Studying the definitions of these mental conditions and ideologies makes it harder, even for ardent Trump supporters, to ignore there is something so different about Trump it is impossible to trust he can maintain our democracy. The following diagnoses and ideologies are not made up by Democrats. They are historical and medical definitions important to understand because they reveal why the country is in conflict and chaos with Trump in office.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder 301.81
- A grandiose logic of self-importance
- A fixation on fantasies of infinite success, control or brilliance, beauty or idyllic love
- A credence that he or she is extraordinary and exceptional and can only be understood by, or should connect with other extraordinary or important people and institutions
- A desire for unwarranted admiration
- A sense of entitlement
- Inter-personally oppressive behavior
- No form of empathy
- Resentment of others or a conviction that others are resentful of you
- A display of egotistical or conceited behaviors or attitudes
Anti-Social Personality Disorders. 301.7
- Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behavior which results in a criminal arrest or would warrant criminal arrest
- Lying, deception, and manipulation for profit or amusement
- Impulsive behavior
- Irritability and aggression and frequent assaults on others or engages in fighting
- Blatantly disregards the safety of self or others
- A pattern of irresponsibility
- Lack of remorse for his action
Ideologies:
- autocrat- An imperious, dominant ruler who demands blind obedience from others
- dictator- An absolute ruler where no checks and balances exist or are adhered to
- fascist- Radical, right-wing authoritarian characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.
- Demagogue- A leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims to gain power
Trump’s behaviors and rhetoric meet most of the definitions of such pathology and ideologies. He is becoming more self-serving, autocratic, anti-constitutional, and aggressive. During the COVID-19 pandemic and the current racial protests over the police killing of George Floyd, Trump has revealed how incompetent and dangerous he is to American lives. He keeps showing us that his time in office is about feeding his power-hungry ego, greed, and control. His need to march through Lafayette Square to counter the image of him being in the bunker under the White House was a public display of his severe ego pathology. Social media was calling him “bunker boy” and “bunker bitch” and despite the pandemic and the social justice protests, what was most important to Trump was to take any action to heal his shame. Some of these abnormal traits may stem from a form of abuse or neglect of his emotional needs in childhood.
His behaviors are resulting in anti-constitutional positions and actions that violate his oath of office to uphold the laws in the Constitution. He sees the presidency as having unlimited power and this radical view is supported by his corrupt Attorney General William Barr. They are teamed to tear down democratic norms and the American spirit. His threats to the state governor’s about inserting the military into their cities at his whim is not constitutional. Additionally, he signed an executive order this week to remove legislative protections for social media platforms to control their content. This was in reaction to Twitter fact-checking a misleading tweet he posted about vote-by-mail fraud. This action showed he is incapable of regulating his emotions so he can prioritize important issues over petty, self-interested ones.
Watching this president do nothing to address the issue of police brutality against black male Americans is angering and saddening. Watching him order military force against grieving American citizens in mourning and exercising their constitutional right to protest is akin to watching a third world dictator dominate and control its people with force, just because he can. Mental health professionals have tried to alert the public about Trump’s pathological patterns of thought and behaviors since before he took office. The opposition to him due to mental health concerns is not a partisan issue, despite the false claims from his Alt-Right supporters and Fox News that the Democrats spread lies about him because they lost the election. Trump’s opposition is growing among many Republican groups and party officials as it has become obvious to those paying attention that he is not governing within the bounds of our Constitution.
Trump is a political dinosaur trying to recreate the racist political environment of the ’50s and ’60s. His emphasis on military and law enforcement domination over people vs. being about serving and protecting the public reflects how outdated his thinking is. His pathological insecurities are causing an aggressive, defiant relationship with the rule of law.
It’s going to take more than photo ops of him hugging the flag and holding a bible in the air to convince real patriots that he can put the countries interests ahead of his own and adhere to the Constitution. Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the protests over George Floyd’s murder by police officer Derek Chauvin has bolstered the argument that he lacks the competence, character, and mental stability to be president.
