No Apology: A Textbook Narcissist
Donald Trump’s latest gaffe- well, latest major gaffe- came on Saturday, July 2. Trump shared a photo to twitter portraying Hillary Clinton’s face in front of a pile of falling cash with a six pointed star bearing the logo “Most corrupt candidate ever!” That the imagery was blatantly anti-Semitic was not ignored by a bored news media over the July 4th weekend; hammering home the issue was the death of controversial Jewish luminary Elie Wiesel the same day.
What’s funny about the reaction to the image is that people are still expecting the candidate or his campaign to issue an apology- even after a year of Trump devouring media attention.
An apology for the imagery is not going to happen.
Let’s leave Trump’s repulsive views aside- the man is a textbook narcissist.
According to the DSM IV, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is characterized by five or more of 8 potential traits:
1. Has a grandiose sense of self importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements).
Should be obvious.
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
Number 2 is also a sure thing- take Trump’s constant bragging about his fortune whilst refusing to prove it by releasing his tax returns (a 2012 SEC filing by Wells Fargo indicates Trump is… not as rich as he says he is).
3. Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
Consider Trump’s reaction to the Orlando shooting- he made it all about him. 50 people may have been dead, but Trump’s main concern was to thank everyone for congratulating him for being right about the motivations of the shooter.
4. Requires excessive admiration.
Self-evident.
5. Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations.
Also self-evident, perhaps best expressed by Trump’s characterization of a $1 million investment from his father in 1968 as a “small loan.” In today’s dollars, that $1 million amounts to $6.8 million.
6. Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends.
7. Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
Numbers 6 and 7 are most easily shown by Trump’s reaction to his adversaries in the Republican primary dropping out- when his enemies were in the fight, he unloaded on them, once they were out, he complimented them. This is both interpersonally exploitative- Trump breaks his enemies down before attempting to Borgly assimilate them; and shows the candidate’s lack of empathy- Trump doesn’t care who gets hurt as long as he wins.
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.
It’s circumstantial, but Trump couldn’t let his Democratic rival enjoy even a full 24 hours of terrible coverage before interrupting it to sing the praises of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. He can’t help himself.
9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
I mean…..
Anyway, one of the main giveaways that you’re dealing with a textbook narcissist is the complete lack of any ability to accept blame for any error. And so it has been for the entire cycle with Trump- no blame is ever accepted or assigned to anyone having to do with the candidate and, of course, never the candidate himself.
To expect anything else at this point is just not serious.