I will agree with some of your claims. I've said it elsewhere, but bears repeating, this tendency to appeal to low information voters with symbolism, fear and hyperbole is detrimental to democracy (which should entail decency, respect, fairness and truth).
Trump also has engaged in hyperbole. "We won't have a country left...." "The country is failing....they want to destroy America...."
However, there is a difference when the hyperbole can lead to serious reprucussions. Maybe in your mind, as a politician, you think you can assume that "intelligent people know I am exaggerating..." but this is not true, especially given the tendencies of low info voters to react emotionally and to vibe with your sentiments as you say over the cameras...."Trump is Hitler..."
I don't know why Americans are doing this but I fear there are repercussions that the Harris team is under valuating, and basically two appeals to these low info voters:
1/ racism. There are basically 4 ethnic groups in Europe--Germanic; Roman; Hellenist; Slavic. Most Americans are part of the germanic diaspora, and to compare someone that is germani heritage to Adolf Hitler is potentially very charged with racism, to hate someone and distrust them because of their heritage. I am against this completely, even if unintentional, it does have this effect. Most if not all germanic heritage people are ashamed of this period of 1939-45 and almost always never refer to it. We in Europe do not hold this against German people. We respect them, but it's like, if you're living in 1940 Czecheslovakia, Norway, Holland, Denmark, etc, etc, it's like "WTH are you doing in my country!? Get out of my country!" But there was no hatred, not then, not now, or should not be. The proverbial "trains run on time...." but this is orderliness and does not dismiss human rights' violations and war crimes. AH was a war Chanciller, propped up by German Armaments and a large manufacturing base, plus the military, and they put him into power. People who look a certain way should not be discriminated against.
2/ I also agree that if "Trump is a fascist" and "admires dictators" and has evil intentions, then any society and any citizen has a duty to eliminate that person. So calling someone that is asking for his murder. Not OK. America has a long bloody history of assassinations. Trump mentioned Pres McKinley in his radio chat with Joe Rogan, a Pres who was killed in office, and was against a personal income tax. JFK was killed in office. In both instances the rhetoric was very charged. The anarchist that killed McKinley was radicalized by anarchist dogma. JFK was likely killed by anti-Castro groups who felt Kennedy was an appeaser, and whoever killed him was radicalized by the fear of Russia and communism.
I don't think Trump is the best choice, but I disagree with this campaign tactic to reach low info voters with fear and hyperbole. I also think that if Trump made such a comment, it has to be on record, recorded for all to hear.
Trump does have a severe 'germanic' demeanor and a roundabout way of talking, sometimes off the cuff, too brusk, too out there...so it is easy to misquote him. He needs to improve on this, because it is a weakness in his statesmanship--PERIOD. Smile more, too (??)