Rebutting criticism, Donald Trump says he is 'just the opposite' of Adolf Hitler

WASHINGTON - On the defensive over comments by his former chief of staff, former President Donald Trump said Thursday he is not a fascist and is instead "the opposite" of German dictator Adolf Hitler.

Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly "made a statement that I'm like Hitler," Trump told Fox News. "It's - just couldn't be further from the truth. It's just the opposite, actually."

Vice President Kamala Harris and her allies, meanwhile, are trumpeting Kelly's remarks published earlier this week in The New York Times.

Citing the dictionary definition of fascism, Kelly told the Times regarding Trump:  "So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.”

Kelly also said that Trump commented more than once that, ‘You know, Hitler did some good things, too.'"

Trump and his supporters said Kelly is seeking revenge for his firing.

In the interview with Fox News Channel’s Bill Melugin, Trump said: "I fired him. He was a bully. He was a bad guy and he ended up being a weak guy, because all bullies end up being weak. And he wasn't a smart guy. It's a bad combination."

Opponents said voters should consider the source of the allegations against Trump.

On his personal X account, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said: "It’s one thing for some leftist group to call you a fascist. Quite another when it’s a fellow Republican. And absolutely astonishing when it’s your own chief of staff."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump says he is 'just the opposite' of Adolf Hitler