TRUMP AND NARCISSISM

          Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) involves a distorted self -image. It is considered a mental problem requiring psychiatric treatment. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, people with NPD have an excessive sense of self-importance, an intense preoccupation with themselves, and a lack of empathy for others. People often describe someone with NPD as cocky, manipulative, selfish, patronizing, arrogant, domineering, needing admiration, exploitative, and demanding.

          Citizens of the United States have a clear example of the narcissistic personality in the person of their President, Donald Trump. I believe that one example of Trump’s narcissism it his treatment of his wife. Most men entering a building will let their wives go ahead of them. Trump gets out of a car and walks ahead without waiting for his wife.

Former Director of the FBI, James Comey, argues that Trump does not make decisions on the basis of philosophical, religious, or logical considerations, but simply to assuage the deficiencies of his own character and emotional makeup. "His only reference point is internal -- 'what will bring me what I need, what will fill this hole in me -- get me the affirmation I crave' -- that is deeply concerning,"

        Professor Sander Thomaes, a developmental psychologist at Utrecht University, says of Donald Trump: "I often use him during my classes. My research is primarily focused on narcissism. There is no better example than Trump. He is a prototypical narcissist." Thomaes describes some characteristics of a classical narcissist;  grandiose self-image, a very inflated ego, continuous need for attention, a big urge to be admired, and if that admiration is lacking or the narcissist is criticized, which is even worse, he lashes out recklessly.

          How could so many people support such a narcissist? Psychologists say that Trump’s narcissism in actually one factor in his appeal to his supporters. In Psychology Today, Dr. Joseph Burgo writes that: “The rise of Donald Trump thus marks the fusion of populism and narcissism. In times of enormous demographic shift and economic uncertainty, populism exerts a strong appeal for the anxious voter. Populist messages rely on simplistic answers to complex problems and promote an us-versus-them warfare mentality. Like Mr. Trump, populists engaged in battle have traditionally ridiculed their opposition. In his narcissistic endeavor to prove himself a winner at the expense of all those ‘losers’, Trump relies on righteous indignation, blame, and contempt as weapons of war. Many disaffected voters are drawn to him precisely because of those traits and not in spite of them.”

There is, of course, considerable danger in having a narcissistic president. As a narcissist, Trump feels that he can rely entirely on his own judgment even though he is surrounded by highly educated experts on every subject. Trump seems to resent educated aides and cabinet members. He gets rid of them as soon as he can. He believes that he is the best judge of any issue coming before him. He got rid of his intellectual National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, for the obvious reason that McMaster, a PhD former General, was far more educated than his Boss. He got rid of Secretary of Defense, Rex Tillerson, who called him a “Moron.” He has canned other qualified aides for the same reason.

More than 60,000 mental health professionals have signed a petition, which states: “We, the undersigned mental health professionals, believe in our professional judgment that Donald Trump manifests a serious mental illness that renders him psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President of the United States. And we respectfully request he be removed from office.” 

Trump’s aides are well aware of his narcissism and other mental problems, but they cannot speak openly about them. But someone close to the White House, George Conway, husband of White House spokesperson and advisor Kellyanne Conway, feels free to tell the truth. He says    "Have we ever seen this degree of brazen, pathological mendacity in American public life? …..Whether or not impeachment is in order, a serious inquiry needs to be made about this man's condition of mind."

Trump is known to have dangerous policies put into documents for him to sign. Several of his former aides claim that they had to remove some of such documents from Trump’s desk before he signed them because of the rashness and danger embodied in them. The aides who were most likely to have done that are all gone now. One wonders what documents they were referring to. Will we have to endure a nuclear war with North Korea because of Trump’s narcissism?