Of course we saw this coming. With Election Day less than two weeks away, the Regime Media are pulling out all the stops, and promoting all manner of questionable stories related to former President Donald Trump in a quest to create a late October Surprise and drag Vice President Kamala Harris over the finish line.
Watch ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir’s breathless introduction to Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce’s report, in yet ANOTHER overwrought minute-long brief that could’ve been its own report (click "expand" to view transcript):
DAVID MUIR: Good evening and we begin tonight with this new warning, with just 13 days to the election. The retired four-star Marine general, who was former President Donald Trump's longest serving Chief of Staff, retired General John Kelly, warning that if Trump is elected again he would rule like a dictator, and Kelly describing in detail what Trump said about Hitler on a number of occasions. You will hear the audio of General Kelly right here tonight. Vice President Kamala Harris coming before the cameras this afternoon, calling Trump's alleged comments about Hitler, quote, “deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous.” As a retired four-star general, General Kelly does not make political endorsements, but he says he felt compelled to speak out after Trump repeatedly threatened to use the American military against the quote, “enemy within”, Americans in this country. At a town hall in Georgia, Donald Trump made no mention of Kelly's comments today but tonight, Donald Trump posting just moments ago that the general is a low life who made up a story. Tonight, General John Kelly in his interview with The New York Times signaling voters should consider fitness and character when voting for president this year. We have both campaigns covered, Mary Bruce leading us off with the vice president in Pennsylvania tonight.
These allegations are in service of the atrocious hit piece in The Atlantic which alleges, per unnamed sources, that Trump claimed to want generals as loyal as Hitler’s, both of which served as the factual bases behind Harris’s statement at her official residence and, ostensibly, her “closing argument” speech next week.
The media firefought the obvious question people ask themselves when hearing shocking allegations conveniently timed for release just before a presidential election: “why now?” In this case, Trump’s “enemy within” remarks were what compelled Kelly to find his nerve after all these years. The Regime led and its media followed:
KAMALA HARRIS: Donald Trump has repeatedly called his fellow Americans the enemy from within, and even said that he would use the United States military to go after American citizens.
DAVID MUIR: As a retired four-star general, General Kelly does not make political endorsements, but he says he felt compelled to speak out after Trump repeatedly threatened to use the American military against the quote, “enemy within”, Americans in this country.
MARY BRUCE: But Kelly says he felt compelled to speak out after Trump threatened to use the military to go after his political opponents, describing them as the enemy within. Harris seizing on those words today.
NIKOLE KILLION: Both Harris and Kelly also pointed to the former president's recent rhetoric about the enemy from within, suggesting he might use the military against domestic opponents.
PETER ALEXANDER: Kelly says he's speaking out now because Trump recently suggested using the military against political opponents who he called “the enemy from within” if there is Election Day chaos.
NBC’s Peter Alexander is the only one to point out that Trump talked about activating the military in the event of post-election unrest. After the 2020 attack on The White House which saw many law enforcement and Secret Service personnel injured, this is not an unreasonable position to take.
If this position is so beyond the pale, then, it is worth asking why the Regime Media have not reported on the Biden Administration allegedly amending a Department of Defense directive in order to allow DoD personnel to use lethal force against American citizens on American soil (DoDD 5240.01). Has anyone checked in with John Kelly and asked him about this? Has anyone in the Regime Media checked in with his combatant commander counterpart Lloyd Austin, who signed off on the rule change? It seems to me that this is the conversation to have if you’re freaked out about presidents deploying the military against American citizens, no?
The Regime Media expect us all to willfully suspend disbelief and believe that a battle-hardened Marine Infantry Officer suppressed these bad things for YEARS but magically found the courage to reveal them TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION because Donald Trump said some things about curtailing political violence.
This proves that Kelly was needed in order to bolster The Atlantic’s wrap-up smear, sold retail by the Regime Media so that Kamala Harris could walk on stage and edge close to the line of calling Trump Literally Hitler, hopefully not further inflaming the next potential Trump assassin.
Bookmark this narrative, and the Regime Media’s insistence in pushing it, for when the next weirdo gets caught and his notebook is full of Trump-Hitler press clippings.
Click “expand” to view full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective network evening newscasts on Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
10/23/24
6:33 PM
DAVID MUIR: Good evening and we begin tonight with this new warning, with just 13 days to the election. The retired four-star Marine general, who was former President Donald Trump's longest serving Chief of Staff, retired General John Kelly, warning that if Trump is elected again he would rule like a dictator, and Kelly describing in detail what Trump said about Hitler on a number of occasions. You will hear the audio of General Kelly right here tonight. Vice President Kamala Harris coming before the cameras this afternoon, calling Trump's alleged comments about Hitler, quote, “deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous.” As a retired four-star general, General Kelly does not make political endorsements, but he says he felt compelled to speak out after Trump repeatedly threatened to use the American military against the quote, “enemy within”, Americans in this country. At a town hall in Georgia, Donald Trump made no mention of Kelly's comments today but tonight, Donald Trump posting just moments ago that the general is a low life who made up a story. Tonight, General John Kelly in his interview with The New York Times signaling voters should consider fitness and character when voting for president this year. We have both campaigns covered, Mary Bruce leading us off with the vice president in Pennsylvania tonight.
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris issuing a dire warning after Donald Trump's longest serving chief of staff, retired four-star Marine General John Kelly, told The New York Times Trump fits the definition of a fascist, and that the former president has said Adolf Hitler quote, “did some good things.”
KAMALA HARRIS: It is deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous that Donald Trump would invoke Adolf Hitler, the man who is responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews and hundreds of thousands of Americans. This is a window into who Donald Trump really is, from the people who know him best, from the people who worked with him side-by-side in The Oval Office and in The Situation Room.
BRUCE: Kelly, telling the Times Trump repeatedly had words of praise for Hitler.
JOHN KELLY: He commented more than once that, you know, Hitler did some good things too. And, of course, if you know history, again, I think he's lacking in that. But if you know what his-- you know what Hitler was all about, you'd be pretty hard to make an argument that he did anything good.
MICHAEL SCHMIDT: So what would you- what would you say when he said to you that Hitler did a lot of good things?
KELLY: Well, I'd tell him that, I said, if you- first of all, you should never say that. But if you knew what Hitler was all about, from the beginning to the end, everything he did was in support of his racist, fascist life, you know, the- you know, philosophy, so that nothing he did, you could argue, was good.
BRUCE: Kelly saying Trump fits the definition of a fascist.
KELLY: Certainly, the former president is in the far-right area, certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators. He has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.
BRUCE: Kelly insisting personal loyalty means everything to Trump, that he puts it above loyalty to the Constitution, and that he has an affinity for dictators. As news of Kelly's comments broke overnight, Trump was onstage in Greensboro, North Carolina, praising authoritarian leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's XI Jinping.
DONALD TRUMP: He's smart. He's a smart man. He's a fierce man. I got along with him very well. Putin -- these are people that are tough people.
BRUCE: Kelly's statements an extraordinary move from a four-star general who does not make political endorsements. But Kelly says he felt compelled to speak out after Trump threatened to use the military to go after his political opponents, describing them as the enemy within. Harris seizing on those words today.
HARRIS: Donald Trump has repeatedly called his fellow Americans the enemy from within, and even said that he would use the United States military to go after American citizens. And let's be clear about who he considers to be the enemy from within: anyone who refuses to bend a knee or dares to criticize him would qualify, in his mind, as the enemy within. Like judges, like journalists, like nonpartisan election officials.
BRUCE: Harris warning that if Trump returns to The White House, he won't have Kelly, the former four-star general, and other top officials from his first administration to serve as a line of defense for the nation.
HARRIS: Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable. And in a second term, people like John Kelly would not be there to be the guardrails against his propensities and his actions. Those who once tried to stop him from pursuing his worst impulses would no longer be there and no longer be there to rein him in. So the bottom line is this. We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question in 13 days will be: What do the American people want?
BRUCE: Harris is here in Pennsylvania tonight for a town hall, and we've just learned that next Tuesday, exactly one week from Election Day, she'll be giving a major address outlining her closing argument to the American people, speaking on the National Mall at the exact same site where Donald Trump addressed his supporters and urged them to March to the Capitol on January 6th. Harris using the site to argue, it's time to turn the page on Trump. David.
MUIR: Mary Bruce leading us off tonight. Mary, thank you.
CBS EVENING NEWS
10/23/24
6:30 PM
NORAH O’DONNELL: Less than two weeks to go until Election Day and Vice President Kamala Harris is calling Donald Trump increasingly unhinged and unstable. That comes after the former president's own former Chief of Staff John Kelly said, on the record and on tape, that Trump repeatedly praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. He also said his former boss was the definition of a fascist. Kelly is a retired four-star Marine General who also served as Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security. Vice President Harris warned today that if Trump is elected again, people like General Kelly will not be there to serve as guardrails and keep him in check. The Trump campaign vehemently denies Kelly's remarks, but this is all playing out with voting already underway. More than 24 million Americans have already cast ballots, either in person or by mail. We have a team of correspondents covering both campaigns, with tonight's analysis from CBS's Major Garrett. But we’re going to begin with CBS's Nikole Killion on the trail with Donald Trump in battleground Georgia, and some late breaking news. Good evening, Nikole.
NIKOLE KILLION: Good evening to you, Norah. Former President Donald Trump hit back tonight saying that John Kelly made the story up, calling him dumb and a low life, and that is despite reports on Trump's comments that have been cited by multiple sources. Former President Donald Trump made no mention of the stark new warning from his longest-serving White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who told The New York Times Trump could govern as a dictator if elected.
JOHN KELLY: He’s certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators. He has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.
KILLION: The retired four-star general also corroborated reports that the former president spoke favorably about Adolf Hitler.
KELLY: He commented more than once, you know, Hitler did some good things, too.
KILLION: That provoked a direct and blunt response today for Vice President Kamala Harris
HARRIS: It is deeply troubling and incredibly dangerous that Donald Trump would invoke Adolf Hitler, the man who is responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews, and hundreds of thousands of Americans. All of this is further evidence for the American people of who Donald Trump really is.
KILLION: Both Harris and Kelly also pointed to the former president's recent rhetoric about the enemy from within, suggesting he might use the military against domestic opponents.
DONALD TRUMP: This should very easily be handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary by the military.
KILLION: Something Kelly said Trump was repeatedly told by advisors not to do.
KELLY: Originally, the conversation would be: you know, Mr. President, that's outside your authority, you really don't want to do that inside the United States.
HARRIS: We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question in 13 days will be: What do the American people want?
KILLION: Those here say they are still with Trump.
TRUMP SUPPORTER: Did he run this country as a dictator the four years he was in? Absolutely not.
KILLION: Tonight, CBS News has learned that the Justice Department has sent a letter to a Super PAC run by one of Trump's biggest backers, Elon Musk. The DoJ says that a recent $1 million giveaway to registered voters to sign a petition could violate federal law. Norah.
O’DONNELL: Nikole Killion on the trail with Trump in Georgia. Thank you, Nikole.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
10/23/24
6:31 PM
LESTER HOLT: Good evening and welcome. A former White House Chief of Staff to Donald Trump is providing new fodder in the question over Mr. Trump's fitness to serve. Retired four-star Marine Corps General John Kelly agreeing with the notion that the former president could be called a fascist. Kelly in an interview at The New York Times also describing instances in which he says Mr. Trump spoke of good things done by Adolf Hitler. His reported remarks immediately seized upon by Vice President Kamala Harris, who warned of the consequences of a Trump presidency without guardrails. For his part, Mr. Trump's campaign latching on to remarks made by President Biden about locking up the former president, as Mr. Trump spent the day trying to appeal to Latino voters. Let's begin with Peter Alexander.
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, Vice President Harris seizing on sharp new criticisms of former President Trump from his own former Chief of Staff John Kelly, who now publicly says Trump could be called a fascist.
KAMALA HARRIS: This is a window into who Donald Trump really is. From the people who know him best.
ALEXANDER: Harris using retired four-star Marine General Kelly's words to fortify her arguments that Trump is unfit to serve.
HARRIS: Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable. And in a second term, people like John Kelly would not be there to be the guardrails. We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question in 13 days will be: What do the American people want?
ALEXANDER: Kelly making his new claims two weeks before Election Day in an interview with The New York Times.
JOHN KELLY: Certainly, the former president is in the far-right area, certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators. He has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist for sure.
ALEXANDER: Kelly also claiming Trump made complimentary statements about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
KELLY: He commented more than once that, you know, Hitler did some good things too. (VIDEO SWIPE) I’d tell him that, I'd said you know Sir, if you, first of all, you show never say that. Nothing he did, you could argue, is good.
ALEXANDER: The Atlantic reports that two unnamed sources say they heard then-President Trump say, “I need the kind of generals that Hitler had, people who are totally loyal to him that follow orders.” NBC News has not independently confirmed that reporting, and the Trump campaign says Trump never made those comments. Kelly says he's speaking out now because Trump recently suggested using the military against political opponents who he called “the enemy from within” if there is Election Day chaos. Kelly became a fierce Trump critic after leaving The White House, and the Trump campaign tonight responded, quote, “John Kelly has totally beclowned himself with these debunked stories he has fabricated”, insisting Kelly has Trump Derangement Syndrome. Trump was recently asked about several former top staff members who’ve come out against him.
DONALD TRUMP: About 97% of the people in the administration support me. But because it's me, somebody doesn't support, they get a little publicity.
HOLT: And Peter, we've got a little less than two weeks to go in this campaign. You’ve got some new reporting this evening on the vice president's closing argument plan.
ALEXANDER: Lester, that's right. A senior Harris campaign official says that Kamala Harris will deliver a speech next Tuesday in Washington, D.C. at the same location where Donald Trump made his remarks the morning of the January 6th attack. She's expected to argue that Americans should turn the page against his era of chaos and division. Lester.
HOLT: All right. Peter Alexander tonight. Thank you.
