1. The Rise of the Strongman (or Strongman Cosplay)
   Adolf Hitler rose to power in the 1930s by promising to make Germany great again. Sound familiar? Trump’s slogan was basically the same, minus the swastikas and with more red hats. Both men tapped into a deep well of national resentment, blaming outsiders for their country’s problems. For Hitler, it was the Jews, communists, and anyone who didn’t fit the Aryan ideal. For Trump, it was immigrants, the “deep state,” and anyone who didn’t fit the MAGA ideal. The irony? Both men were themselves deeply flawed outsiders who somehow convinced the masses they were saviors. Hitler was a failed artist; Trump was a failed businessman. But hey, who needs talent when you’ve got charisma (or, in Trump’s case, a Twitter account)?
2. The Cult of Personality
   Hitler had his Nuremberg rallies, where thousands of adoring fans waved flags and chanted slogans like they were at a really dark rock concert. Trump had his MAGA rallies, where thousands of adoring fans waved flags and chanted slogans like they were at a really tacky rock concert. Both men understood the power of spectacle. Hitler had his military parades; Trump had his helicopter flyovers. Hitler had his propaganda films; Trump had Fox & Friends. The difference? Hitler’s rallies ended with speeches about world domination. Trump’s ended with speeches about how he won the popular vote (he didn’t) and how windmills cause cancer (they don’t).
3. The Enemy of the People
   Hitler loved having enemies. Jews, communists, intellectuals—anyone who didn’t fit his vision of a perfect society was fair game. Trump also loved having enemies. The media, Democrats, scientists—anyone who didn’t fit his vision of a perfect society was fair game. Both men used their enemies as a rallying cry, painting themselves as the last line of defense against chaos and decay. The irony? Both men were chaos incarnate. Hitler started a world war; Trump started a trade war with Canada. Same energy, different scale.
4. The Art of the Lie
   Hitler was a master of the Big Lie. He believed that if you told a lie often enough and with enough conviction, people would eventually believe it. Trump, too, was a master of the Big Lie. He believed that if you tweeted a lie often enough and with enough ALL CAPS, people would eventually believe it. Hitler lied about the stab-in-the-back myth; Trump lied about the size of his inauguration crowd. Both men understood that truth is flexible, especially when you’re dealing with a base that’s more interested in feelings than facts.
5. The Endgame (or Lack Thereof)
   Hitler’s endgame was clear: world domination, genocide, and a thousand-year Reich. Trump’s endgame was less clear: maybe a second term, maybe a Trump TV network, maybe just more golf. But both men shared a common trait: they were chaos agents who thrived on division and destruction. Hitler left behind a broken Europe and a legacy of horror. Trump left behind a broken democracy and a legacy of memes. The irony? Both men thought they were making their countries great again. Instead, they just made everything worse.

So, what’s the takeaway? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. And sometimes, it rhymes in iambic pentameter with a side of fascism. The good news? We can still laugh about it. The bad news? If we’re not careful, we’ll be laughing all the way to the next autocrat’s inauguration. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. Now go vote—before they take that away too.