President Donald Narcissus

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a hunter in love with his own image, disdaining all those who did not share his exaggerated view of himself.  The myth was the genesis of the modern term narcissist, which describes one who is exceptionally self-centered, unrealistically grandiose and condescending toward anyone who does not admire or agree with them.  Narcissus is also the namesake of a documented medical condition known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

The American Psychiatric Association publishes the Diagnostic Manual and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is the professional bible that licensed psychiatrists and psychologists routinely reference when diagnosing psychiatric or psychological conditions.  The manual states that the essential features of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder are a long-standing pattern of grandiosity, intense need for admiration, and lack of empathy that extends across all aspects of the persons life.  Individuals with this disorder are dominant, exploitative, and feel entitled.  While some highly successful individuals, such as CEOs of major international corporations, may display some of these characteristics at work, the diagnosis is made only when the behaviors are inflexible across settings, and are maladaptive. 

According to the DSM-5, there are nine criteria typically associated with the disorder – only five of which must be present to make a formal diagnosis.  First and foremost, is a grandiose sense of self -importance in terms of their abilities and accomplishments.  Clearly, the President of the United States is one of the most important people in the world, arguably the most important.  Thus, it’s difficult to say if President Donald Narcissus has an exaggerated view of his own self-importance.  However, the Diagnostic Manual continues to state that individuals with narcissistic personality disorder often inflate their accomplishments, overestimate their abilities, and appear boastful and pretentious 

So, while nobody will seriously argue that the US president is not the most important person in the world, is this president really the best president in the two century history of our country – as he would have us believe?  Is he truly the president with the largest ever inaugural crowd and the best negotiator in history, smarter than all the generals – or are these and his many other boastful claims evidence of a pervasive pattern of grandiosity that goes well beyond the acknowledged importance of his job title and into the realm of self-delusion and psychopathology?

Together with a grandiose sense of self-importance, narcissists show a pattern of devaluing and demeaning the accomplishments and credentials of those who disagree with them (“I prefer war heroes who were not captured”), and compare themselves favorably with famous or powerful people (“my good friends Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un”).  They believe that their needs are special and beyond the grasp of ordinary people (“My tax returns are too complex for ordinary people to understand”). 

An unreasonable sense of entitlement to especially favorable treatment is also characteristic of the disorder.  While the president is clearly entitled to very special treatment wherever he goes, the question is if his expectations of entitlement are unreasonable even for a president.  For example, notice how he relishes royal treatment at State ceremonies with the Queen of England and the Emperor of Japan while shunning working trips like the G-7 summit were he would be only one of many presidents and not the center of adulation.  And, while most former presidents vacation at Camp David where they can be well protected by the secret service, President Narcissus insists on vacationing at a public hotel (which he owns) and is as equally unconcerned about the secret service’s need to adjust to near impossible conditions as he is about the inconvenience to hotel guests.  According to the Manual, this sense of unreasonable entitlement combined with the lack of empathy results in conscious exploitation of others (Witness the separation of immigrant children from their mothers and the threat to relocate refugee families to sanctuary cities as political retribution against democratic congressmen).  

Perhaps most importantly, and quite unexpectedly, individuals with this disorder conceal a fragile ego that is usually kept well hidden, even from themselves.  Over time they may show a pattern of alternating between periods of grandiosity and vulnerability.  The trigger for their feelings of vulnerability is any challenge to their status as special and unique individuals beyond reproach.   There is typically a preoccupation with how well they are doing and how favorably they are being viewed by others.  (Witness his repeated exhortations that he is not being treated fairly – fake news! Witch hunt!).   The fragile ego requires constant attention (such as calling into live Fox News programs uninvited), and excessive admiration.  (Witness the unprecedented continuation of campaign style rallies throughout his term as president, and his stated wish to have a military style parade in his honor like the Chinese do for their leader.)  Because of the exaggerated sense of self-importance, grandiosity, and unreasonable sense of entitlement, they expect their ideas, their accomplishments, and even their mere presence always to be given high praise and are genuinely astonished if others do not respond with awe.  If sustained, these insults to the narcissist’s fragile ego will breed frustration, hurt, anger, resentment, and eventually even rage – ranging from midnight Twitter storms to cavalier firings of cabinet level officials who have not shown enough deference. The exaggerated sense of self importance and grandiosity are benign, almost humorous, compared to the complete lack of empathy for his “subjects” and the narcissistic rages by someone with immense political and military power. 

Disclaimer:  The material in this blog is not intended to diagnose Mr. Trump, but rather to educate and encourage readers to think more deeply about psychological issues as they may relate to our President.  Doctor Irony holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.  For 27 years, he was responsible for the scientific validation of hundreds of commonly used psychological tests in 13 countries across 5 continents.  He is considered an international expert in the development of psychological tests.   Doctor Irony is not a clinical psychologist, nor has he personally tested Mr. Trump.