Donald Trump is a gift to science that allows us to better understand a variety of mental illnesses, how cults work, and the effectiveness of gaslighting.
The greatest presidents in American history had a lasting impact on the country and the world. The four Founding Fathers who served in the White House gave other countries a blueprint for making democracy work, Abraham Lincoln ended slavery, and Franklin D. Roosevelt returned prosperity to the US and helped end World War II.
But what about the awesomest president of them all (by his own account)? What will Donald Trump’s legacy be?
We believe that, ultimately, he will be remembered as a president who advanced science like no other… not as a champion of it but rather as an example of how various mental illnesses manifest themselves, as a case study on how gaslighting works, and how even a complete idiot with no discernible skills (other than a knack for conning people) can start a cult.
In other words, Trump is a gift to future generations of psychologists and social scientists that will keep on giving.
The former president likes to shower himself and his “accomplishments” with superlatives. In this case, they may actually be deserved.
Trump is probably the most prominent narcissist in history. As we have pointed out, he exhibits every symptom of this mental illness.
He deserves the title “Greatest of All Narcissists” (which is something all of them would aspire to) not only because he became the world’s most powerful person but also because he is so omnipresent and displays every symptom all the time.
Since most of his life has been well documented, researchers might be able to better understand any number of psychological disorders because of him.
Are people born as malignant narcissists or do they turn into them? Do they get worse over time? If so, why? Are there triggering events or is that a gradual process? Did Trump’s daddy issues have something to do with how he turned out?
These are all fascinating questions for experts that have not been answered conclusively.
What about being a compulsive liar? There has never been anybody who has lied as publicly and prolifically as Trump. Sometimes, it seems as though he lies only for the sake of lying. The former president lies both when it benefits him and when it doesn’t.
But does he even consider it lying, or does he just live in a fantasy world in which the things he says are true?
Is the compulsive lying linked to his other mental disorders, like the narcissism or his delusions of grandeur? Sometimes, it certainly seems like it. Many of his lies are tied to the compulsion to be best or to be right. Still, others are not.
Again, this will keep researchers busy for decades. And, when it is all said and done, maybe we can understand liars better.
And, while Fox News is a propaganda network from our perspective, for sociologists it might as well be a 24-hour webcam broadcasting from the inside of a cult. This is unprecedented and could answer questions explaining religious fanaticism, nationalist movements, and more.
That is Trump’s true legacy… and he deserves some recognition for his contributions to science.
Sadly, there is no Nobel Prize for being the best case study for a mental illness.
In addition, even though there are those (including Trump himself), who want to bestow traditional post-presidential honors upon him, these seem inappropriate and insufficient.
You can’t name a bunch of elementary schools after a guy who is so clearly an imbecile (to be fair, if you knew beforehand which schools would be shot up, it would be great to name those after Republicans).
And, even though GOP lawmakers want to change Dulles International Airport to Trump International Airport, that hardly seems fitting since the former president once ran an airline into the ground.
So, what to do?
To cement his place in history, it would seem most appropriate to name one of his mental illnesses after Trump. But which one?
The lying? Probably not. “Compulsive Trumping” sounds a bit… clunky.
What about narcissism? Now we are onto something.
First, let’s consider where the term comes from. In Greek mythology, Narcissus was so smitten by himself that he could love no other.
But Trump far eclipses that beautiful Greek boy in terms of vanity.
Not only is he the best at everything, but, at 6’3” and 215 lbs, he also has the body of a Roman god?
Poor Narcissus, so absorbed with his own image in the water (mirrors hadn’t been invented yet), that he was condemned to view himself as his life ebbed away. At least he didn’t choose to inflict his image upon others.
Therefore, it’s time for Narcissus to make way for somebody even more self-absorbed.
We suggest: Donald Trump’s Disease.
Just as Lou Gehrig is now better known for the eponymous illness than his Hall of Fame baseball career, it would be appropriate for future generations to know Trump as the poster manchild for narcissism.
Malignant Trump’s Disease does have a nice ring to it, and it seems like a fitting tribute to a man who will allow scientists to advance the study of mental disorders like no other.
Author
Klaus Marre is a senior editor for Politics and director of the Mentor Apprentice Program at WhoWhatWhy. Follow him on Twitter @KlausMarre.
(Empires, wherever they existed, had certain common characteristics):
Emperors, whether conspicuously insane and angry/paranoid (Caligula, Nero, Ivan “the terrible”) or, in some cases, relatively amiable and approachable, were consumed by the need to perpetuate, defend and expand the boundaries of the Empire.
In order to accomplish this mandate, Empires required outsize expensive standing armies and navies, fueled by priority demands on the treasury of the country, and an endless supply of male citizens of acceptable levels of mental and physical health obliged to be available from the age of 18 to 55.
Patrilineal succession was the usual way for Emperors to keep power within the family, with exceptions within the inner circle involving poisons and assassinations altering course to competing patrilineal lines or even Empresses—Elizabeth and Catherine of Russia—Elizabeths I and II, Victoria of England. Citizens of the Empire had no say whatever in the selection of their leaders at any level.
HOW “IMPERIUM” IN THE US, 2024, TOOK ROOT
Friedrich Trump, trained as a barber, left his family home in Kallstadt, Germany in 1885, obtained a steerage ticket and joined the 1.8 million Germans who emigrated to the US, settling initially in New York City pursuing the barber trade. His motive for leaving Germany had to do with the requirement of Imperial Germany that male citizens of sound mind and body commit to 2 years of compulsory military service.
Life in the chaos and overcrowding resulting from huge numbers of immigrants settling in NYC did not agree with Frederick, so after 6 years he managed to join the long trek to the west coast and the opportunities presented by desperate gold rush participants.
First in Seattle and later in the chaos of the Klondike Gold Rush, Friedrich (later anglicized to Frederick) engaged in various business ventures such as restaurants and brothels-both in high demand where money flowed like water and “anything goes” was the norm.
As the “gold fever” died off along with the lure of profits from gambling, prostitution and extortionate prices for supplies for gold seekers, Frederick gathered up his wealth and planned to live the rest of his life not as a struggling barber but a member of the property owning “gentry” of his home town (Kallstadt, Bavaria) in Germany.
For a time, Frederick, now with wife, property and standing in his home town, looked ahead to launching a family and a comfortable life going forward.
The Bavarian Palatinate authorities, however, would not let him. They claimed he had left Germany as an illegal emigrant, evading taxes and the compulsory two-year military service. Frederick pleaded that he and Elisabeth were “loyal Germans and stand behind the high Kaiser and the mighty German Reich”. It was all to no avail.
Before the bureaucracy could mobilize its police powers to carry out the penalties due an “illegal alien”, Frederick liquidated what he could and, with his new bride and what he could carry boarded another ship to the US with, at the time, only cursory medical checks and paperwork at Ellis Island for west European immigrants with provable assets.
Frederick Trump and his bride arrived in NYC at the peak of a real estate frenzy extending into the cities outer boroughs. So instead of going further west, Frederick’s assets went into apartments and commercial properties in the city. Eventually, a son was born, Frederick Christ Trump. All was well until Frederick Senior died of the Spanish Flu in 1918, leaving his wife and son, 15 years old. Frederic C. and his mother managed to keep the family business going until Junior was old enough to take over full management responsibilities.
(Looking ahead to Donald J. Trump’s 2015 campaign for President, largely based on immigration fears. It’s worth noting that the Trump family was, upon the US entry into World War I, threatened along with many other immigrants from Germany who were referred to as “enemy aliens” to such an extent that some were murdered and assaults on the street were common. As a result, Frederick Trump’s family began to claim that they hailed from Sweden instead.)
Donald’s father Fred continued to invest heavily in New York real estate, laying the foundations for today’s business empire.
He eventually had a management team with which he could enjoy the fruits of wealth, including a visit to Scotland during which he met Mary, a maid, then employed at the Andrew Carnegie estate in Scotland. Courtship and marriage took place, after which, eventually, 4 children were born, the last of whom in 1946 was Donald John Trump.
Over time Frederick C.’s management team activities got the attention of the Manhattan District Attorney for various shady practices and links with criminal organizations. Clearly however, Junior’s skill at marshalling permits, materials and contractors for the construction of new buildings got the attention of the War Department which was faced with the need to speedily get housing built for workers at defense plants all over the country during World War II, so a deal was struck to relax Trump’s legal issues while he was engaged in constructing worker housing.
Not to mention the princely sums paid Frederick C. during the worker’s housing construction. It’s been remarked upon that this government project was the foundation of the Trump Organization’s rapid acquisition of power and wealth in Queens Borough, New York City.
Junior’s eldest son Frederick Christ Trump Jr. had been groomed by his father to succeed him in managing the Trump Organization, but was unhappy with the practices and associations with organized crime his father employed and resisted having anything to do with them. Aviation was his “independence” card, as he trained, and pursued a career as a pilot with Trans World Airlines.
Unfortunately the unrelenting pressure his father applied to abandon his aviation career and take the reins of the Trump Organization took its toll, causing Frederick Junior to eventually become an alcoholic and forfeit his pilot certifications, causing his early death at 42. This left Donald J. as the only male heir left as Frederick Sr. descended into early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Donald J. made a great show of concern for his father, while at the same time being mentored by daddy’s Mafia lawyer, Roy Cohn.
When Donald J. took the reins of the Trump Organization officially, one of his first acts was to try to deprive the family of his elder brother of their share of the inheritance by, among other things, cutting his nephew, suffering from a variety of health issues, out of the corporate health plan to which the family was entitled. The psychologist Mary Trump, Donald J.’s niece and sister of the nephew mentioned, was often quoted during the 2024 campaign as trying to alert the public of the danger of allowing Donald J. another chance at the Presidency. Unfortunately her warnings were not heeded by the voters.
The irony here is that Donald J.’s grandfather fled Imperial Germany, only to wind up with a grandson who, according to all indications seeks to create an Imperial regime on the smoking ruins of Constitutional Republic we have, up to now enjoyed.
Addendum
Dr. Mary Trump published a book, ominously titled, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.”
Most readers won’t need any more clues about her subject – her uncle, President Trump. But those who do could consult the cover, which features a photo of a young Trump before he became the figure who now lumbers upon the world stage and lurks in so many nightmares.
Three and a half years into the Trump era, endless words have been spent illustrating the chaotic and cruel personality that can, to cite just one example, schedule a huge ego-gratifying rally in the middle of a deadly Covid pandemic caused by a viciously contagious virus.
According to her publisher, Mary Trump will bring her special perspective – insider, psychologist, writer – to bear on incidents and information never before revealed.
Trump isn’t aging well
Having devoted years to the study of the man and the Trump clan, I can say that the bits teased so far suggest that Mary Trump has the goods. To begin with, she’s the daughter of the President’s eldest sibling, Fred Trump Jr., who may have been the original victim of Donald Trump’s bullying.
As publisher Simon and Schuster put it: “She recounts in unsparing detail everything from her uncle Donald’s place in the family spotlight and Ivana’s penchant for regifting, to her grandmother’s frequent injuries and illnesses and the appalling way Donald, Fred Trump’s favorite son, dismissed and derided him when he began to succumb to Alzheimer’s.”
Warm and easygoing, Frederick Junior was, by all accounts, ill-suited to play the role of cutthroat real estate baron, which was what his father expected of him. Happy to step in, Donald did all he could to prove that he was the more deserving son.
When Fred Jr. finally ceded first position among the heirs to the family business, he became an airline pilot. Donald mocked his profession. “What’s the difference between what you do,” he would ask, “and driving a bus?”
After Fred Jr. died at age 42 from complications of alcoholism, Donald turned his death into an object lesson that reflected well on himself. Donald pointedly abstained from tobacco and alcohol because of his brother’s struggle, saying, “I watched him. And I learned from him.”
The cruelty didn’t stop with Fred Jr.’s death in 1981. Later, when the paterfamilias Fred Trump Sr. died, heirs learned that his will distributed his estate among his children and their offspring “other than my son Fred C. Trump Jr.” The children of Fred Jr. sued, noting that an earlier will, written prior to Fred Sr. being diagnosed with dementia, had granted them proper shares.
Soon after the suit was filed, Donald changed a health insurance policy, taking away coverage for a disabled infant born to Fred’s own son, Fred III. (A second telling anecdote from author Harry Hurt III, who has written about the Trumps, describes Donald briefly considering evicting his brother and sisters from their rent-free homes in a Trump building unless they paid cash for the property.)
When asked in 2000 whether withdrawing the child’s insurance was cold-hearted, the man who claimed to be a billionaire said, “I can’t help that. It’s cold when someone sues my father.”
The suit was settled and the baby was again insured, but 16 years later, when he was running for president, Donald Trump seemingly had no regrets. Asked about the incident, he said, “I was angry because they sued.”
For those who know the family lore, the circle is completed by a little anecdote published in Hurt’s 1993 book “Lost Tycoon.” Hurt reports overhearing Fred Trump Sr. talking about his son Donald and his wife Mary flying off together. “I hope their plane crashes,” said Fred, adding that then “all my problems will be solved.”
Reports on the upcoming book suggest that the author will share juicy stories she learned from the President’s sister, Maryanne Barry. It wouldn’t be the first time that Barry, perhaps inadvertently, revealed something true about her brother. Speaking with writer Gwenda Blair in 1990, Barry shared a story about when Donald was a young man and turned a game of catch with Barry’s seven year-old son into a cruel contest.
“Donald kept throwing it faster and faster, harder and harder, until I hear this crack and the ball hit David’s head. Donald had to beat the seven year-old.”
This cold-hearted nature followed him into his political career. As president, Donald Trump has treated the children of asylum-seeking immigrants with great cruelty, separating them from their parents and locking them in cages. During our current pandemic, with over 116,000 dead in the US and more succumbing every hour, he has been so cavalier as to advocate dangerous unproven cures.
The biographer quoted below is Michael D’Antonio, a former journalist for Newsday and the author of The Truth About Trump. “In my own experience as a Trump biographer I have answered questions about the origins of the President’s weird ways by citing both genetics and his upbringing. This nature-and-nurture answer is a bit of a cop-out, but it is the best I have been able to muster after studying the man and his family.”
Because she has lived close to the source and possesses real expertise in mental health, Mary Trump’s opinion matters greatly to those seeking answers. I can’t wait to read her book.
Trump’s comments are in line with his vicious verbal attacks on Mexicans and other immigrant groups in the United States. But they betray his own family background. His grandfather, Friedrich Trump, a German, lived a migrant life in the US on the edge of illegality and rejection. During the World War I, he belonged to an immigrant group which was sweepingly labelled the “enemy within” or – in his grandson’s parlance – a Trojan horse.
World War I was not a happy time for German-Americans. They were summarily labelled as “alien enemies” whose true allegiance lay with the Fatherland. Nativist spokesmen agitated against “hyphenated Americans” as potential spies and saboteurs. Use of the German language was seen with suspicion. In contrast to many of their compatriots, the Trumps did not need to anglicise their surname as it worked perfectly in English.
The most notorious case of public violence was the lynching of German immigrant Robert Prager in Illinois. He was tarred and feathered, forced by an agitated crowd to kiss the American flag and sing patriotic songs, and finally hanged from a tree in front of 200 onlookers.
Frederick Trump evaded the fate of Prager, but not the other deadly weapon which swept the world once the war was nearing its end. In 1918 and 1919, Spanish influenza killed between 20m and 50m people worldwide. On a summer’s day in 1918, Frederick returned home from a stroll through New York with his son Fred (Donald’s father), went to bed feeling sick, and passed away the next day.
Paranoid nation
The dangerous mix of paranoia and xenophobia directed against German-Americans during World War I had profound and long-lasting effects. The Alien Enemy Bureau was established in the early days of the war with a brief to identify and arrest disloyal foreigners. It was headed by J. Edgar Hoover, then a young civil servant in the Justice Department. Here he picked up the tools he would use later as all-powerful director of the FBI.
In 1940, the notorious House Un-American Affairs Committee published The Trojan Horse in America, a compendium of domestic organisations believed to work for foreign powers. Chapter titles included “Mussolini’s Trojan Horse in America” and “A Trojan Horse of German War Veterans”.
All this was reason enough for the business-minded Trumps to deny their German heritage, claiming they hailed from Sweden instead. Donald’s father Fred invested heavily in New York real estate, laying the foundations for today’s business empire. It was only from the 1980s that Donald Trump started to stand by his German roots.
Trump’s own grandfather was an illegal emigrant whose income stream included alcohol and prostitution at a time when these were legally contested. He was an unwanted returnee to Germany, and then a potential “enemy alien” within the United States who had declared his loyalty to the German Kaiser – but ultimately made an immense economic contribution spanning generations.
Today, his grandson lambastes Mexicans as criminals, intends to erect a wall to keep them out, and warns of Syrian refugees as Trojan horses. If Donald Trump wins his party’s nomination, historians will have many a field day digging out the contradictions between his anti-immigrant rhetoric and his family background.
Most Serene, Most Powerful Prince Regent! Most Gracious Regent and Lord!
I was born in Kallstadt on March 14, 1869. My parents were honest, plain, pious vineyard workers. They strictly held me to everything good — to diligence and piety, to regular attendance in school and church, to absolute obedience toward the high authority.
After my confirmation, in 1882, I apprenticed to become a barber. I emigrated in 1885, in my sixteenth year. In America I carried on my business with diligence, discretion, and prudence. God’s blessing was with me, and I became rich. I obtained American citizenship in 1892. In 1902 I met my current wife. Sadly, she could not tolerate the climate in New York, and I went with my dear family back to Kallstadt.
The town was glad to have received a capable and productive citizen. My old mother was happy to see her son, her dear daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter around her; she knows now that I will take care of her in her old age.
But we were confronted all at once, as if by a lightning strike from fair skies, with the news that the High Royal State Ministry had decided that we must leave our residence in the Kingdom of Bavaria. We were paralyzed with fright; our happy family life was tarnished. My wife has been overcome by anxiety, and my lovely child has become sick.
Why should we be deported? This is very, very hard for a family. What will our fellow citizens think if honest subjects are faced with such a decree — not to mention the great material losses it would incur. I would like to become a Bavarian citizen again.
In this urgent situation I have no other recourse than to turn to our adored, noble, wise, and just sovereign lord, our exalted ruler His Royal Highness, highest of all, who has already dried so many tears, who has ruled so beneficially and justly and wisely and softly and is warmly and deeply loved, with the most humble request that the highest of all will himself in mercy deign to allow the applicant to stay in the most gracious Kingdom of Bavaria.
Klaus Marre is a senior editor for Politics and director of the Mentor Apprentice Program at WhoWhatWhy. Follow him on Twitter @KlausMarre.
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