Vance slams Kelly over Trump ‘fascist’ remarks: ‘He’s making it up’

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) slammed retired Gen. John Kelly over former President Trump’s “fascist” remarks, saying the former White House chief of staff, who served under Trump, is “making it up.” 

“John Kelly, John Kelly was fired by Donald Trump and he’s pissed off about it and he won’t stop talking about it,” Trump’s running mate said while campaigning in Waterford, Mich. “Here’s the thing, every time that John Kelly said that something happened, you’ve got three or four people who were allegedly in the room when it happened saying he’s making it up.”

“Even Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff said that John Kelly is making up a bunch of c— about Donald J. Trump,” Vance added. “So who do we believe? Do we believe multiple eyewitnesses, or do we believe a disgruntled ex-employee? I believe the multiple eyewitnesses. I think everything that John Kelly said is not true.” 

Kelly said in an interview with The New York Times that Trump “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.” Kelly, who also served as the Department of Homeland Security secretary, said in a recent interview with The Atlantic that Trump, at one point during his term, praised Adolf Hitler’s generals for their loyalty. 

The former president shot back in response, saying Kelly is a “lowlife” and a “total degenerate.” 

“John Kelly is a LOWLIFE, and a bad General, whose advice in the White House I no longer sought, and told him to MOVE ON!,” the former president said. 

Vance also speculated in Michigan that Kelly talked to Vice President Harris’s campaign before sharing those remarks with the news media. 

“John Kelly did not come out of his own volition. I guarantee he talked to someone on Kamala Harris’ campaign beforehand. And we gotta ask ourselves, why are the media and, most importantly, why is Kamala Harris talking about a disgruntled former employee instead of the fact that under her leadership grocery prices were up 25 percent in the state of Michigan,” Vance said as the Michigan crowd cheered in support. 

The Ohio senator then proceeded to slam the Democratic nominee, arguing her campaign’s focus is misplaced and should be directed towards the needs of Michigan voters. 

“Instead of talking about something that happened five years ago, why doesn’t Kamala Harris talk about what happened two years ago when she cast the deciding vote on trillions of dollars in new spending and made housing, energy and groceries unaffordable for the people of Michigan,” Vance said.

The Democratic National Commitee (DNC) fired back at the Ohio Republican, arguing that people who have been around Trump know that he is a “threat to our democracy.”

“Donald Trump’s closest aides and handlers — including JD Vance — know the truth about Trump’s dangerous disregard for the rule of law and his desire to wield unchecked power against his fellow Americans,” DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd said in a statement.

“Vance’s public outbursts aren’t going to change the fact that those who know Trump best are warning all Americans that he’s a threat to our democracy — and that he would be even more dangerous in a second term,” Floyd added.

Updated Oct. 25 at 9:30 a.m.