A Dangerous Partnership

Has there been as much discussed and written about the current USA president, and I might say in all of history. A book entitled ‘the Dangerous Case of Donald Trump’ is merely one example. It is a particularly pertinent book for it explores deeply the make-up of the man, and therefore the reason for the extensive writings. It has many experts in the field of mental illness looking at the various conditions according to the Diagnostic and Statistical, Manual of Mental Disorders. Trump proves to be a complex figure, so much so that people wonder why Mental Health professionals don’t speak up about what they think of his condition.

The argument about whether psychiatrists should speak up about his mental health condition is complicated by the Goldwater Rule which according to the American Psychiatric Association, claims a psychiatrist is forbidden from speaking out about a person’s mental health condition without having done a face to face, thorough examination in their personal presence. Of course, Trump wouldn’t allow that. This is contentious because many psychiatrists argue there is a case to be considered when a person’s behaviour becomes so dangerous that it puts the public at risk. This is the case of Trump. His behaviour is so erratic and when in particular, he has access to the nuclear code of USA he is a danger to the world.

 The second fact that is a concern is his Secretary of State, Pete Hegseth, with whom he jointly renamed the ‘Secretary of War’. Hegseth is a very conservative Christian who is known to belong to a ‘cult like’ group. He is obsessed with having all things looking the part such as the military, but without being fully informed about the management of an army. He also believes America should be all white, and possess one vote per family, which would be the male. The absolute concern of Hegseth is his belief in Armageddon – all-out war, including the value of a possible nuclear war. This will bring in the return of Christ which is to metaphorically separate the ‘sheep from the goats’ dooming all goats to outer darkness and the sheep to eternal bliss in heaven.

Trump is known to have said, ‘why can’t we use the nuclear weapons if we have them’, or I will bring down ‘fire and fury’ on North Korea or ‘demise the Nation of Iran in a single day.  Cognitively he is known to be a malignant narcissist obsessed with being the most significant person all of history. He is widely regarded as delusional. While with the appearance of charm, underneath he is paranoid and displays an inferiority complex, presumed to be afraid of all people. He displays his lack of empathy by denigrating his opponents with the most scathing nick names. He makes no friends, he just insists on loyalty and has said, ‘Chose the best people then don’t trust them for, they want everything you have.’  He is a compulsive liar and changes his opinion every few minutes. He is erratic and shows no Judgement. In addition to his mental condition and personality issues one thing stands out as his real danger. He has dismantled most guardrails in the government, his behaviour, the judicial system, and accountability to congress. No one can control him.

The book mentioned earlier, the Dangerous case of Donald Trump, argues that Trump is mentally ill, has personality disorders, and is straight out dangerous. With a co-dependent right-hand man Hegseth having an extreme belief system, it is the most toxic partnership in the world. Trump is an 80-year-old man, show signs of dementia with no established philosophy and is easily persuaded with flattery, with an ill-advised and ill advising partner, forms arguably the most dangerous partnership in the world. To be solely in charge of the codes controlling the nuclear power of the most powerful nation in the world leaves the whole planet vulnerably exposed.