Echoes of Despots: Trump Brands Political Foes ‘Vermin’

Donald Trump recently stirred controversy when he took to Twitter to label his political opponents as “V.E.R.M.I.N,” which stands for “very evil, ripoff, money-grubbing, immature, nasty.” While many of his critics accused him of using age-old tactics of demagoguery used by dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Trump’s advisors insist that this latest tweet was merely meant to reflect the president’s contempt for those who try to derail his agenda. However, Trump’s description of his political adversaries as “V.E.R.M.I.N” does not stand alone. Other despotic regimes, most notably Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, deployed similar incendiary language in their public discourse. During the Second World War, Hitler often referred to those who opposed his regime as “parasites” or “vermin,” while Mussolini referred to his foes as “evil-doers.” This type of language has the potential to further divide an already polarized nation and to incite violence and hatred. It can also be used as a tool by the powerful to stifle dissent and to establish an unwelcome climate of fear and intimidation. While President Trump may be trying to rally his supporters with language like this, it is ultimately a more destructive approach to communicating. It appears that this tactic has been used by other powerful leaders throughout history to gain public support, rather than to open a genuine dialogue. History books are filled with examples of leaders attempting to delegitimize their political opponents with inflammatory rhetoric and in many cases, unfortunately succeeding. In this current political climate, it would serve us all better if Donald Trump instead sought to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans, rather than exacerbate it with incendiary language. Donald Trump recently stirred controversy when he took to Twitter to label his political opponents as “V.E.R.M.I.N,” which stands for “very evil, ripoff, money-grubbing, immature, nasty.” While many of his critics accused him of using age-old tactics of demagoguery used by dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Trump’s advisors insist that this latest tweet was merely meant to reflect the president’s contempt for those who try to derail his agenda. However, Trump’s description of his political adversaries as “V.E.R.M.I.N” does not stand alone. Other despotic regimes, most notably Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, deployed similar incendiary language in their public discourse. During the Second World War, Hitler often referred to those who opposed his regime as “parasites” or “vermin,” while Mussolini referred to his foes as “evil-doers.” This type of language has the potential to further divide an already polarized nation and to incite violence and hatred. It can also be used as a tool by the powerful to stifle dissent and to establish an unwelcome climate of fear and intimidation. While President Trump may be trying to rally his supporters with language like this, it is ultimately a more destructive approach to communicating. It appears that this tactic has been used by other powerful leaders throughout history to gain public support, rather than to open a genuine dialogue. History books are filled with examples of leaders attempting to delegitimize their political opponents with inflammatory rhetoric and in many cases, unfortunately succeeding. In this current political climate, it would serve us all better if Donald Trump instead sought to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans, rather than exacerbate it with incendiary language.