The world is hostage to an unwell president.
(From December 2019): Ukraine, Donald Trump’s comprehensive misconduct of foreign relations has ripened into the most pregnant of our current public controversies—an impeachment inquiry. But his psychological unfitness for world leadership was apparent well before he took the oath of office.
Since first announcing his candidacy, Trump’s behavior has suggested a man with deep personal pathologies. For too long, too many closed their eyes to this dreadful reality; sober journalists ducked the obvious by disclaiming psychological expertise. But no more.
The Mayo Clinic describes narcissistic personality disorder as “a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others.” Mayo further explains that “beneath this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
Does any of that sound familiar?
Then compare Mayo’s list of symptoms to the multi- faceted demands of democratic leadership in a dangerous and complex world. Those afflicted with NPD “have an exaggerated sense of self-importance”; “have a sense of entitlement”; and “require constant, excessive admiration.” They “expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it.”
There’s more. Individuals with NPD “exaggerate achievements and talents”; are “preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance”; and “believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people.” They “belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior”; “expect special favors and unquestioning compliance with their expectations”; and “take advantage of others to get what they want.”
And still more: They are “envious of others and believe others envy them”; “have significant interpersonal problems and easily feel slighted”; “react with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior”; “have difficulty regulating emotions and behavior”; and “become impatient or angry when they don’t receive special treatment.” All this covers “secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation.”
One need not be a doctor to read the literature, look at Donald Trump, and grasp that the organizing principle for his external behaviors lies within.
Add to these emotional distortions a couple of traits from NPD’s cousin, sociopathy—an addiction to lying and a belief that the rules don’t apply to you—and you have a day in the life of America’s president…
Read this essay from the conservative website The Bulwark here: https://thebulwark.com/trumps-personal-pathology-is-americas-foreign-policy/
