The Narcissism of Power: How Trump’s ‘Drain the Swamp’ Rhetoric Fuels Authoritarianism

The dynamic between Donald Trump’s supporters and his opponents can be understood through psychological and sociopolitical lenses, particularly in relation to narcissism and authoritarianism.

First off, let's talk about the mechanics of this nonsense.

The mesolimbic system, often called the brain's "reward pathway," plays a crucial role in motivation, pleasure, reinforcement learning, and addiction. It involves the release of dopamine, reinforcing behaviors that are perceived as rewarding, whether beneficial or harmful.

In the case of MaGA Trump supporters who seem impervious to reality, their engagement can be understood through this neurobiological framework:

1. Reinforcement and Reward

   • Trump’s rhetoric and MaGA culture provide a strong sense of belonging, identity, and emotional highs akin to addiction.

   • The dopamine-driven reinforcement from rallies, social media echo chambers, and community validation makes it hard for individuals to accept contradictory information, as doing so would disrupt their reward cycle.

2. Cognitive Dissonance Avoidance

   • If reality contradicts their worldview, processing it would cause psychological discomfort. Instead of adapting, they double down, seeking reinforcement from the same sources that reward their beliefs.

   • The mesolimbic system encourages behaviors that avoid pain—admitting they were deceived or wrong would be painful, so the brain resists.

3. Fear and Threat Processing

   • The amygdala (linked to the mesolimbic system) is highly active when individuals feel threatened. Trump's messaging often uses fear (immigrants, deep state, etc.), which hijacks rational processing in favor of emotional responses.

   • Once the brain perceives a group or idea as a "threat," logic takes a backseat to emotion-driven responses.

4. Loss Aversion and Sunk Cost Fallacy

   • Many Trump supporters have invested years of identity into MaGA ideology. The mesolimbic system reinforces continued investment rather than accepting loss and moving on.

   • If they absorbed exactly where they were headed (authoritarianism, personal harm, national instability), it would require them to admit a massive personal and ideological loss—something their brain chemistry fights against.

In essence, the MaGA movement operates like a dopamine-reinforced loop, where the fear of loss, social validation, and emotional highs keep individuals trapped in an alternate reality. If they could break that reinforcement cycle, many might recognize the path they’re on and abandon it—but their neurobiology makes that extremely difficult.

Now how about this nonsense?

As of today, March 22, 2025, only a few Republican members of Congress have publicly opposed the idea of President Donald Trump seeking a third term. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma stated he would not support Trump running for a third term unless the U.S. Constitution is amended to allow it, emphasizing that such a change should reflect the will of the American people.​

Additionally, Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a proposal to amend the Twenty-second Amendment, aiming to permit presidents who have served non-consecutive terms to run for a third term. This proposal is widely viewed as a means to enable Trump to seek another term.

However, these instances appear to be exceptions rather than the norm. The majority of congressional Republicans have not publicly expressed opposition to Trump's potential pursuit of a third term. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has criticized her colleagues for their reluctance to challenge Trump, attributing it to fears of primary challenges and media backlash. She emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity, even in the face of potential threats from influential figures like Elon Musk. ​Politico

In summary, while a small number of Republican lawmakers have taken stands against Trump's third-term ambitions, there is no widespread opposition within the party. Many Republicans continue to support Trump, reflecting his significant influence over the party.

Getting back to the direct issue at hand...​

1. Trump's Narcissism and Authoritarian Appeal

Donald Trump exhibits traits consistent with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), including:

• Grandiosity: An exaggerated sense of self-importance.

• Lack of Empathy: An inability or unwillingness to understand others' perspectives.

• Need for Admiration: Constant validation and loyalty from followers.

• Manipulative Behavior: Gaslighting, deflecting blame, and creating an "us vs. them" mentality.

These traits align closely with authoritarian leadership, which emphasizes:

• Strongman politics: A leader who projects power and infallibility.

• Control over norms and institutions: Undermining checks and balances, rejecting legal constraints.

• Demonization of outsiders: Defining clear enemies (immigrants, media, political opponents) to unify followers.

2. Why Trump Supporters Are Drawn to Him

Many of Trump's supporters resonate with his narcissistic tendencies because of psychological, social, and political factors:

• Authoritarian Personality Theory: Some individuals are naturally inclined toward hierarchical, strongman leadership. They seek order, clear rules, and an authoritative figure who claims to protect them from chaos.

• Mirroring and Identification: Many of his supporters either admire or unconsciously mimic his behavior. They see his refusal to apologize, his aggression, and his self-assurance as qualities of strength.

• Fear and Resentment: Trump validates their grievances, whether about economic hardship, racial demographic changes, or perceived cultural decline.

• Desire for Belonging: His movement offers a sense of identity and unity, with shared values and a common enemy.

3. Why Opponents Cannot Connect With Their Mindset

Those who oppose Trump generally do not share authoritarian or narcissistic tendencies, making it difficult for them to empathize with his supporters:

• Higher Empathy and Tolerance: Many Trump opponents value inclusivity, diversity, and democracy, which contradict authoritarianism.

• Analytical vs. Emotional Thinking: Trump's base often responds to emotional narratives, while his opponents focus more on rational arguments and fact-checking.

• Disgust at Narcissism: Narcissistic behavior—such as lying, bragging, or lacking empathy—is seen as repulsive rather than admirable.

• Skepticism Toward Absolute Authority: Many of Trump's critics prefer decentralized power, institutional accountability, and collective decision-making over following a singular leader.

4. The Incompatibility Between the Two Groups

The fundamental reason why Trump's supporters and opponents cannot see eye to eye is that they operate from fundamentally different worldviews:

• One side admires strength, dominance, and unwavering confidence (even at the cost of truth).

• The other values humility, cooperation, and adherence to facts and norms.

This psychological and moral divide makes it nearly impossible for each side to understand or respect the other’s orientation. Trump's supporters view his critics as weak, naive, or unpatriotic, while his opponents see his followers as manipulated, authoritarian-leaning, or complicit in narcissistic behavior.

Trump and his allies often claim that their movement is about fixing the government, shrinking the federal bureaucracy, and restoring power to "the people." This rhetoric taps into long-standing conservative and libertarian ideals about small government and deregulation. However, when we compare what they say with what they actually do, contradictions emerge.

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1. CLAIM: “Shrinking the Federal Government”

• RHETORIC: Trump and his supporters argue that they want to reduce the size of government, eliminate waste, and return power to states and individuals.

• REALITY:

  • Expansion of Executive Power: Rather than decentralizing power, Trump concentrated more control in the executive branch, undermining checks and balances.

  • Selective Cuts: While Trump talked about cutting government, he primarily targeted agencies that regulate corporations (EPA, FDA, etc.) while expanding spending on defense, border security, and tax cuts for the wealthy.

  • Project 2025: A Heritage Foundation-backed plan supported by Trump allies seeks to purge the federal workforce of career civil servants and replace them with ideological loyalists—a move that increases executive power, not shrinks it.

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2. CLAIM: “Draining the Swamp”

• RHETORIC: Trump campaigned on eliminating corruption, removing “deep state” bureaucrats, and putting the government back in the hands of the people.

• REALITY:

  • Increased Cronyism: Instead of eliminating corruption, Trump filled his administration with lobbyists, industry insiders, and personal loyalists. Many of them, such as Steve Mnuchin (Treasury), Betsy DeVos (Education), and Wilbur Ross (Commerce), had deep financial ties that benefitted from their government roles.

  • Weaponizing the Government for Personal Use: Trump repeatedly used the DOJ to protect himself and his allies while pressuring it to investigate political opponents.

  • Profiting from the Presidency: Trump and his family directly profited from his presidency through foreign business dealings, government contracts at Trump properties, and funneling campaign money into his businesses.

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3. CLAIM: “Fighting for Freedom and Small Government”

• RHETORIC: Trump and his allies present themselves as champions of individual liberty, opposing government overreach.

• REALITY:

  • Authoritarian Policies: Despite talking about freedom, Trump has endorsed policies that centralize power:

    • Proposing to deploy the military against domestic protesters (2020).

    • Supporting state-level abortion bans that override individual rights.

    • Promoting censorship of political opponents and media outlets that criticize him.

  • Using the Government Against Enemies: Trump frequently suggests he will use federal agencies to punish critics, imprison political opponents, and retaliate against perceived disloyalty.

  • Expanding Federal Surveillance: Despite libertarian rhetoric, Trump continued mass surveillance programs and even tried to use the NSA and FBI to benefit himself.

---

4. CLAIM: “Law and Order”

• RHETORIC: Trump’s movement claims to stand for law, order, and public safety.

• REALITY:

  • Selective Enforcement: Trump and his allies want a justice system that punishes their enemies while protecting their own.

    • He pardoned convicted criminals who were his political allies, including Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, and Paul Manafort.

    • He demonizes federal law enforcement when it investigates him (FBI, DOJ) but uses it aggressively against others (BLM, immigration raids).

  • Encouraging Lawlessness: Trump’s rhetoric has emboldened:

    • January 6 insurrectionists, whom he has called “patriots.”

    • Vigilante groups and extremist militias that operate outside legal frameworks.

    • Erosion of accountability, as he suggests that if re-elected, he will go after prosecutors, judges, and opponents who challenge him.

---

5. CLAIM: “The People Are in Charge”

• RHETORIC: Trump supporters argue that their movement is about giving power back to regular Americans rather than elites.

• REALITY:

  • Elitist Power Grab: Trump’s policies overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy, with tax cuts that favored corporations and billionaires while increasing the deficit.

  • Undermining Democracy: Instead of empowering "the people," Trump and his allies:

    • Attempted to overturn the 2020 election.

    • Spread false election fraud claims to justify suppressing votes.

    • Encourage rule by force, not by democratic institutions.

---

CONCLUSION

Trump and his movement promote a myth of small government, anti-corruption, and populism while enacting policies that expand executive power, protect elites, and erode democratic institutions. His supporters believe they are fighting against an overreaching government, but in reality, they are enabling a more centralized, authoritarian system that prioritizes loyalty over competence.

Brief aside:

Does Trump Have ADHD? My Professional Opinion | HuffPost Latest News

Compiled with aid of ChatGPT

The Great Terrorist Trump Con or America's Greatest Shell Game

Let's face it people, Trump, is a terrorist. And not a very bright one, regardless of his narcissistic view of himself. He's earned the venom some feel for him as well as the ridicule.

No. No sir, it is not. I'm sure it's mostly average if anything.

Terrorist: the use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political aims.

Dictionary.com:
noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

He is using terror to divide us in calling on other nations to do his bidding. Calling for insurrection even political assassination. Using the violence of others to intimidate and terrorize us into voting for him. Something that would only work on a child, or someone with a childish mentality.

I really see no way in which he is not... a terrorist.

Even excusing or ignoring all that (as his supporters actively do)...America is being conned in the biggest bait and switch shell game ever. Here is what is so embarrassing about our Republican party and its presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump (who has called for assassinating Hillary Clinton) as well all his supporters. Most especially Republicans officials who support him... but won't even vote for him.

Regarding what he said on August 8th, 2016 about the 2nd Amendment people:

From my point of view, when Trump (AKA, Mr. Slimy) said what he said about Hillary and the "2nd Amendment People" yesterday, he claims it was political and not violence based (i.e., referring to voting, not assassination). And BTW Hillary is not anti 2nd Amendment anyway. it just points out that how much he's disingenuous, a political hack AND a moron of sorts. People are saying it was a call to violence.

However, when he ended it with "that will be a horrible day", he wrapped up that it was indeed about violence and his inference IS for a call to arms, not a call to the polls.

"2nd Amendment People" acting against Hillary (voting or otherwise non violent actions) would not end in a "horrible day", not to mention that would be after the fact of her becoming president.

However since the assassination of an American president would be, regardless of what Trump (AKA, Mr. Slimy) says, "a horrible day", that IS what he meant and intended. He's incessant references to questionable things such as this are disgusting, moronic, and lazy but give people a blank slate to write in whatever they want to believe. And so my blog this week in fact is about this fool, this conman, this BS artist. Apparently people left his speech that day, so maybe there are some reasonable people who had supported him. But are they any longer?

But this one was quite clear to me. As well as the former head of the CIA who said if you or I said this we'd have been arrested by now. Even Dan Rather got into it about this. And Wolfe Blitzer. Just to name a few. Someone on Facebook yesterday said they called the Secret Service who said they knew about it, were "getting a lot of calls and were looking into it." Apparently even the FBI is now interested. Some people's children, I tell ya. Give them enough rope and they will indeed hang themselves.

Many have called the Secret Service over this and they have said that yes, they know about it.
Not that anything will come of it. But wouldn't it be interesting if they acted upon it and arrested him for insurrection and soliciting a Presidential assassination.

Secret Service are smart guys. When Trump said that they should all have just walked away from Trump and disappeared when he said that, called in for orders, then returned... under protest. Though it would seem a political statement by a non political entity, it would have been a legal issue. Do you protect, or arrest a presidential candidate who breaks the law in public to such a harsh degree?

And let's face it, that would have made for awesome entertainment value.
I mean, delicious, comes to mind.

He's tapped into conservative's fears, but there is more going on than just that.

We are all being conned by a professional conman who has ripped people off all of his life. And he is being propped up by Republicans. Utter insanity. Now he is reading a script, pretending to be presidential, to hide the nutcase he is, in order to achieve our highest office. What do Republicans think is going to happen if he wins?

When you are being conned the best thing you can do is to realize it and then as soon as you realize it, admit it, and then walk if not run, the other direction. Possibly, find a police official to do something about it.

Though a good conman, which Trump seems to be, usually cannot have anything done to them because they either skirt the law, or they vanish in a puff of paper dust from your cash as it disappears with them.

Republicans who like Trump, in having it pointed out he is conning them, do what? Nothing. Or worse.

"Trump has hit a nerve with the American people. They are tired of cronyism and the government doing for their individual selves and people want a change." No there's an excuse to support a charlatan, a bully, an authoritarian, a wannabe dictator, and a fool.

First of all, we allowed our government to grow in that fashion. We are to blame for our lazy attitude to politics. But only so far. How culpable is a victim after all to the process of being conned, year in and year out, decade after decades. Being lied to not only by leaders but those we trust?

One president cannot change that. Without support. Stop voting for people who side with the few against the masses, first of all; who do the least for the most and the most for the least. And yes, Republicans are at the top of that list.

Second, a conman goes for that "nerve" he knows you have, where he sees your weakness. IF you then rationalize into his argument as you are being ripped off you are then following his agenda to rip you off. Not to mention, saving his butt in prosecution if he doesn't take that one half step into illegal channels.

Who is stupid then? Trump's own staff is suicidal? He doesn't pay contractors. Last year I was visiting my own cousin on the way back from Ireland. He used to work with a carpenter's union and had to deal with Trump in New Jersey and he hates Trump for ripping off their union, saying some didn't do good work, then turning around and asking for them to do more.

Trump's a conman and BS artist. Plain and simple. It's how he got to where he is in business and life. And now he's offering to do what he has done for himself to the American people? That my friends, is not good no matter how you cut it.

America doesn't and shouldn't rip people off. Reputation is everything.

>Trump has practically stood up and pointed at himself and said, I'm ripping you off stupid! And you smile, and hand him your wallet?

We are watching the GOP and Trump supporters being ripped off before our eyes and when we try to tell them, when they try to tell themselves, they hold their ears, screaming "LALALALALALA!" as they run toward election day.

I think chump and "a mark" are the terms for people like that.

The GOP is now one big chump in being Trump's marks. The Pleasures of Deception, gives a humorous illustration of a how con-artist manipulates his victimScams, Schemes and Swindles: In a large and elaborately staged con, such as that portrayed in the movie The Sting, the big secret of the con is not that the victim is being taken by another person, but that the entire social situation surrounding the victim has been created specifically for the con.

“We can be fooled simply because our perceptions are dulled by habit, and we look at things through half-closed eyes,” writes Moss. “We see half a picture, and assume that the rest is there.”

I do not see where it makes any sense that if elected Trump is going to do any of the things people think he will do. It's not what con men do. What do they do?

Convince you they are wonderful, feed your greed whatever form that may take so you throw what you have at them, what it is they want and then, they walk away, putting themselves in the driver's seat, with your resources, and... your happiness.

Then one day you wake up and realize you have lost everything, and you have been a complete idiot. Only then do you see that you have been obviously taken but you couldn't, no, you wouldn't allow yourself, even in the midst of so many others trying to warn you, to see you were being ripped off.

Which makes you not a patriot, but a very, very sad individual indeed.

The rest of us would laugh at you because it is so ridiculous, because you are so delusional, so lost, if it wasn't something that was affecting us all in your foolishness.

And don't give me that Hillary is evil crap. She is the same old thing with the potential for SOME change while Trump is utter insanity and you're only making yourself look even more stupid if you follow that logic to it's conclusion.

Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt, always a straight shooter has this interesting consideration he posted recently on twitter:

Bret Stephen's in his weekly Wall Street Journal column talks about Go Along Republicans and called Trump a "sinner", accusing him of sadism, and suggesting he is a sociopath. He's not the only rational individual to do so as others who are qualified to know have said similar things about Trump. 

By the way, Russian President Putin likes what he sees in the media about Trump. As does the leader of North Korea. One Has to ask themselves about that. Some top espionage officials have said Trump is acting as an agent of foreign powers, either knowingly or unknowingly. Either as conscious agent or delusional dupe.

Fareed Zakaria this week on his show pointed out that Trump is not so much a liar, as he is and as Fareed said then and I say here and now, a "bullshit artist". He explained that the eminent moral philosopher and professor emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University, Harry Frankfurt back in 1986 wrote a brilliant essay titled, "On Bullshit". He has also written about Trump in a May 12, 2016 Times magazine article, "Donald Trump is BS, Say Expert in BS".

That article starts with:

"And that makes him [Trump] even more dangerous. Donald Trump provides a robust example of someone who is, with respect to matters particularly relevant to the exercise of high political authority, neither well-informed nor especially intelligent...."

In his essay, "On Bullshit", Frankfurt says:

"Telling a lie is an act with a sharp focus. It is designed to insert a particular falsehood at a specific point... In order to invent a lie at all, [the teller of a lie] must think he knows what is true. ...is neither on the side of the true nor on the side of the false. His eye is not on the facts at all... ...focus is panoramic rather than particular... with more spacious opportunities for improvisation, color, and imaginative play. This is less a matter of craft than of art. Hence the familiar notion of the 'bullshit artist.'"

The only way out of a con is to first see it, then walk, no run, the other direction in as diametrically opposed to their path as is possible for you. A bullshit artist also relies on your good nature, as well as your bad nature using the techniques of both con and BS. Trapping you in your own desires for what they are selling, and keeping you from seeing reality clearly; countering your worries before and when they appear. It is a contest between your abilities and acumen, and theirs.

However the BS artist by the nature of their behavior always and eventually, when considered not even that carefully, loses all connection with reality. As we have seen lately with Trump.

"By virtue of this, bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are." - Harry Frankfurt

I am currently looking for a new house to rent. I just sold my house of sixteen years and I have to be out of here by a certain date. I found the perfect house for me and I traveled on the ferry to Seattle to see it. The empty house had a tenant, a sigh for lease out front and had no idea about the arrival of my friend and I.

The emails from absent "owners" on a trip to a religious event in New York had all the right answer. Even through a few soft "red lights", they had all the right BS answers. Until finally I realized I was being conned. Then I noticed there were many other similar type cons with homes for rent. Deal with what has substance, what has physical access, I learned. They were taking my need to move soon, my desire for a deal almost too good to be true, using my own words against me for their benefit, until they finally went far enough over the edge that I called, BS.

I see the same kinds of behaviors in Trump, ever since the beginning of his presidential campaign last year and even before that when he dabbled in previous elections from a far. The "Birther" movement about President Obama's birth certificate, sowing deceit and confusion into our American political arenas. He could easily be someone sent by our enemies to disrupt our national stability. And yet, I don't think he was.

I think much of what is going on with him is more deep seated, and involves psychology or psychopathy.

From FreakingNews.com

Either way, really want to fix things?

Vote Democrat. Even if you are a Republican or anything else. Why? Because ti would devastate the Republican Party. Slap them in the face. Wake them up. Though granted after the 2008 and 2012 elections they seem incapable of waking up to their disastrous political agendas. Though they could easily break the downward trend in abandoning the NRA and the Christian evangelical right as well as evangelical tactics altogether.

They appear to be a zombie party, a party that has long been dead and still acts on the political stage. One now what a zombie leader in Donald J. Trump. One who appears to want only to stagger and and eat our brains. Forever wandering among the American political landscape seeking more victims and sowing more dissent and damage.

In no one or very few voting Republican, it would finally send a message, forcing them once and for all back to being the true party of Lincoln, no longer only in name.

That WOULD send a message. Though it isn't likely to happen.

It would however, after twenty some years since Newt Gingrich started the downward spiral in the GOP and polarity between the two parties, force them to see what losers they have become. Show them that we all DO see what they are doing.

AND it would send a signal to the Democratic Party saying the same. Then if Democrats don't wake up and smell the coffee too, Republicans just MIGHT in the next election in 2020 come up with a good candidate for change. Not a Trump, not a Cruz, but an actual and truly viable for the American people, candidate. If you voted then for that change, we just might get something going in kicking both parties to wake the hell up.

Voting Republican now though, in choosing Donald Trump, is only asking for not only the same, but so much more of the same that you will find you want to vomit every time you see him address the media and the nation as President of the United States of America.

Don't be a Trump Mark.
Be an American Citizen.

I will leave you with this from President Lincoln ending his first inaugural address:

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

#Trump