Trump is now narcissistically Tweeting his way out of backing the loser in Alabama:
But in his hometown, the tabloids both had the same idea about the message they wanted to send to the president - but the Daily News won for spelling it out. I hope Trump sees them.
It may prove to be a delicious irony if his own sexual transgressions prove to be the undoing of this fiend. I think of the post inauguration Women’s March. How fitting if it turns out that women bring him down.
I think there’s only a remote chance that revisiting the accusations against him - even in a Congressional hearing - would lead to resignation. I don’t see him admitting anything.
Could he seek redemption?
Of course Clinton had no choice, and as John Gartner points out in his book “In Search of Bill Clinton: A Psychological Biography “ Clinton sought religious counseling instead of therapy. If backed into a corner with indisputable evidence Trump might make a modified limited admission that he might have had a problem, and get spiritual counseling from one of those flunky pastors. I think that might happen if the Russians released the pee tapes; but nobody knows if there is more incontrovertible evidence yet to be released or revealed from stateside incidents.
What I do see is that every narcissistic insult or injury adds fuel to the inner fire of Trump’s rage. Whether or not we accept that Trump is a malignant narcissist based on the evidence, it should be clear to an objective observer that Trump is narcissistic and, in lay terms, thin skinned and prone to anger. Consider this from Wikipedia:
Narcissistic rage is a reaction to narcissistic injury, which is a perceived threat to a narcissist's self-esteem or self-worth. Narcissistic injury (or narcissistic scar) is a phrase used by Sigmund Freud in the 1920s; narcissistic wound and narcissistic blow are further, almost interchangeable terms.[1] The term narcissistic rage was coined by Heinz Kohut in 1972.
Narcissistic injury occurs when a narcissist feels that their hidden, "true self" has been revealed. This may be the case when the narcissist experiences a "fall from grace", such as when their hidden behaviors or motivations are revealed, or when their importance is brought into question. Narcissistic injury is a cause of distress and can lead to dysregulation of behaviors as in narcissistic rage.
Narcissistic rage occurs on a continuum, which may range from instances of aloofness and expressions of mild irritation or annoyance to serious outbursts, including violent attacks and murder.[2]Narcissistic rage reactions are not limited to personality disorders and may be also seen in catatonic, paranoid delusion and depressive episodes.[2] It has also been suggested that narcissists have two layers of rage. The first layer of rage can be thought of as a constant anger (towards someone else), with the second layer being a self-aimed wrath.[3]
We know from the Howard Stern tapes and the Access Hollywood tape that Trump takes pride in his predatory sexual behavior, something he considers his sexual prowess.
I have no doubt that he believes that everyone from Weinstein to Moore got a raw deal being forced to loose their jobs.
Trump knows he preyed on women, and thinks this was his right.
Is they a point where the unrelenting opprobrium leveled at him will have an impact on his ability to Tweet his way out of the pressure of narcissistic insult? He’ll never believe he was wrong, but can this cause him to have rage reactions which show him to be obviously unfit?
We shouldn’t dismiss the psychological effects of the attention being paid to the predatory sexual history of the husband of Melania and the father of Ivanka. The two women closest to Trump may be the ones to have the most impact on the breakdown of Trump’s psychological defenses. If one or both of them abandon him privately it is telling that we don’t even know how it would effect him, but if it came out publicly it could be devastating. This wouldn’t be because he’d be emotionally bereft, but because it would damage his image.
Addendum:
It’s been reported that Trump sometimes watches Morning Joe. I wonder if characterizations like this have any effect on him?