October 22, 2024, Presidential Election News

Former President Donald Trump praised Adolf Hitler's generals for their loyalty to the German dictator and said he wished American military personnel would show him the same deference, according to a new story published Tuesday by The Atlantic.

American military officers such as generals swear an oath to the Constitution and not to the commander in chief.

Trump reportedly made similar comments about Adolf Hitler and his generals. A book published in 2022 also said Trump told his then-chief of staff John Kelly, “Why can't you be like the German generals?” Trump's comments during his time as president were reported by reporters Peter Baker and Susan Glasser in ” The Divider: Trump in the White House” reports.

When The Atlantic recently asked Kelly about the exchange, the retired Marine general confirmed it.

“'Do you mean Bismarck's generals?'” Kelly told The Atlantic, recounting that moment. He added: “I mean, I knew he didn't know who Bismarck was or anything about the Franco-Prussian War. I said, “Do you mean the emperor’s generals?” Surely you can’t mean that Hitler's Generals?' And he said, 'Yes, yes, Hitler's generals.' I explained to him that Rommel had to commit suicide after he took part in a conspiracy against Hitler.”

“That is absolutely wrong. President Trump never said that,” said Alex Pfeiffer, a Trump campaign adviser.

The article features a series of stories that The Atlantic uses to illustrate Trump's views on the military and his desires for the military's performance under his command. In addition to covering the former president's thoughts on the loyalty of Nazi generals, The Atlantic reported that Trump was angry when he was told how much it cost to bury a fallen service member after he volunteered to pay for it.

The Atlantic reported that Trump told the family of Fort Hood Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, who was beaten to death with a hammer at the armory where she worked, wanted to pay funeral expenses but was never paid.

When he received the $60,000 bill, the Atlantic reported – citing two people present at the meeting and the notes of one attendee – that Trump said, “It doesn't cost $60,000 to bury a Mexican king!”

Trump told his then-chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and instructed him not to pay the funeral bill. Later that day, Trump reportedly said: “Damn people, they're trying to rip me off.”

“President Donald Trump never said that. “This is an outrageous lie from the Atlantic two weeks before the election,” said Pfeiffer.