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Political analysts are pointing out the similarities between the Donald Trump and Richard Nixon presidencies. Both felt betrayed by supporters, dealt with leaks and tried to fend off investigations.

Familiar Location

The investigation into Trump’s campaign started when Russian operatives hacked into the computer system at the Democratic National Committee. That was the same organization that burglars broke into under Nixon, setting off the Watergate scandal.

Familiar Actions

When investigators started looking at the White House, Nixon told his attorney general to fire the special prosecutor for the case. Both the attorney general and his deputy refused, so Nixon fired them himself. Trump fired his first (acting) attorney general, Sally Yates, for refusing an order. He also fired FBI Director James Comey.

After an anonymous official wrote a scathing editorial published in the New York Times Wednesday, Trump said that the Department of Justice should uncover the person’s identity. He says that the person poses a national security risk.

Nixon tried to use the government against his enemies too. He wrote a memo detailing “how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.”

Familiar Faces

Some of the people involved are even the same. Bob Woodward just published a new book called “Fear.” It describes Trump as a paranoid ruler whom his top aides don’t take seriously.

“Everybody’s trying to get me.” That's one quote from a conversation Woodward claims Trump had with one of his aides. Woodward was also one of the reporters that uncovered the break-in at the Watergate office. For his part, Trump considers Woodward to be a “Dem operative.”

This week, John Dean testified before the Senate. Dean was the White House counsel under Nixon who cooperated in the Watergate investigation. He testified before the Senate about Nixon's involvement. On Friday, he testified regarding Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination as Supreme Court Justice.

Just as Nixon expressed feelings of betrayal over Dean, so has Trump in remarks about his former attorney, Michael Cohen. Cohen’s admitted actions also resemble those of Dean. It was Dean, a lawyer working for Nixon, who paid hush money to the men who broke into the DNC. Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer. He admitted paying hush money to a porn actress and a nude model to cover up Trump’s involvement with them.

Dean was also the person who helped Nixon craft his enemies list. Trump has a growing list of enemies, whom he names on Twitter on a regular basis.