Perspective 80. The Reality of Donald J. Trump: Certifiable?

80. The Reality of Donald J. Trump: Certifiable?

In recent days Donald Trump has begun posting dozens of far-right conspiracy theories, from QAnon and the like, on his social media site. He is clearly trying to mobilize his base at a time when investigations are closing in, but does he really believe this ordure? (Look it up.) Is he, in the end, certifiably deranged?

Yes. This has long been the diagnosis of psychiatrists who have dared to speak out. In their judgment, Trump is a sociopath, exhibiting the classic behavior of narcissistic personality disorder. His own niece, Mary Trump – with psychological training and close access – attributes Donald’s mental ruin to the influence of his tyrannical father, also a sociopath, whose behavior Donald copied in order to be accepted.

So why haven’t psychiatrists spoken out more loudly? The profession is hampered by longstanding adherence to what is called the Goldwater rule. In 1964 some psychiatrists published an article denigrating Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater; Goldwater sued and was awarded damages. Since then psychiatrists, and other medical professions, have followed the general guideline of not passing judgment on the mental state of a public figure unless they had examined that figure in person and had his or her consent.

But some have spoken out. One doesn’t need to put Donald Trump on a couch in order to have full access to his psyche. Trump routinely flaunts his mental derangement for all to see, since in his self-absorption he has created an alternate reality in which he truly believes. At this point some psychiatrists have turned to another guideline of the profession: the Tarassof rule, involving the obligation to warn possible victims of a patient’s mental instability. In this case the U.S. public is the past and potentially future victim.

The sad truth is that psychopaths are sometimes quite successful at building a following, a cult based on their own self-worship. They “gaslight” their alternate reality to their devotees, who prefer the serenity of adulation to the complexity of the real world. At the same time, the narcissist also projects his own image onto the other side, assuming that they are the ones who are blind to the real world.

It comes as no surprise to learn, in a recent book, that Trump openly wished that his generals were as loyal to him as German generals were to Hitler. (Never mind that German military officers tried three times to kill Hitler; as usual Trump has his “alternate facts”).

Regarding protestors inconveniently gathered near the White House, Trump was stymied when “his generals” refused to use the U.S. military to disperse them. “You are all losers,” he bloviated. “Can’t you just shoot them?”

If Trump is ever cross-examined in court, I look forward to a scene like the one in “The Caine Mutiny” when Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer) expertly exposes the delusional psyche of Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart). Now that would be a denouement for the ages.