This week, John Kelly, who previously served as President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, stated that Trump “fits the general definition” of a fascist. Vice President Kamala Harris concurred when she was asked during a CNN townhall.

Many Americans may not fully understand the concept of fascism, apart from its association with historical figures like Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy.

So what does it truly mean when we label a leader as a “fascist”?

Understanding Fascism

John Kelly, a former Marine General and Trump’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2019, described Trump as “certainly an authoritarian” who favors a dictatorial rule in his discussions with the New York Times.

“He certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure,” Kelly stated.

Kelly provided a specific description of fascism during the interview: “It’s a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized control, militarism, suppression of opposition, and an asserted social hierarchy,” he explained.

While definitions vary, many scholars suggest that fascism is an extreme blend of nationalism and militarism, often featuring a strong cult of personality around a leader.

The term “fascism” originates from the Italian word “fascio,” meaning a bundle of sticks, symbolizing a group of people unified tightly together, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Racist Rhetoric in Fascism

Fascist ideologies frequently exploit racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, and ethnocentric nationalism to establish divisions within society, categorizing people into ‘in’ and ‘out’ groups to rally their base against perceived threats.

A prime example is the Nazi Party in Germany, which propagated the belief in a superior race of white, Germanic Christians. Minority communities, including Jews, Roma, LGBTQ+ individuals, and the disabled, were depicted as corrupting or weakening society, leading to horrific outcomes like systematic arrests and mass exterminations, with over six million Jews murdered, as documented by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

“Fascist politics revolves around pinpointing enemies, appealing to the majority group, and suppressing truth in favor of power,” said Jason Stanley, a philosophy professor at Yale University and author of “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us vs. Them,” in a discussion with Vox.

‘Cult of Personality’

Fascism often elevates one leader at the forefront of the movement, portraying them as uniquely equipped to remedy a dysfunctional government or system, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

Fascist leaders are typically male and often display a pronounced, aggressive masculinity, as noted by the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian focused on fascism and a professor at NYU, shared insights with the New Yorker about the parallels between Donald Trump and Benito Mussolini, stating, “These individuals are experts at tapping into the current sentiment.”

Fascism Promotes Violence Against Political Opponents

Fascism, an extreme right-wing ideology, frequently identifies socialists, communists, or other left-leaning movements as adversaries. This can lead to violent actions, carried out by the state, military, or their supporters.

For example, historian Michael R. Ebner explained that Mussolini combined “legal” state oppression with “illegal” violence from squads. Law enforcement would target and intimidate leftist political rivals while these squads engaged in beatings and assassinations to silence dissenters, as detailed in his work “Ordinary Violence in Mussolini’s Italy.”

At times, these enemies are collectively vilified. Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator, depicted the widespread violence by his Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s as a “holy war” against a “Judeo-Masonic-Bolshevist” foe, according to the Holocaust Museum.

The Heimwehr movement in Austria sent militias to violently suppress striking workers, while Mussolini prohibited trade unions and all “Marxist organizations,” as stated by the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Fascist leaders frequently turn to violence to eliminate political opposition. For example, during Augusto Pinochet’s 17-year dictatorship in Chile, over 3,000 individuals were killed or went missing, and around 40,000 were tortured in his effort to wipe out communism and socialism.

Peter Siavelis, a political science and international affairs professor at Wake Forest University, explained to NPR, “A state of siege is declared. Political parties are banned. Universities are closed. A widespread arrest of political rivals begins.”

Fascist Leaders Aim for Total Control

Historically, fascist movements tend to emerge during periods of societal, economic, or political crises, offering promises of relief in exchange for absolute authority.

The Nazis gained traction as the German populace struggled under the severe economic conditions following World War I and the Weimar Republic’s collapse, as noted by the Wiener Holocaust Library.

Fascist regimes aim to consolidate their power and eradicate any democratic safeguards against their rule. After becoming Germany’s chancellor, Hitler leveraged his position to suspend civil liberties and granted police the authority to arrest individuals without justification, according to the National WWII Museum.

Political scientist Robert Paxton remarked that “Fascisms take root in response to the perceived failures of democracy” in his book “The Five Stages of Fascism.”