And we are the ones to stop him!
Jan 07, 2026 (deanobeidallah.substack.com)
Invoking Hitler generally means you’ve lost the argument. But that’s not the case when you are noting that Donald Trump is copying Hitler’s playbook—which is the fascist approach to acquiring and retaining power. And after Trump’s attack on Venezuela and threat to attack and annex other nations in the Western Hemisphere, you’d be a fool not to point out the parallels and red flags.
That is why the mild-mannered Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson is not holding back in raising alarm bells that Trump is following in the footsteps of Hitler when it comes to seeking to expand his power. In our discussion on the 5th anniversary of Trump’s deadly terrorist attack on our Capitol, Rep. Johnson put it bluntly: “Donald Trump is the kind of leader who is similar to Hitler.”
Johnson—who is a former judge and currently a senior member on the House Judiciary committee—explained Trump “plays upon people’s emotions and ignorance, and stirs up their passions and prejudices so that he can then lead them into doing something that right-minded people would not do.” He warned that Trump wants to end our democracy—which resonates even more on the 5th anniversary of his Jan. 6 attack.
Then the Rep continued, “In Hitler’s case, it was to try to eliminate Jews and others from the planet which is a much more diabolical scheme.” He then added this bone-chilling line: “Donald Trump is capable of the same thing.”
Think about that for a moment. Does anyone doubt Trump is as dangerous as people like Hitler and Putin when it comes to democracy, punishing those who dare to defy them and targeting minorities for political power?!
If Trump had his way, all who oppose him would suffer some punishment. In fact, he has utilized the power of the federal government to target those who have defied him from criminally prosecuting people like NY AG Tish James to punishing media outlets and law firms to even trying to silence Jimmy Kimmel. He sent US troops into the streets of American cities as a show of force. And like past fascists, he has given his base an enemy in Brown skinned immigrants—unleashing his ICE upon.
Now Trump is openly talking of conquering other nation’s including Greenland that is part of the NATO alliance by way of Denmark. And on Tuesday, Trump announced that Venezuela will “give” the United States between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil. Of course, this oil is not being “given” to us. The current leader of Venezuela just saw her boss get kidnapped by the Trump regime for not doing what he wanted. In addition, our military is literally holding a gun to the head of the nation. No, this is called armed robbery.
Worse, Trump boasted on social media that the oil will be sold and the proceeds “will be controlled by me.” When is the last time you saw an American president tell us that after we steal resources from another country, he would personally distribute the proceeds as he sees fit?! Of course, we know that means Trump will personally profit from the oil sales.
As the Rep. Johnson explained, Trump’s goal is to take America “back to the old, imperialism, European-style imperialism.” He continued that such policies are “inhuman, and immoral” but are fueled by Trump’s corrupt focus not on what is good for our nation but on his own “power and money.”
And Trump shows no signs of slowing down on his fascist aspirations. That very point was made by Trump’s aide Stephen Miller Tuesday on CNN as he defended the idea of annexing other lands including Greenland. The human gargoyle told Jake Tapper: “We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in a world, in the real world…that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” He then added: “These are the iron laws of the world.”
This concept is what has animated the Trump regime’s policies this second term. It’s the idea of “might makes right.” Forget international law and alliances, take what you want—be it another country, oil, free planes from foreign leaders, starting a war with NATO allies, etc. It’s also what animated Hitler, Putin, Mussolini and other strongmen through time.
The fact Trump has never been held accountable for any crimes plus been granted immunity by the GOP Supreme Court has only embolden him this second term. Trump is at the point where he is even breaking the promises he made to his base during the 2024 campaign of avoiding military actions and focusing on “America first.”
That is why Rep. Johnson then shared this warning about Trump: “If you let Trump go too far, then he will just go further and further.” He then added this line that has stayed with me, “That’s why Trump has to be stopped now.”
How can we stop him? Well to be blunt it won’t be easy. But Rep. Johnson shared how all of us can play a role: “We [Congress] have to contest everything that he does. The American people have to get out and protest peacefully against the policies of this administration, both foreign and domestic, because they both affect taxpayers.”
It is up to us to stop Trump. We’ve done it before. Now we have no choice but to do it again—regardless of the cost.
You can watch my full interview with Rep. Hank Johnson below:
The Dean’s Report by Dean Obeidallah is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
