A Fox News Host Seemingly Tried To Defend Trump Allegedly Saying He Wanted "Generals Like Hitler Had," And It's Quite The Statement

    "Coming from the business world...obviously [Trump] has frustration."

    Ashley Holt
    by Ashley Holt

    BuzzFeed Staff

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    Donald Trump's longest-serving chief of staff John Kelly has been sharing shocking details about his time working for the former president as a warning to the public ahead of the presidential election.

    John Kelly and Donald Trump seated in armchairs
    Pool / Getty Images

    When speaking to the Atlantic, Kelly confirmed one disturbing moment when Trump allegedly asked him, "Why can’t you be like the German generals?" The Atlantic reports that Kelly tried to explain to Trump that German generals “tried to kill Hitler three times and almost pulled it off.” But the former president allegedly responded, “No, no, no, they were totally loyal to him.”

    John Kelly looking at Trump during a meeting
    Pool / Getty Images

    News of the purported exchange went viral, leading to hundreds of thousands of reactions online, many of which denounce the former president for his alleged words. However, a host of Fox & Friends received backlash for seemingly defending Trump's wish to share a similarity with one of history's most evil figures.

    Kilmeade: Maybe Trump was talking about German Generals under Hitler who weren’t Nazis? pic.twitter.com/1t0tAumKCg

    — Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 23, 2024
    FOX / Via Twitter: @RonFilipkowski

    Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade claimed Kelly "didn’t like the president, and they didn't think he deserved the job." As a result, he claimed Kelly "went out of his way to make sure a lot of the things they asked him to do, that they didn't like — never got done."

    Four news anchors on a couch discuss a story. The text on screen highlights a denouncement of an article disparaging Trump
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    "Coming from the business world...obviously [he] has frustration. And I could absolutely see him go now, ‘You know what? It would be great to have German generals that actually do what we ask them to do.'"

    FOX

    Kilmeade then stuttered, "Knowing that’s a uh — maybe not fully uh, being cognizant of the third rail of German generals who were Nazis and whatever."

    Four news anchors sit on a sofa discussing a news headline
    Fox News

    Kilmeade claimed Trump was "frustrated with the slowdown of commands," before his co-host Lawrence Jones said, "It wasn’t just a slowdown, it was insubordination."

    Fox News

    "Unelected people don't get to run the country, even if you have four stars behind your name," Jones continued.

    FOX

    "And I think they were very frustrated that you had this outside guy [Trump] that says, ‘Listen, I’m in charge now.’"

    People online were not only offended but disturbed by the discussion. They said, "We are living in the most ignorant and dangerous timeline in history."

    Twitter: @ThisWillHold

    This person called the hosts "disgusting."

    Twitter: @ChidiNwatu

    This person said, "They constantly defend the indefensible."

    Twitter: @AmyLynnStL

    While this person just needed help to "MAKE IT MAKE SENSE."

    Twitter: @MaTTFLaMMaBLe

    This person pointed out that this could alienate Jewish American voters. "Trump: Any jewish American who doesn't vote for me should have their head examined. Also Trump..."

    Trump: Any jewish American who doesn't vote for me should have their head examined.

    Also Trump: I wish I had some Generals like Hitler had.

    — Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 23, 2024
    Twitter: @RonFilipkowski

    This person noticed that Kilmeade didn't deny the possibility that Trump actually did make the offensive statement. "Well, he seems to admit that Trump said what he did about the nazi generals.. that's always something."

    Twitter: @HvikingL

    And finally, this person addressed Kilmeade's attempt to separate the idea of "German generals" from Nazis. "Yeah Brian, that's what Trump was talking about. The non-Nazi Hitler Generals."

    Twitter: @jeremynewberger
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