On Thursday, The Daily Beast published an interview with Eva Schloss, a Holocaust survivor and the stepsister of Anne Frank. One of the things she discussed was the similarities she saw between Adolf Hitler and former President Donald Trump.
“Trump wasn’t just against the Jews — he was against the Mexicans, and many others,” said Schloss. “He was a racist. Full-stop, he was a racist. His son-in-law is a Jew, and his daughter converted to Judaism. You know, he’s said so many silly things. I’ve compared him to Hitler. I even heard that he studied Hitler’s speeches and things like that, so he obviously admired Hitler and just copied him with his anti-Semitism. The Muslims are hated as well.”
“This is what’s so wrong in our society — white supremacy,” she continued. “We should all treat each other as equal. We’re just one human race — different colors, different religions, different opinions, but all human beings who should have the same opportunities and should be measured equally.”
The similarities and differences between Trump and fascism have been a subject of heated debate among political theorists. At least some experts believe that he has radicalized his supporters in a way that is dangerous to democracy.