The Reckless Misuse of the Word “Nazi” to Describe Donald Trump

Written by Mark Rice, Republican Candidate for U.S. Congress, Illinois 8th District

As an observant Jew and a strong supporter of the State of Israel with family members in bomb shelters, three serving in the IDF, and others who perished in the Holocaust, I find it deeply offensive and historically ignorant when Democrats suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome compare Donald J. Trump to Adolf Hitler or call him a Nazi.

Let me be clear: Donald Trump is not a Nazi. He is not Hitler. To suggest such a thing is an insult to every Holocaust survivor, every Jewish family that carries trauma from the Shoah, and every student of history who understands what real evil looks like. It’s also a shameful weaponization of the worst atrocity in modern history for cheap political gain. This rhetoric from our Illinois leaders including JB Pritzker and others has contributed to divisiveness at best and assassination attempts at worst.

Hitler was a genocidal maniac who sought the extermination of the Jewish people, whose time in power led to the deaths of six million Jews and millions of others. He was a failed communist-leaning artist, a drug addict, and a childless narcissist who expanded the size and brutality of government until it consumed the entire German state. He was an enemy of freedom, the family, the market, and the Jewish people.

Donald Trump, by contrast, is a successful free-market entrepreneur, a capitalist, a father and grandfather of Jewish children, and the most pro-Israel president in U.S. history. These are not opinions—they are facts.

Trump moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem after decades of broken promises by both parties. He recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He brokered the Abraham Accords—one of the greatest breakthroughs for peace in generations. And he cut off U.S. funding to the Palestinian Authority so long as it continued to fund terrorism. In Israel, there’s a joke that goes, “Two Jews, three opinions,” but the one thing Israeli Jews agree on is that Donald Trump is a friend.

This isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about reality. It’s about decency. It’s about historical truth.

I understand political theater. I am running for office to combat that as it serves nobody well. I understand the Democrats have no message left but fear and division. But when they start comparing Donald Trump—a man with Jewish grandchildren and a lifelong record of supporting Jewish causes—to Hitler, they don’t just embarrass themselves, they also trivialize the Holocaust.

And let’s not ignore the hypocrisy here. The same Democrats who scream “Nazi” at Trump were silent—or worse, complicit—when the Obama-Biden administration signed the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, handing billions of dollars to the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, whose leaders regularly chant “Death to Israel and America.” And today, these same politicians have either supported or remained silent as far-left antisemitism festers within their party—from the halls of Congress to college campuses across the country.

The Democrat I’m running to replace in Illinois’ 8th District has done nothing to push back against this. Nothing to confront antisemitism in his party. Nothing to stand up for Israel when it counted. And nothing to help turn around our district, which has suffered under the same woke leadership and progressive policies that have failed families, businesses, and law enforcement alike.

As a proud American and a proud Jew, I believe we need real leadership—leadership rooted in strength, clarity, and moral courage. That means calling out antisemitism no matter where it hides. It means defending our allies and recognizing the difference between good and evil. And it means rejecting the dangerous rhetoric that diminishes historical atrocities for short-term political gain.

When I’m elected to Congress, I will bring that kind of leadership to Washington. I will fight to turn Illinois away from radical, woke policies that have damaged our economy, attacked our values, and turned our cities into battlegrounds. I will support Israel without apology, hesitation, or compromise. I will work to ensure America stands shoulder to shoulder with our closest ally in the Middle East—not negotiating with Iran or making excuses for Hamas and other terrorists.

And yes—I will defend the truth, even when it’s unpopular. Calling Trump a Nazi isn’t just wrong. It’s reckless. It’s lazy. And it dishonors the memory of every Jew who died in Auschwitz, in the ghettos, and in the forests of Europe resisting a real fascist regime.

We must restore seriousness and integrity to our public discourse. We must speak honestly and accurately—especially about matters as grave as the Holocaust. If we don’t, we risk desensitizing a new generation to the real horrors of history—and we give cover to those who would repeat them.

I will not stand by while the memory of the Shoah is politicized and degraded. And I will not stay silent while the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House is slandered for partisan gain.

Let’s bring truth, dignity, and moral clarity back to American politics. Let’s stop the smears. Let’s focus on what matters.

For more information about Mark Rice’s candidacy, please visit Rice4Congress.com.