processes and institutions of democracy and suggest that they are obstacles to true popular power.
Adolf Hitler
“The Weimar Republic is a treacherous farce.” - Speech during the election campaign (1932).
“The democratic system is a failure! It only serves to divide the nation and weaken it in the face of enemies. We need a strong and determined government!” - Speech in Nuremberg (Sep. 13, 1935).
Discrediting the democratic system.
Donald Trump
“The election was stolen.” - Post-election claims (2020)
“We cannot let them steal the election from us. If we don’t fight like hell, we won’t have a country anymore!” - Rally in Washington (Jan. 6, 2021).
Discrediting the electoral system and thus democracy.
However, such methodologies are useless without total mastery and control over two fundamental elements:
The political/administrative processes and legislative houses (as they both conquered and refined such control during their time in power, I will not dwell on the historical parallels of the almost identical process of this control) and
The process of disseminating their narrative. To sustain dissemination, they use the same persuasion tool: The Propaganda Machine.
Dominance narrative
Exhaustively disseminating—by the leader and their acolytes—nationalist speeches, segregation, and hatred towards the "enemies of the Nation", lies, discrediting, and demonizing people, institutions, and even science was (and is) the daily and uninterrupted goal of fascist state propaganda.
In Germany, Goebbels controlled absolutely all existing means of communication (radios, newspapers, and culture); in the USA, Trump’s machine controls some radios, TVs, and newspapers, and, mainly, social media groups and big techs financially suffocating opposing press outlets or organizations. Focusing mainly on two 'praxis': falsification of reality and scapegoating enemies.
False attacks on unchecked media
Adolf Hitler
“The Jewish press lies daily.” - Speech in Munich (1923).
Terms like "Lügenpresse" (lying press) were used for years to discredit independent outlets.
Donald Trump
“The fake news media is the enemy of the American people.” - Tweet post (Feb. 17, 2017).
Delegitimizing press critiques.
Demonization of false enemies
Adolf Hitler
“Either we exterminate the Jew, or he will exterminate us.” - Speech at the Reichstag (Jan. 30, 1939).
Justification for genocidal policies.
Donald Trump
“We are waging a battle against very evil forces.” - Speech at the Republican Convention (2020).
Polarization between supporters and demonized opponents.
How are such rhetorical speeches propagated? In a massive, controlled, objective, and direct manner, using the simplest language possible, consistently instilling anger, fear, and distrust in the populace, utilizing "sacred" symbols (family, tradition, property, nationalism, and religion).
Modus operandi
Simplification
Both leaders reduce reality and complex issues to simplified and, therefore, distorted explanations, often blaming specific groups for national problems.
It's worth noting: current social networks are excellent examples of how this occurs.
Adolf Hitler
“If international Jewish financiers succeed in plunging nations once again into a world war, the result will not be the victory of the Jews, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.” - Speech at the Reichstag (1939)
Attributing economic and political problems to the Jews, simplifying complex causes and promoting anti-Semitic conspiracies that led to the Holocaust.
"One people, one empire, one leader" - Nazi slogan (1930s).
Unification under a totalitarian ideology.
Donald Trump
"We're going to build a great wall, and Mexico is going to pay for it. Believe me." - Republican presidential debate (2015)
Trump simplifies the problem of illegal immigration with solutions like "build a wall", blaming Mexico and immigrants.
"Build the Wall" - Campaign slogan (2016).
Simplistic solution to immigration.
Use of populist language: "Us against them"
Frequent use of watertight language, dividing humanity into just "us" (the people) and "them" (other countries and external or internal enemies).
Adolf Hitler
"The German people have been betrayed by their leaders and exploited by foreign powers. It is time to reclaim our destiny." - Mein Kampf (1925)
Both internal leaders and foreign powers are the real culprits for Germany's suffering after the First World War.
Donald Trump
"The American people are fed up with the 'status quo'. They are tired of being lied to by every other country in the world." - Campaign speech (2016)
Trump often portrays the US as a victim of other countries, especially in the area of trade and foreign policy.
Appeal to emotions and fear
Insistent use of fear and strong emotions to mobilize his audience.
Adolf Hitler
"The Jews are parasites who feed on the lifeblood of the German people." - Speeches during his rise to power in the 1930s
Demonization of the Jews, creating an atmosphere of fear, hatred and human inferiority.
Donald Trump
"They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." - Candidacy announcement speech (2015)
Trump uses frightening images to describe immigrants, generating distrust and fear.
Emphatic repetition
Use of rhetorical technique to reinforce key messages.
Adolf Hitler
"One people, one empire, one leader!" - Nazi propaganda widely disseminated in the 1930s.
Repetition of slogans to unify the German people under a single ideology.
Donald Trump
"Make America Great Again! Make America Great Again!" - 2016 campaign slogan.
The constant repetition of the slogan to create a clear identity of his support base.
Final words
I began this article by simply trying to highlight rhetorical patterns, discursive strategies common in populist/authoritarian leaders (so much so that initially there was one more leader under analysis) without suggesting a moral equivalence between them... However, the similarity between the patterns and strategies of Hitler and Trump made me change my initial approach.
Although the historical and political contexts are different, there are extremely similar rhetorical patterns in the speeches of Hitler and Trump:
Use of extreme nationalism
Creation of internal enemies and conspiracies
Building a cult of personality
Distrust and attacks on democratic institutions
These similarities show how certain populist and authoritarian styles transcend time and specific ideologies.
Studying these figures, I realized that political language is not just a question of style, but of substance. It shapes perceptions, defines priorities and, in extreme cases, can alter the course of history. By recognizing and publicizing these patterns, the dangers of authoritarian populism are made more widely known.
So, in my comparison of the period between 1924 and 2021 - after all, Trump was unable to continue in power until then - I avoided evaluating the consequences of the rhetoric, as they were incomparable.
However, in a cold assessment of Trump's campaign speeches in 2024 (which I didn't use to avoid repeating the same methods, tools, terms, keywords...) and, above all, his actions and the escalation of his rhetoric in these few weeks of his second term, three main characteristics of Nazism, which was defeated in 1945, have frighteningly emerged: perpetuation in power, expansionism and genocide (proxy, in this case).
Trump has publicly and emphatically stated his desire to seek a third term in office, integrate Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal into US territory and take "long-term" control of Palestinian territory (the Gaza Strip) by relocating residents to other countries (see EndNote).
Donald Trump
"The United States will take control of the Gaza Strip, and we will do a great job there. It will be our responsibility to dismantle all the unexploded bombs, level the ground, get rid of the destroyed buildings and level the area to boost economic development that will generate an unlimited amount of jobs and housing for the population."
At another point, he said that the strategy would "rebuild US strength in the region". (Feb 4, 2025)
On the same day, Trump asked Congress, where he controls the majority, to approve a transfer of almost US$ 1 billion in bombs and military items to Israel (4,700 pumps of 450 kg each, estimated at more than US$ 700 million, as well as armored tractors from Caterpillar, totaling US$ 300 million), despite international efforts to maintain the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
In other words, further fueling the process of genocide (practiced by Netanyahu and supported by Biden).
A ten-year agreement worth US$ 38 billion for the supply of arms, ammunition and military equipment was signed in 2016 between the US and Israel and is still in force. The request for the transfer of $ 1 billion in arms is to be taken from the annual shipment of $ 3.3 billion to Tel Aviv.
Emergency packages throughout the genocide, however, have added billions to the amount, including $ 14.1 billion granted in February 2024 and another $ 2.5 billion approved in March 2024.
There is no longer any need to fear the escalation towards fascism in the most perverse form humanity has ever witnessed. These are not reckless generalizations or misinterpretations.
These are real and palpable facts, there is discourse and there are actions underway. We are millimeters away from no return to a terrifying future.
Trump is heading for a legacy as bad as or worse than 1945.
EndNote:
According to the UN, genocide is the crime of destroying, in whole or in part, an ethnic, national, racial or religious group.
The UN definition of genocide includes: Killing members of the group; Causing serious physical or mental harm to members of the group; Imposing conditions of life that lead to the physical destruction of the group; Imposing measures to prevent births in the group; andTransferring children from the group to another group.
Genocide has been considered a crime against humanity by the UN since 1948.
Genocide crimes are tried by the International Court of Justice (hears disputes between states) and International Criminal Court (jurisdiction to prosecute individuals) in The Hague.
Sérgio Vieira
@sergiovds at X, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, Medium, Instagram
mailto: idigitais@gmail.com
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