Jim Clyburn: America Under Trump Is Like Germany After ‘Hitler Was Elected’

A leading Democratic lawmaker said the state of America's union under President Trump is akin to Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.

"Having studied history and having taught history, I can only equate one period of time with what we experience now, and that was what was going on in Germany around 1934 right after the 1932 elections when Adolph Hitler was elected chancellor," Rep. James Clyburn (D-Md.) said on CNN Monday night. "He began to do things to discredit the media, to disrupt the judicial system."

"And when I see, ad hear and experience what’s going on in the country today, I think back to that time, and I really believe that we as Americans had better get a handle on things," he continued. "If we don’t, we could very well see ourselves going the way of Germany."

Clyburn had been asked to explain his thoughts about the "state of the union under President Trump." After equating America today to Germany after the election of Hitler, host Don Lemon interjected: " You know that’s a stark comparison. People are going to say, he’s comparing him to Hitler and the holocaust and all those things.”

"There is only difference in this, if I were making that comparison, then this president would be Mussolini and Putin would be Hitler,” Clyburn replied. 

Here's a transcript of the exchange:

LEMON: “This is an important discussion. When asked about the state of the union today, Sarah Sanders, congressman, said the state of the union is incredible. How do you see the state of the union under President Trump?”
CLYBURN: “Incredibly troubling. That’s the best I can do with that word incredible. I feel we’re facing some real vicarious times in the country. Of course, having studied history and having taught history, I can only equate one period of time with what we experience now, and that was what was going on in Germany around 1934 right after the 1932 elections when Adolph Hitler was elected chancellor. He began to do things to discredit the media, to disrupt the judicial system. And if you recall from your studies, they had swastikas hung on churches all over Germany. And when I see, ad hear and experience what’s going on in the country today, I think back to that time, and I really believe that we as Americans had better get a handle on things. If we don’t, we could very well see ourselves going the way of Germany.”
LEMON: “You know that’s a stark comparison. People are going to say, he’s comparing him to Hitler and the holocaust and all those things.”
CLYBURN: “There is only difference in this, if I were making that comparison, then this president would be Mussolini and Putin would be Hitler.”

The comments were first reported on The State.