(AFP)
In a heated discussion on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, renowned historian and journalist Anne Applebaum fired back at the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) editorial page for ridiculing her comparisons between former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and Adolf Hitler’s. This back-and-forth took place during a conversation about Trump’s controversial language, which escalated after comments from Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, who publicly stated that Trump fits the definition of a fascist.
The Wall Street Journal editorial team had recently dismissed Applebaum’s warnings about the similarities between Trump’s rhetoric and that of totalitarian leaders like Hitler. However, the irony, as noted by Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough, was that these critiques came just days after Kelly’s statements aligning Trump’s behavior with fascism.
Scarborough pointed out the inherent contradiction between Kelly’s alarming remarks and the WSJ’s mockery of Applebaum. “It’s interesting,” Scarborough began, “that in the same week when John Kelly says that Trump meets the definition of fascism, the Wall Street Journal is ridiculing someone for making the exact same point.” He highlighted the disconnect between these perspectives, emphasizing how serious Kelly’s observation was.
Applebaum didn’t hold back when discussing why certain political factions continue to downplay the dangers of Trump’s actions. She speculated that recognizing Trump’s authoritarian tendencies might be too uncomfortable for his supporters and conservative commentators alike.
“I think this is essentially a way of people saying, ‘I’m going to vote for this guy for whatever reasons, because I think he’s going to lower taxes, or because he’s in my political camp and I need a reason to do it… and the reason I’m going to give you is Harris is just as bad,'” Applebaum explained. “They can’t take it seriously because if they did, it says something very ugly about them. And I think that’s the stage that we’re at now.”
According to Applebaum, the WSJ’s editors, like many conservatives, might be too psychologically invested in their political stances to confront the uncomfortable truth. To fully acknowledge the danger Trump poses, she suggested, would require them to reconsider their entire political allegiance, a realization they may not be ready to face.
Scarborough took the opportunity to remind viewers of Applebaum’s significant standing in conservative intellectual circles. He pointed out that Applebaum, who is best known for her work on the atrocities committed by communist regimes, was once a respected figure within conservative thought. This made the current backlash against her even more puzzling.
“It’s not like they’re attacking a longtime political foe,” Scarborough said, underscoring the personal nature of the criticism Applebaum faces from the right. “They’re attacking someone who has dedicated her life to the very things that they once stood for.”
Applebaum herself remarked on the shift in tone from her former allies on the right. “I used to write for the Wall Street Journal editorial page in living memory,” she said, noting the dramatic change in how she’s perceived by the conservative media establishment.
The conversation on Morning Joe underscored the broader divide in American politics, where warnings about authoritarianism, even when echoed by key figures like John Kelly, are still downplayed or ignored by some of Trump’s staunchest defenders. While Applebaum’s warnings about Trump’s rhetoric and behavior are met with derision from some quarters, figures like Scarborough and Kelly are taking them more seriously, indicating a growing concern over the direction in which Trump continues to lead the Republican Party.
As the 2024 election season heats up, the debate over Trump’s role in shaping the future of American democracy is only intensifying, with pundits and political figures clashing over the severity of his rhetoric and actions.
