Former President Donald Trump’s admiration for autocratic leaders such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, China’s Xi Jinping, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has been well-documented. However, recent revelations from former senior advisers suggest that Trump’s worldview could potentially upend decades of US foreign policy if he were to win a second term in the upcoming November presidential election.
Retired Gen. John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, shared his insights on Trump’s perspective. “He believed Putin and Kim were decent leaders, and that we had cornered North Korea,” Kelly said. “In his view, we were provoking these leaders. He argued that without NATO, Putin wouldn’t be causing trouble.”
Trump’s recent effusive praise for Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, just days after virtually securing the Republican nomination on Super Tuesday, indicates a doubling down on this worldview. “There’s no one better, smarter, or a better leader than Viktor Orbán,” Trump declared. “He’s respected in Europe and globally.”
Trump’s admiration for autocrats is not new, but these comments, shared with me for my upcoming book, “The Return of Great Powers,” provide fresh insights. Kelly and other former Trump officials warn that a leader who consistently praises autocrats contrary to US interests is ill-equipped to lead the country in potential Great Power conflicts. They believe Trump’s admiration stems from his envy of their power.
John Bolton, former national security adviser under Trump, explained, “He sees himself as a big player. He enjoys dealing with other big players, like Erdogan in Turkey, who can imprison people without needing permission. He’s drawn to that.”
Trump’s alleged praise for Adolf Hitler, who led Nazi Germany during World War II, is particularly disturbing. Kelly recounted, “He said, ‘Well, but Hitler did some good things.’ I asked, ‘Like what?’ He responded, ‘Well, [Hitler] rebuilt the economy.'”
Trump’s admiration for Hitler extended beyond economic policies, according to Kelly. Trump also expressed admiration for Hitler’s control over senior Nazi officers. Trump lamented that Hitler maintained his senior staff’s “loyalty,” while Trump himself often did not.
When asked to respond to these allegations, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung did not comment on the substance of the claims but stated, “John Kelly and John Bolton have completely beclowned themselves and are suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Trump’s former advisers consistently recall his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bolton remembered a comment from Trump during the 2018 NATO summit. After tense encounters with NATO leaders, Trump said his meeting with Putin, America’s great power adversary, “may be the easiest of them all.”
Trump’s affinity for authoritarians is a defining issue for the US as the 2024 election approaches. Several of his own former advisers believe, in a second term, he would bring a fundamental shift in the US’ vision of itself and its role in the world, including potentially withdrawing the US from NATO and reducing the US’ commitment to other defense alliances.
“NATO would be in real jeopardy,” Bolton warned. “I think he would try to get out.” Many veterans of the Trump administration have a similar warning for Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion. “US support for Ukraine would end,” said a senior US official who served under both Trump and Biden.