Two Angry Leaders a Century Apart: Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump

letter to the editor

Kenneth Rasmussen

Abstract

This is a letter to the editor, in which the author expresses their concern about American politics due to polarization and outrage, which he claims is spurred on by social media. He compares Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump, not equating their very different ideologies but their shared defining feature: the projection of rage and resentment as a governing style. He lists other factors the men share and shares how psychohistory highlights the potential consequences of history repeating itself.

Keywords:

Adolf Hitler, American politics, emotional abuse, Donald Trump, letter to the editor, polarization, political identity, psychobiography, psychohistory, social media

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About the author

Kenneth Rasmussen

Kenneth Rasmussen, PsyD, PhD, is an historian and psychoanalytical psychotherapist who teaches at Santa Monica College and has a private practice in Santa Monica. His research interests include the psychohistory of political ideologies, left and right, and the psychological dimension of philosophy and the “philosophy as therapy.” Dr. Rasmussen may be contacted at .

How to cite this article

Rasmussen, K. (2026). Two angry leaders a century apart: Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump [Letter to the Editor]. Clio’s Psyche, 33(2), 261.

https://doi.org/10.70763/deee9fe5195586bf4545518a76aff2f7