During a closed-door session at the exclusive Experts and Enthusiasts gathering in Park City, Utah on Friday, billionaire Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman compared presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump to tyrants Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
According to the Washington Post, the comparison at the Republican event occurred in the context of Whitman challenging House Speaker Paul Ryan over his support of Trump. The paper reported that in addressing Ryan, she said Trump "is the latest in a long line of historic demagogues, explicitly comparing him to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini." Ryan explained that he was under intense pressure from other House Republicans to back Trump, as many of them represent districts where the candidate has heavy support.
The session was moderated by former CNN anchor Campbell Brown, who reportedly also challenged Ryan about his endorsement. According to the Post, Brown "told him that her young son, who knows and admires Ryan, came into the bedroom the morning after he had announced his support for Trump dismayed by the news."
Ryan's rapidly shifting relationship with Trump in recent weeks has been the subject of much scrutiny. In early June, the House Speaker gave a tepid endorsement to the candidate. Only a few days later, though, he criticized Trump for his remarks about Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is presiding over a case against Trump University, calling them the "textbook definition of a racist comment."
Whitman has been an outspoken Trump critic for months, and back in March was courted by Ohio Governor John Kasich during his ill-fated run for the White House. Back in 2010, she spent over $170 million of her considerable fortune in an unsuccessful run for governor of California.
