Trump Capital Putsch Pardons

Donald Trump is following Hitler's playbook. I have a draft about the one-to-one of various other actions, but a friend is shocked at the brazen Pardons immediately issued by Trumpler, and it gives an idea of how aligned with Hitler's playbook it is. Pardons play a critical role for both, serving as a tool for consolidating support and normalizing extremist actions. 

Trump's January 6 vs. Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch: A Comparison

1. Motivation:

   • Hitler's Putsch (1923): Hitler sought to overthrow the Weimar Republic, rallying discontented nationalists and paramilitaries to establish a nationalist dictatorship.
   • Trump's January 6 (2021): Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election, fueled by his claims of fraud and appeals to nationalism.

2. Tactics:

   • Hitler: Mobilized paramilitary forces (SA) to create chaos, physically seizing a beer hall and attempting to force political leaders to join him.
   • Trump: Used rhetoric to incite a mob, exploiting mass discontent and directing it toward disrupting democratic processes.

3. Role of Pardons:

   • Hitler: After the failure of the putsch, Hitler and his allies faced legal consequences but were given leniency. Hitler’s relatively light sentence (five years, of which he served only nine months) allowed him to regroup and grow his movement. The leniency signaled a tolerance for nationalist extremism in the judiciary.
   • Trump: Trump has pardoned or hinted at pardons for individuals involved in January 6, including high-profile allies. These actions have normalized the insurrection as a patriotic act in the eyes of his base, emboldening future extremist activities.

4. Outcome:

   • Hitler: The failure of the putsch didn’t end Hitler’s ambitions—it gave him a platform to spread his ideology, leading to his eventual rise through legal means.
   • Trump: Despite the failure to overturn the election, Trump retains significant influence, using January 6 to galvanize his supporters and maintain control of the Republican Party.

5. Impact on Democracy:

   • Hitler: The putsch revealed the fragility of the Weimar Republic, which Hitler later exploited to dismantle democracy entirely.
   • Trump: January 6 exposed vulnerabilities in U.S. democratic institutions, with ongoing efforts to undermine trust in elections.

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Key Parallel: Pardons as a Signal

In both cases, pardons or leniency legitimized the events and reinforced loyalty among their followers. For Hitler, judicial leniency after the putsch symbolized state complicity with his movement. For Trump, pardoning January 6 participants legitimizes their actions, signaling to his base that such behavior is not only tolerated but celebrated.

Pardons thus serve as a powerful tool to consolidate power, embolden extremism, and undermine the rule of law, with dangerous implications for democracy in both cases.