In a striking move, a group of 13 former Trump administration aides has publicly supported the recent statements made by former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who expressed concerns that Donald Trump fits the definition of a fascist. The officials, who have penned an open letter, underscore the potential risks of a second Trump presidency, emphasizing, "This is who Donald Trump is."

The letter, released via POLITICO, highlights the gravity of Kelly’s revelations. "The revelations General Kelly brought forward are disturbing and shocking," it reads. "But because we know Trump and have worked for and alongside him, we were sadly not surprised by what General Kelly had to say." The group stresses their decision to come forward was not taken lightly, citing their allegiance to their country over party loyalty. "However, there are moments in history where it becomes necessary to put country over party. This is one of those moments. Everyone should heed General Kelly's warning."

Signatories of the letter include high-profile former Trump administration members, such as former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor, and Olivia Troye, who served as a national security adviser to Mike Pence. Others who appended their names include Kevin Carroll, former senior counselor to Kelly, Elizabeth Neumann, former assistant secretary of homeland security, Sarah Matthews, former deputy press secretary, Alyssa Farah Griffin, former press secretary to the vice president, and Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director.

John Kelly recently shared his views with the New York Times, asserting that Trump would likely govern as a dictator if re-elected. He described fascism as "a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy." Kelly further told The Atlantic that Trump once lauded Hitler's generals for their loyalty, even suggesting that Hitler "did some good things."

In response, Trump lashed out on Truth Social, branding Kelly as "a lowlife" and "total degenerate," and accused him of fabricating stories due to "Trump Derangement Syndrome Hatred." Trump dismissed the allegations as lies, and his campaign communications director, Steven Cheung, stated that Kelly had "beclowned himself with these debunked stories."

Vice President Kamala Harris also weighed in on the issue, warning about Trump’s character as highlighted by Kelly’s remarks. She characterized the claims as "a window into who Donald Trump really is," emphasizing the seriousness of the concerns raised by those who worked closely with Trump in critical national security settings.