Anne Franks Stepsister and Holocaust Survivor Says Donald Trump Acting

NEW YORK — On August 9, 2015, Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank and a Holocaust survivor, didn’t hold back when she called out Donald Trump for his rising political antics. Speaking to reporters, the 85-year-old survivor drew a stark line between Trump’s bombastic style and the dark shadows of history she knew all too well. She accused him of stirring up hate in ways that echoed the early days of Nazi propaganda, a comparison that hit hard given her own past.

Schloss, who spent time in Auschwitz and lost her father in the camps, made her remarks during a visit to the United States. She pointed to Trump’s comments about immigrants and his aggressive campaign rhetoric as dangerous signs. “He’s acting like a dictator,” she told an audience at a Holocaust remembrance event, her voice steady but edged with frustration. Back then, Trump was in the thick of his presidential run, grabbing headlines with bold promises and put-downs that many saw as divisive. Her words landed like a punch, reminding people that words can fuel real-world horrors.

The backlash was swift, with some Trump supporters dismissing her as out of touch, while others in the media picked up on the story as a timely warning. It’s easy to see why her perspective carried weight; she’d lived through the worst of humanity’s failings. As a nation still grappling with its own history of prejudice, her critique felt like a nudge to think twice about the leaders we elevate.

In the end, Schloss’s comments stirred a broader conversation about accountability in politics. While Trump marched on to secure the Republican nomination, her voice served as a reminder that survival stories aren’t just relics—they speak to the present in ways that can make you pause and reflect. It was a moment that underscored how far we’ve come, and how much we still have to lose.