Americans are facing an existential crisis. That problem is even worse because many Americans don’t realize what is happening in their lives. Before addressing that psych disorder, I have a problem. I have used this phrase for years, “...and a sickness too took root.” I attributed that partial one-liner to Shakespeare. I wanted to look up which play he used that phrase for this essay. I thought it was Macbeth. Nope. In fact, Shakespeare never used that phrase or anyone else. That means I am both a genius, and I am asking you to remember to cite that one-liner when you use it as something Al Campbell said.

Now, back to the essay. Dr. John Gartner is a psychotherapist who had taught at Johns Hopkins University Medical School for three decades. In The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, Gartner wrote about some of his psychological insights regarding Trump’s mental state. Gartner also co-authored Rocket Man: Nuclear Madness and the Mind of Donald Trump.

Here is one of Gartner’s one-line psychological perceptions of our last two presidents. “Biden’s brain is aging.” As for Trump, “Trump’s brain is dementing.” He is genuinely concerned about Trump’s mental state. Gartner mentions that Biden will make gaffes or mistakes when speaking, which is typical for a person his age. However, it doesn’t mean Biden can’t think and make accurate decisions.

Nevertheless, Trump’s lack of cognitive attributes is but one of dozens of psych disorders. For example, Gartner says Trump suffers from hypomania. He wrote a paper on his analysis of people with hypomania. They are obsessed with obtaining success. They are driven to accomplish whatever their goals might be. They won’t always be successful, but the types of driven people will do anything to win. That is Trump.

Gartner also wrote about malignant narcissists. Trump views himself as so great that when he wins, it emboldens him to be more absorbed in his perceived greatness. My grandmother often said when dealing with narcissistic people, “I love me. I think I’m grand. When I go to heaven, I’ll hold my hand.” Lord Acton’s one-liner was, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The flip side of that quote is equally valid. When a malignant narcissist fails at greatness, it creates more determination and drive.

Gartner also sees that power means that malignant narcissists can’t allow disloyalty to the narcissist. That certainly is true about Trump. You have to swear allegiance to this messianic deity and kiss his ring. Gartner quoted Erich Fromm that when that disloyalty emerges, the malignant narcissist lives between reality and psychosis.

So, Trump is a sorry soul in the grand scheme of things. He is addicted to power and is willing to pay any price to maintain control. I would have thought that the cure for that insanity was voting him out of office and indicting him for his 91 misdeeds. At various governmental levels, Trump is facing both civil and criminal charges. In several civil cases, he has been found guilty already.

“I alone can fix it.”

After delaying the criminal cases, Trump will face a jury of his peers. No one in America would want to face the tsunami of legal proceedings this year and next like Trump. What I don’t grasp is that he still has his MAGA minions all falling in line behind their persecuted martyr. Trump uses his indictments as a badge of honor. He can understand why so many blacks are his supporters.

Enter my mantra, “...and a sickness too took root.”

“...and a sickness too took root.”

I can process that Trump can develop all sorts of nonsensical notions. He uses the royal we when he says, “We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.” Nonetheless, Trump’s mental state has spread to his MAGA followers, “...and a sickness too took root.”