President Trump’s style of functioning reflects a narcissistic personality. He has a lot of grandiosity in his speech and has a feeling of entitlement about what he wants. He diminishes other people using insults. There is a lack of empathy in his speech and interactions.
Trump seems to believe that he is unique and special. He makes many claims about his achievements that may not be true. He comes off as a person who requires a lot of admiration. He is extremely sensitive to criticism. He gets upset with criticism and starts lashing out. That is also a common feature in narcissistic personality.
He is an effective speaker. He speaks with a lot of emotion, especially pressing buttons of people’s fears and anxiety. There is quite a bit of black and white thinking in his speeches. He lacks the ability to see the grey area.
His speeches don’t have much factual accuracy. Whatever he feels, he believes is true. His thought process is also suggestive of personality problems. He is very good at manipulating people. He knows what buttons to press. People who are narcissistic can be quite manipulative and can achieve quite a bit. Most political leaders have narcissistic personality traits. But it is quite obvious in Trump’s case.
Former president Barack Obama, too, has narcissistic personality traits. It is quite common in leadership positions. It makes you believe that you can lead a nation. That kind of belief is not an ordinary belief. It doesn’t mean it’s a disorder. It could just be a style of function. Some people argue that Trump doesn’t have a disorder because when people have disorders their functioning is impaired. Trump is successful at work. But his style and approach suggest narcissistic traits.
Bhat is a psychiatrist and mental wellness expert.
As told to Mini P. Thomas
