The New York Times reported from multiple interviews with Kelly: “He said that, in his opinion, Mr. Trump met the definition of a fascist, would govern like a dictator if allowed, and had no understanding of the Constitution or the concept of rule of law."

Kelly told the Times that Trump “prefers the dictator approach to government” and wanted the power “to do anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.” The Times wrote that Kelly “said Trump wanted personal loyalty to outweigh loyalty to the Constitution.” Kelly also confirmed previous reports that Trump called injured soldiers “losers and suckers," saying that the former president repeatedly denigrated soldiers who were injured at war and didn't want "to be seen with amputees.”

Kelly additionally told the Times that Trump told him that “Hitler did some good things." Similarly, The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg reported that Trump wanted “the kind of generals that Hitler had.” Goldberg also reported that Trump complained about the cost for the funeral of a soldier who was murdered by a fellow soldier, saying that it “doesn't cost 60,000 bucks to bury a fucking Mexican.” 

Kelly said he was spurred to finally speak out publicly after Trump’s repeated recent comments about using the military against the “enemy within.” Kelly confirmed that Trump agitated to use the military against Americans in his first term and questioned “limits on his authority to do so.” 

The comments come after years of Kelly speaking to the press about Trump’s first term, but they mark his most extensive statements on the record. Kelly is not the only former Trump official associated with the military to speak out against Trump — speaking to journalist Bob Woodward, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley called Trump “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.” Milley and Kelly join a long list of former Trump officials who have spoken out against Trump.

Despite these repeated and deeply concerning warnings from those previously close to Trump, Kelly’s comments did not appear on the front pages of The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, or The New York Times. Mainstream outlets have repeatedly failed to give sufficient coverage to news stories about Trump’s extremism and authoritarianism, including Milley’s recent comments.