Trump responds to former chief of staff after he was called “authoritarian.”

Former President Trump responded to his former White House chief of staff John Kelly – who in recent days said his ex-boss met the definition of a “fascist” and had an affinity for Adolf Hitler and dictators – by saying he was a “complete degenerate “.

“Thank you for your support against a complete degenerate John Kelly who made up a story of pure hatred against Trump Derangement Syndrome!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Wednesday. “John Kelly is a LOWLIFE and a bad general whose advice I stopped seeking in the White House and told him to MOVE ON!”

Kelly spoke to The New York Times earlier this week and expressed concern about Trump's possible return to the White House.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly listens as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing with senior military leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House on October 5, 2017 (Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images)

He told the media outlet that he believes Trump meets the definition of a “fascist” and would rule like a dictator if allowed to.

“The former president is certainly on the right-wing extremist spectrum, he is definitely an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators – that's what he said. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist,” Kelly said. “He definitely prefers the dictatorial approach to government.”

Democratic strategist Leslie Marshall said Kelly is respected in military and political circles and Trump's reaction to the retired Marine general's comments should come as no surprise.

The White House Chief of Staff attends the annual meeting of the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Anyone who says anything negative about him, even if it’s from his inner circle, comes back and insults him,” she said on “Special Report” on Wednesday. “That seems to be his MO, and unfortunately his supporters are OK with it.”

Talk radio host Chris Ryan said everything Kelly says has “validity,” “substance” and “gravity.”

“But I also don’t think this will change anything about this race other than Kamala Harris wanting to shift the race back to Donald Trump. She has no real closing argument other than the fact that she is.” “She is not Donald Trump in her view and provides more stability than Donald Trump and her proximity needs to be focused on him,” Ryan added.

HARRIS accuses Trump of seeking “uncontrolled power” and being “uncertain and unstable”

Enten found Trump's gains among independent voters in key swing states notable and a good sign for his campaign. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Ret. Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata questioned the timing of Kelly's comments just weeks before Election Day, arguing it “smacks of personal revenge.”

Kelly also told the Times that Trump spoke positively about Hitler.

“He said more than once, 'You know, Hitler did some good things too,'” Kelly said.

The Atlantic also published an article earlier this week about two unnamed people who claimed that Trump said he needed “the kind of generals Hitler had.”

DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST COMPARES Trump to Hitler, insists he would 'definitely try to exterminate people'

Trump's campaign adviser Alex Pfeiffer defended himself against the claims and told the media: “That is absolutely false.” “President Trump never said that.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves at a campaign rally at the Greensboro Coliseum on Tuesday, October 22, in Greensboro, North Carolina (AP/Alex Brandon)

Nick Ayers, Mike Pence's former chief of staff, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Kelly's comment was “patently false.”

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“I have avoided commenting on any internal staff leaks or rumors or even lies relating to my time in the White House, but General Kelly's comments about President Trump are too egregious to ignore,” Ayers wrote.