Editor’s Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, brings his insights as the host of SiriusXM radio’s daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” You can follow him on Threads. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely his own. For more perspectives, visit CNN's opinion section.

At the Republican National Committee’s annual retreat this past weekend, former President Donald Trump made a striking entrance, accompanied by the anthem of the "J6 Prison Choir," a group comprised of individuals incarcerated for their involvement in the violent insurrection on January 6, 2021, aimed at maintaining Trump's grip on power post-election loss. This isn’t the first occasion Trump has chosen this anthem to set the tone for an event, a choice that should appall patriotic Americans each time it occurs.

However, the most alarming incident of the day unfolded during a private luncheon for donors at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. In a shocking display, Trump launched into a tirade riddled with profanity, labeling President Joe Biden's administration a “Gestapo administration.” By invoking the name of the infamous Nazi political police, Trump not only showed a disregard for historical atrocities but also displayed a callousness towards the gravity of such comparisons.

This reprehensible remark, delivered to a room filled with donors who had contributed $40,000 or more to the Republican National Committee, was just one part of a 90-minute diatribe where Trump bemoaned his legal woes, including facing 88 felony charges across four jurisdictions. These charges, which prosecutors in his ongoing New York City trial allege, involve his role in what they term an elaborate "election fraud" scheme, encompassing efforts to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump vehemently denies these accusations.

The comparison to the Gestapo, with its associations of systematic persecution and genocide, is not only deeply offensive but also fundamentally inaccurate. Trump's casual employment of Nazi-related language is a troubling pattern, highlighting a disregard for the sensitivities of history and a penchant for inflammatory rhetoric.

Trump's latest comparison not only trivializes the horrors of the Holocaust but also distorts the reality of the current administration. There's no shred of evidence suggesting authoritarian inclinations within the present government. Yet, Trump's tendency to project his own failings onto others is glaringly evident. He's previously boasted about being a dictator from "day one" of his presidency, and his actions and rhetoric increasingly echo authoritarianism as his political campaign progresses.

Interestingly, it's Trump himself who has repeatedly resorted to Nazi-like language. In a controversial move in December, he echoed Hitler's rhetoric by likening migrants to "poison" infecting the nation. Prior to that, he referred to his political adversaries as "vermin," a term with deeply troubling antisemitic connotations reminiscent of Nazi propaganda. Holocaust scholars have drawn parallels between Trump's language and Hitler's calls for racial purity in "Mein Kampf," where Jews were depicted as contaminants of German blood.

Despite the uproar sparked by Trump's remarks, he remains unapologetic. Instead, he dismisses criticism by claiming ignorance of Hitler's manifesto, yet persists in using similar dangerous rhetoric about migrants, accusing them of "destroying the fabric of our country.

Given the alarming rise in antisemitism across the United States, one would expect condemnation from GOP donors and leaders at events like Saturday's retreat. However, the silence from Republican quarters speaks volumes. It's unlikely they'll publicly rebuke their presumptive presidential nominee and de facto party leader, mirroring their past reluctance to hold him accountable.

Trump's recent actions, particularly his glorification of the January 6 attackers, draw eerie parallels to Hitler's tactics following his failed coup attempt in 1923, known as the Beer Hall Putsch. Like Hitler, who lionized those killed in the thwarted coup, Trump celebrates the insurrectionists, effectively turning them into martyrs and heroes of his cause.

It's reminiscent of Hitler's ascent to power ten years after the Beer Hall Putsch, during which he established the Gestapo, Germany's secret police, to solidify his control. At the GOP event over the weekend, Trump went as far as offering donors the opportunity to speak at the podium for a hefty donation of $1 million, with three individuals reportedly taking him up on the offer. One donor even went so far as to claim that Trump was chosen by God to lead the nation.

Adding to the spectacle, during Trump's speech, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump presented him with a plaque commemorating the success of the song by the January 6 attackers on the Billboard music charts. Trump's recent interview with Time magazine further underscores his support for the insurrectionists, whom he referred to as "patriots" and hinted at the possibility of pardoning them if re-elected.

In light of these developments, one can't help but question which presidential candidate truly upholds democratic principles and respects the Constitution, and which one is leading us down a perilous path towards regression and authoritarianism.

In conclusion, Trump's disturbing parallels to Hitler's tactics, from glorifying insurrectionists to offering donors a platform at a premium, raise alarming questions about the direction of our democracy. As he continues to praise those who attacked our institutions and threatens to undermine the rule of law, we must remain vigilant in defending the values enshrined in our Constitution. The choice between a leader who cherishes democracy and one who seeks to drag us into darkness has never been starker.