Former Republican Representative Liz Cheney decried recent comments made by Donald Trump as akin to "Nazi propaganda."
Trump came under fire after releasing a Veterans Day statement via his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday. The former president's language included a pledge to "root out" several groups he referred to as "vermin" in the United States, which observers and historians likened to remarks made by dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, which were used to later justify atrocities committed by their governments.
"In honor of our great veterans on Veteran's Day, we pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country. Lie, steal, and cheat on elections, and will do anything possible, whether legally or illegally, to destroy America, and the American dream," Trump wrote in the post.
"The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous, and grave, than the threat from within. Despite the hatred and anger of the radical left lunatics who want to destroy our country, we will make America great again!"
The comment also generated considerable alarm coming soon after reports that Trump is planning to invoke the Insurrection Act on day one of his second term if reelected in 2024, allowing him to use military force to shut down protests against him.
During a Sunday appearance on Meet the Press, Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee, deflected when pressed about whether or not she was comfortable with Trump's rhetoric, saying that she did not want to comment on messaging from 2024 candidates.
In the wake of McDaniel's appearance, Cheney took to X, formerly Twitter, to denounce the chairwoman's deflection and Trump's original comments, accusing McDaniel of collaborating with and working to appease Trump for his controversial outbursts.
"When [Ronna McDaniel] refuses to condemn the GOP's leading candidate for using the same Nazi propaganda that mobilized 1930s-40s Germany to evil, it's fair to assume she's collaborating," Cheney said. "History will judge Ronna McDaniel and every Republican who is appeasing this dangerous man."
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Trump and McDaniel via email for comment.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump, previously told Newsweek that the comparison of the former president's rhetoric to Hitler's was coming from "snowflakes."
"Those who try to make that ridiculous assertion are clearly snowflakes grasping for anything because they are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome and their sad, miserable existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House," Cheung said.
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Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
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