Donald Trump’s leadership of the GOP is characterized by a demand for absolute compliance, fueled by a desire to keep subordinates in a state of perpetual intimidation. Observers frequently liken his behavior to that of an entitled adolescent—a "power grabber" who justifies his actions through a self-defined morality that threatens the nation's standing.
His escalating transgressions appear driven by a fear of exposure regarding a wide array of controversies, including:
The Epstein Scandal: Potential revelations regarding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and international human trafficking networks.
Global Instability: The rejection of NATO, the abandonment of Ukraine, and the imposition of damaging tariffs.
Civil Rights & Policy: Claims of election fraud, rejection of constitutional norms, and the implementation of authoritarian deportation and detention strategies.
Social Regression: Hostility toward science and education, alongside serious allegations of violent personal misconduct.
This pattern of behavior mirrors the clinical definition of Conduct Disorder (DSM-5), specifically through a persistent disregard for societal norms, the rights of others, and a reliance on deceit and aggression to maintain control.
Retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Retired Special Ed teacher here: I like how you looked through each area of Conduct Disorder and can see where the behaviors are exhibited by the various stressors he is facing. While I can see evidence of Conduct Disorder, this diagnosis is reserved for children and adolescents to describe how they interact with parents/authority figures, peers, and institutional rules/norms and is not generally applied to adults. Conduct Disorder is serious, and it can "evolve" into personality disorders (most likely antisocial personality disorder), but there needs to be much more research in that field to know if that is actually the case. He may very well have had undiagnosed Conduct Disorder as a child/adolescent. IMO, it is more likely that as an adult, he has had a long-standing personality disorder (narcissistic and/or antisocial) AND now has a co-morbidity of some form of dementia (there are many types).
When he first ran for president/during his 1st term, I viewed his behaviors as being consistent with Narcissistic Personality Disorder which is summarized as "a personality disorder characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for other people." But in this 2nd term, with there being no one in his administration to rein him in (to hide his worst impulses from the public as likely happened in 1st admin) and his decisions harming millions more people than were harmed in the 1st administration, it has become clearer that his behaviors are more consistent with Antisocial Personality Disorder: "a personality disorder characterized by persistent disregard of the rights of other people, failure to comply with laws and social customs, and irresponsible and reckless behavior." Antisocial PD looks a lot like Conduct Disorder. Personality disorders are, themselves, "fixed" and cannot be "cured." Accompanying depression and anxiety can be treated with medications and/or talk therapy, but, the very nature of both of those personality disorders almost always results in people with those disorders refusing treatment b/c they see the problems they face as being caused by others, and are literally unable to see their roles in the problems they face, and, thus, are unwilling/unable to change their behaviors.
Whatever the diagnoses actually is, we will likely never know the exact one (and it is doubtful even he knows for the above-stated reasons). But what we do know is that his pathology is very serious and dangerous and, unfortunately in this 2nd admin, he has surrounded himself with others who also seem quite pathological, most likely many with Antisocial Personality Disorders. It is why we must continue to do now everything we can to push back on his reckless agenda and to, ultimately, make him so ineffective that he will do much less damage until we can win the midterms in Congress and check him from that point forward.
Thank you for posting this. His pathology is something we should keep front and center as one of his main weaknesses. I hope there is future presidential candidate reform so that we can never again be lead by someone this toxic and dangerous. Perhaps we should require up front psychological assessments in addition to physical ones before candidates can apply to run for higher office.
Thanks Jayne M. your reply is well crafted. You are spot on about my background. I intentionally chose conduct disorder because DT is incredibly "adolescent like" in his thoughts, words and actions that may be subtly guided by Stephen Miller. Their relationship, as you well know, one exemplifying co-dependency. Ugh! And your suggestion about reforming "presidential character assessment" selection criteria borders on clairvoyance. Please send appropriate DC reps your outline of what MUST be included in the "intake interview" of our next candidate(s).
Thank you, Jayne - am thrilled to read this. I've heard of Antisocial Personality Disorder before but don't recall anything about "simple" Conduct Disorder. While Trump probably has both, Bondi and Noem must surely be fellow CD-afflictees (and with quite advanced cases, IMHO).
Conduct Disorder is generally reserved for Children and Adolescents, not adults. They may have each had Conduct Disorder in childhood, but we don't know enough about them to determine that.
I don't know as much about Noem's and Bondi's adult lives to consider what pathology they may have--unlike 47 who cannot keep thoughts to himself, and thus, has provided multiple opportunities over 11 years to observe his behavior, plus more is known about his family background. But in my mind, there has to be some pathology in people who willingly do bad things to curry favor with someone like 47. For these 2 administration officials it could be Personality Disorders or it could be other things.
Both ladies have both said and done disturbing things, but Bondi also said very supportive things about bringing justice to the Epstein victims as AG of FL years ago when the investigation first started, so who knows what is going on with her or what happened to her since then. In the hearing last week, I did find myself wondering during some of her more angry outbursts if she, too, is a victim of abuse. I wondered if the presence of some of the victims and the unexpected request to publicly apologize to them at the beginning of the testimony triggered something in her, causing her to avoid looking at or speaking to them and then for all that rage to spew forth. Yes, for much of that testimony, she was also performing for one person. But I wondered how much the Epstein investigation may have genuinely and unexpectedly triggered her own trauma. She seemed like she lost control of her reactions during that testimony. Doesn't mean I excuse her behavior, but just observing that she seemed really traumatized.
Thank you for this added information. Admittedly, I was being a little snarky in my original comment. Had been a little too "tickled" by the simple term "conduct disorder" which seemed, in a nutshell, to amply describe Bondi's over the top rudeness, lack of manners, name-calling, refusal to answer yes or no questions, and so on. It may very well be indicative of "something the matter," but it's shocking to watch given the non-private audience.
Back in the late 1980's when I got my Masters in Social Work, the words were interchangeable. But the official term is Antisocial Personality Disorder whereas "sociopathy" is more of a layperson's term.
It's one thing to say that DJT is in decline, "rot and failure..." but we also know that the machine behind him is strong and must be defeated. And the international trust will take so very much to re-build... but we go forward.
Need a pool for wagering on the time he takes for the State of the Union. Maybe over/under 2 hours? With maybe 1 hour riffing on "crimes committed by immigrants". He's going to give a real Maduro-type bloviation. A standing bloviation. Will he resort to props he can hold? Like stacks of documents? Photographs of brown people he can wave in the air?
Or laugh really hard at absolutely everything he says like it’s an SNL skit. I don’t think the orange leader likes to be laughed at.
Whatever Ds do, T**** will accuse them of treason or piracy or something and call for their executions.
Edit: I am going to bet on over two hours. He loves to talk, especially when there won’t be any questions. It is his big day of self-important self-congratulation.
I got a letter from my representative, Ami Bera, stating he is NOT attending the SOTU. And I won't be watching. I RSVP'd for the State of the Swamp livestream instead, it's free. Scroll down to the bottom to "Join the Livestream" and type in your e-mail to RSVP: https://www.defiance.org/sotu
I would rather watch paint dry than listen to anything Donald Trump has to say. I'll read about it. I will not watch or listen to this man lie and say stupid things.
What if he goes full-out Fidel Castro? Three or four hours or more? Not sure how long I can take it. Maybe muted but with subtitles? PS: Love "a standing bloviation!" Good one. :)
we can always count on two things from trumpism: gross incompetence and overreach. deadly combo! we'll accept the wins!! wish we had a real president on president's day! missing Joe!
It ain’t just Politico reporting on the sour economy. The linked article from WSJ - the lead in my feed - is about resumption of price increases. I take no joy in people’s suffering, but whoever didn’t see this coming has some explaining to do.
Absolutely! All the horrors were predicted but largely ignored. People should be surprised by NONE of it--not the whiplash inconsistencies; not the lack of real policy chops; not the crazy late-night pronouncements working at cross-purposes with each other; not the violence; not the cruelty; not the lawlessness; not the capitulation of R "lawmakers;" not the huge tax breaks for people who don't need them at the expense of government help for those who do. NONE OF IT SHOULD BE A SURPRISE. ALL OF IT WAS PREDICTABLE AND PREDICTED.
And we know exactly what lies he'll be telling for hours at the State of the Union. Greatest economy in the history of the world! All countries respect us now! Fossil fuels for everyone! Secure borders! No crime! The guy has NO NEW TRICKS! Just the same old ones--like an over-the-hill comedian playing at a rinky dink Catskills bar.
The difference now is that we're on offense. We're winning. We just have to keep going and add to that momentum.
Thank you! This is all great news, especially since the news re detention sites just keeps getting worse. Apparently in addition to the warehouse purchases, they have been trying to acquire existing/former correctional facilities as well bc they have infrastructure (i.e., bathrooms, segregated housing, etc.): https://projectsaltbox.substack.com/p/foia-documents-unmask-the-sites-of
I honestly don't know why this isn't a front page/lead story in MSM every single day.
And then there's the part about the thousands of children in detention, which is just so unspeakable I can't find the words to convey my outrage. But there's always a Dylan quote: "How many times can a man turn his head/And pretend that he just doesn't see?"
Yeah, the treatment of children in detention centers is just next level cruelty. They are so clearly using poor conditions for children as a way to get parents to self deport.
I was trying to follow up on a Bluesky post I saw about DHS overpaying for a warehouse in Georgia, which was owned at least in part by a Russian oligarch. Ran across this article from a local newspaper in Georgia, describing how one town essentially dodged a bullet. The article really highlights the potential backlash these human warehouses are going to have in red areas. https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/this-could-have-been-us/article_be587ac8-6b77-4be2-ace3-ea96326954e7.html
[Added quote if paywalled for you]
"The people of Social Circle are in an uproar over a PNK warehouse located inside the city limits recently purchased by the federal government for more than $128 million that is set to be converted into a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment facility that could potentially hold up to 10,000 people at a time. But it was only a few years ago that PNK, a Russian-based company, was courting Madison to build an even larger distribution warehouse center that city officials voted down.
“Madison could have just as easily been in the position Social Circle is in today. And we certainly came close,” said Madison Mayor Fred Perriman, who noted PNK hoped Madison would approve the necessary zoning changes to accommodate a 2.3-million-square-foot distribution center that is nearly twice the size of the warehouse PNK built in Social Circle that will now serve as a controversial ICE detainment facility. Social Circle officials were blindsided by the sale and the ICE detention facility is moving forward despite public backlash and without the feds seeking any input from local Social Circle or Walton County officials."
Which Governors are actively fighting the current and proposed concentration camps in their states? California? Illinois? How are they doing it? What is the model/template?
Good question. There have been protests galore in Roxbury NJ, which was mentioned on Maddow last Monday. But we already have one of the largest, which had already existed - under previous Dem governor. It's where Rep. McIver was assaulted and Mayor Baraka got arrested.
Good question! Of everything going on, hauling people into detention centers, claiming they are “the worst of the worst” and the sending them —where??—with no due process—is beyond comprehension. What is being done? What can We the People do to stop this travesty?
Hello friends, I’m reposting my comment from yesterday because I posted late in the day, but these are thoughts that are still very much on my mind and I think the most important thing I have to share right now. Love and respect to you all…..
Hello friends. Ordinarily, I am not someone who writes anything too fiery here. But I just saw something that pissed me off, and it’s not here at Hopium… So please understand I’m not directing this at anyone in particular here.
But I just think it’s time for all of us to start being a little bit wary of “influencers” in our movement who would rather tell us how terrible the Democrats are than give us constructive ideas to mobilize around our shared agenda to beat back the authoritarian threat.
I just read a BlueSky post by someone I’m going to leave unnamed, but it essentially said that, “I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I think the Democrats are greatly over valuing holding majorities in the Congress. Trump will simply veto all their bills, appoint acting officials for all the agencies and judicial openings, and ignore all subpoenas. The only value and holding the majority in Congress is the bully pulpit, and they suck at it.”
You know what guys, I’ve been plenty pissed off and disappointed at Democrats that I thought were slow in comprehension and tone deaf in their response over the last year… But Goddammit, this is the team that is available to us to beat this threat to our Republic back.
And also, it is time for us to remember that WE are the Democratic Party! It’s not some nebulous secret council of ghosts … It’s us. It’s not Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jefferies, they are just members of it like we are… So if we want them to be better, we have to be better.
That’s what I love about this community… Every day, thousands of us are getting on the phone and calling our representatives at every level and telling them what we expect of them. And anyone who thinks we haven’t made a difference in the political center of gravity within the Democratic Party at the local, state, AND federal level, is completely full of shit.
Newsflash, Congress is ALWAYS the last domino to tip, never the first. We on the ground will always be ahead of them, and it is our job to drag them to us. We are the Democratic Party… Every day, we should all look in the mirror and say “We are the Democratic Party.”
So I am advocating for another daily action step on our part… In addition to telling our leaders what we expect of them and continuing to pull them closer to the fight we need them to be engaged in, we should also start posting comments anytime we encounter an influencer who is more interested in trashing the Democratic party than they are in mobilizing and organizing their followers within our movement toward constructive action, saying, “Stop telling us how bad our team is and start telling us what we can do to make things better.”
I’m done with this bullshit… Anyone who thinks that we can stop Trump from every terrible thing he wants to do has not read the constitution because there are just some powers granted to the executive branch that he will have until he’s gone. But if we want our team to exercise the most aggressive checks and balances against him possible, we have to demand it of them and thank them when they level up their game.
And we have to stop trashing them constantly and convincing swaths of people that agree with us on our objectives that they are just as bad as the corrupt, incompetent, and malevolent group of dunces and thugs that are terrorizing and sabotaging our country right now. On their worst fucking day, they are not in anyway as bad. We have to stop treating them like it, and we have to stop forwarding that message to other people inside the movement because it runs the risk of them staying home with their heads in the sand instead of voting and helping us with the daily work.
I love you guys, and I love being part of this community… Let’s help our bigger community understand the assignment better, and win our country back.
Exactly correct! If Minnesotans had listened to the influencers who peddle that doom and gloom, Bovino and his troops would have taken over the state by now. Thanks for articulating what I've been feeling. Onward!
Hi Steve - I agree 100%. We, the Dems, are doing good work at pushing back and minimizing damage and we will be in a much better position after the election. It's all hands on deck, 5 alarm fire time and that means we work together as a family to strongly oppose. All discussions about leadership positions and policy tweaks can be decided once we're in power again and have saved the damn country. Everything has to positive action right now - no naysayers. We can do this together. We are very lucky to have each other and Simon!
I agree with this when you’re talking about commenters… But I actually think the smart play with the influencers themselves is to leave a comment telling them that if they’re not also going to share positive action steps for how to defeat the authoritarian threat, we’re not interested in hearing Useless critiques about the only viable alternative we have in the political space. The comments are largely probably bots, but the influencers themselves are a form of “leaders“, and most certainly entrepreneurs who are trying to make money, so we can influence them back by letting them know that what they’re selling is not a compelling product to the consumer base. Those are just my thoughts, because if we just block everybody who’s criticizing the Democratic Party, then we are not engaging with a lot of people who are part of the coalition we need to win the bigger battle. It also helps keep that perspective in the debate for the people who are reading comments and not necessarily participating in them… This is a time for constructive action, not just doom speak.
Somewhat similar to this comment, I’ve noticed social media posters largely jumping ahead now to the presidential primary, when arguably we should focus on midterms. I suspect a lot of fake/foreign accounts are trying to direct people’s attention away from 2026 elections.
I agree and wrote something to a national resistance leader a few days ago along those lines. In his case, I think he's also very DC-focused as opposed to what pro-democracy activism looks like out in the states. His views of DC Dems (both criticism and support) are generally accurate and specific, but he then omits ever mentioning really impressive organizing in the states and never gives any credit for that to DNC leaders.
Exactly. And for me, this isn’t about a need for them to do a love fest for Democratic leadership or members of Congress… It’s more that if you’re gonna trash those guys, then encourage your followers to contact them and make them better. Don’t demobilize people with doom speak about the leaders that we are in bed with…instead, as an influencer of an audience, empower your them with action steps to put points on the board… To punch back against the Republican destruction and sabotage and improve the quality, ambition, and boldness of the Democrats. If you’re not doing that and instead you’re just spending all your time telling everyone how terrible what Trump is doing is, and how we’re fucked because we don’t have a strong enough Democratic Party to resist him, then I would label you something of a con artist. You’re monetizing people’s rage and hopelessness, and not actually interested in solving the problem. I don’t have any patience for that at this moment in time.
Great post, PianoMan. Agree. May I pop in here just to make one little helpful-I-hope suggestion to the universe as we fight for the cause. Just something that bugs me. Specifically, the body language of people sitting in the "back rows" of congressional oversight hearings and other such televised events. Not even sure who they are - other reps? Aides? The press? Most (when not on their phones or fidgeting) often/usually look completely uninterested with what's going on - if not bored to death. I'm so exasperated by this and think it has a deleterious effect on viewers. Just a thought. Thanks again.
Boy, do I like this comment. I've been writing postcards, writing to my reps, and on Saturday, I went to an Indivisible event where we all worked on making signs and origami butterflies with ICE OUT written on them. All of these creations will be used/displayed at NO KINGS III. Nobody trashed Democrats. Everybody was busy doing something, including building a little community and camaraderie. It was uplifting and fun. We'll do it again next Saturday too. We're in this together. We have no time to waste on naysayers. I'm off to write more postcards for Wisconsin.
To watch or not to watch the State of the Union address; that is the question.
I guess it will be a "game day" decision.
Continue to call TN repub 👹 in Sen & been calling my Dem Rep Cohen lately as well.
Attended a protest in support of Memphis immigrants before the City mayor gave his State of the City address. I stayed to hear it. The most striking thing was, he NEVER mentioned ICE, TN Guard, THP, TBI, immigrant abuses, disappearances, etc, or anything dealing with federal agencies now intertwined within Memphis at the invitation of the corrupt TN Gov. Crickets. I am dismayed at his omission and have emailed him about my feelings.
Writing postcards for Jerri Green for TN Governor! Keep pushing.....
Hi CC - I can barely stand to watch video of him, so I will wait to hear from you all and the podcast news people I follow! Prayers for Memphis if ICE is there. Minneapolis people have the blueprint for opposing. Be safe.
Jumping back in, just got NATO newsletter with this tidbit indicating US will:
-"lead all three theater component commands, newly taking up responsibility for Allied Maritime Command, and maintaining leadership of Allied Land Command and Allied Air Command."
-continue its commitment "to NATO command and control, including in maintaining the role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe."
I agree that he is failing but his bootlickers (Miller, Bannon) remain strong. Bondi and Noem seem to be imploding--perhaps because they're women and therefore more "expendable"? I don't know, but what I DO know is we can't let up for one second until all of them are gone.
One extremely frightening development that seems to be going largely under the radar is the purchase of huge warehouses to hold those snatched by ICE. This is how the last, monstrous stage begins. How long before someone decides that it's impossible to warehouse people; they're too expensive to feed, they want decent housing that's too costly, and their maintenance is eating into the profits of the Epstein Class. WE MUST FIND A FINAL SOLUTION.
It's coming if we don't stop it. People whose beloved family members went to the gas chambers aren't going to thank us for overturning the regime after everyone is dead. We have to stop this right now.
Can you discuss this, please? 1939-1945 is not ancient history, but it's being overlooked, intentionally I think.
Hello Karla: I understand your concern about the huge deportation centers, as I live in GA and we have 2 planned. Simon addressed these mass detention centers in several if not all of his posts last week. He has added to our "to do" list at the bottom of each of his posts that, when contacting our MoC, we include that they fight against these detention centers in addition to fighting against ICE being on our streets:
"Defend our democracy, rule of law, and our liberties adopting the Dem leadership’s ten point plan to rein in ICE; ending mass deportation and the expansion of the detention camps . . . . " Although not highlighted in my copy/paste, the phrase "expansion of detention camps" in his to do list is hyperlinked so you can click on it to see additional posts/information.
Hope this helps you find additional information and reassures you that these places are getting people's attention, although it always helps to continue to pressure our MoC. 🙂
Thank you so much for pointing this out. I am reading so many sources trying to keep up that I've taken to skimming many newsletters, promising myself "I'll read it carefully later." Obviously I don't. I'll add this to my list of concerns when I call. Thank you again, and Simon, I apologize for not reading your newsletters closely, especially as you work tirelessly to keep us informed.
No problem. 🙂 There is too much to keep up with! Personally speaking, following Simon, HCR, and Joyce White Vance daily is my limit-- I cannot handle much more inflow of news than these three brilliant individuals (all with their own angle) provide. I mainly wanted you to know that Simon is on top of it all! How he keeps up with everything is beyond me, but guessing it's his years of experience on what to focus on helps him. Have a great rest of your day.
Happy President's Day! I loved watching BTC's interview with Obama this weekend and then seeing the standing ovation that the Obamas got at the basketball game. I didn't always agree with him, but that was a real president.
I called my congressman and senators to discuss the ICE concentration camps, the need to always mention Trump's declining mental state, and how much we don't want Trump's ballrooms, arches, stadiums, etc.
Here's my two cents worth on the Pumpkin: We've talked about his hands, he's talked about passing the cognitive exams and get MRIs and can't tell you which part of his body and here's a strong possibility: He may be receiving anti-amyloid treatment, either Leqembi or Kisunla for Alzheimer's Disease. That's maybe why he's had several MRIs and why he may have had so many MoCa exams. Impulsivity, inability to follow a complete thought, vacant looks, change in posture... And Beth W is absolutely right: there is a strong infrastructure holding up the rot and profiting "bigly" from it. More for them and a whole lot less for us... Let's stay together people. Let's make a big tent for our PRODEMOCRACY coalition. Thanks, Simon, for that quote from Prez. Zelensky. He is so right. I've called my red senators and told them not to let the aggressor be rewarded.
Well, I can’t say that I’m very concerned that he’s going to give a compelling speech before a joint session of Congress that will start to turn the tide for him. I’ll be shocked to my bone marrow if he can stay on the Teleprompter for longer than 12 minutes, and I would take the over on the over under for him rambling for two hours rather than staying concise. What a fucking loser.
EVERYONE: DEMAND YOUR LAWMAKERS TO ABSTAIN FROM THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AND INSTEAD PLACE A PHOTO OF AN EPSTEIN VICTIM IN THEIR UNOCCUPIED SEAT. AND FOR US MORTALS, DO NOT TURN IT ON (KILL THE RATINGS) AND WAIT FOR SIMON’S COVERAGE. THOSE IS WAR TO SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL DEMOCRACY AND EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!!!
"The growing Republican freakout over the economic and political consequences of Trump’s mass deportation polices became so great this week that Mike Johnson, the Cowardly Speaker, had to bring a delegation of Members to the White House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I guess I'm wondering if all those feckless republicans watch is Faux News. How could they not know? I've watched them run away from town halls, go on 3-month vacations called by Maga Mike, not show up for votes then blame Democrats for the problems of our declining democracy. SERIOUSLY, they didn't know? They didn't see this coming? The wannabe dictator would save their political careers? They are all too stoooooopid to remain in office. Every last one of those SOBs must be tossed out on their sorry asses come the midterms. Just desserts for their cowardice.
Donald Trump’s leadership of the GOP is characterized by a demand for absolute compliance, fueled by a desire to keep subordinates in a state of perpetual intimidation. Observers frequently liken his behavior to that of an entitled adolescent—a "power grabber" who justifies his actions through a self-defined morality that threatens the nation's standing.
His escalating transgressions appear driven by a fear of exposure regarding a wide array of controversies, including:
The Epstein Scandal: Potential revelations regarding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and international human trafficking networks.
Global Instability: The rejection of NATO, the abandonment of Ukraine, and the imposition of damaging tariffs.
Civil Rights & Policy: Claims of election fraud, rejection of constitutional norms, and the implementation of authoritarian deportation and detention strategies.
Social Regression: Hostility toward science and education, alongside serious allegations of violent personal misconduct.
This pattern of behavior mirrors the clinical definition of Conduct Disorder (DSM-5), specifically through a persistent disregard for societal norms, the rights of others, and a reliance on deceit and aggression to maintain control.
Retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Retired Special Ed teacher here: I like how you looked through each area of Conduct Disorder and can see where the behaviors are exhibited by the various stressors he is facing. While I can see evidence of Conduct Disorder, this diagnosis is reserved for children and adolescents to describe how they interact with parents/authority figures, peers, and institutional rules/norms and is not generally applied to adults. Conduct Disorder is serious, and it can "evolve" into personality disorders (most likely antisocial personality disorder), but there needs to be much more research in that field to know if that is actually the case. He may very well have had undiagnosed Conduct Disorder as a child/adolescent. IMO, it is more likely that as an adult, he has had a long-standing personality disorder (narcissistic and/or antisocial) AND now has a co-morbidity of some form of dementia (there are many types).
When he first ran for president/during his 1st term, I viewed his behaviors as being consistent with Narcissistic Personality Disorder which is summarized as "a personality disorder characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for other people." But in this 2nd term, with there being no one in his administration to rein him in (to hide his worst impulses from the public as likely happened in 1st admin) and his decisions harming millions more people than were harmed in the 1st administration, it has become clearer that his behaviors are more consistent with Antisocial Personality Disorder: "a personality disorder characterized by persistent disregard of the rights of other people, failure to comply with laws and social customs, and irresponsible and reckless behavior." Antisocial PD looks a lot like Conduct Disorder. Personality disorders are, themselves, "fixed" and cannot be "cured." Accompanying depression and anxiety can be treated with medications and/or talk therapy, but, the very nature of both of those personality disorders almost always results in people with those disorders refusing treatment b/c they see the problems they face as being caused by others, and are literally unable to see their roles in the problems they face, and, thus, are unwilling/unable to change their behaviors.
Whatever the diagnoses actually is, we will likely never know the exact one (and it is doubtful even he knows for the above-stated reasons). But what we do know is that his pathology is very serious and dangerous and, unfortunately in this 2nd admin, he has surrounded himself with others who also seem quite pathological, most likely many with Antisocial Personality Disorders. It is why we must continue to do now everything we can to push back on his reckless agenda and to, ultimately, make him so ineffective that he will do much less damage until we can win the midterms in Congress and check him from that point forward.
Thank you for posting this. His pathology is something we should keep front and center as one of his main weaknesses. I hope there is future presidential candidate reform so that we can never again be lead by someone this toxic and dangerous. Perhaps we should require up front psychological assessments in addition to physical ones before candidates can apply to run for higher office.
Thanks Jayne M. your reply is well crafted. You are spot on about my background. I intentionally chose conduct disorder because DT is incredibly "adolescent like" in his thoughts, words and actions that may be subtly guided by Stephen Miller. Their relationship, as you well know, one exemplifying co-dependency. Ugh! And your suggestion about reforming "presidential character assessment" selection criteria borders on clairvoyance. Please send appropriate DC reps your outline of what MUST be included in the "intake interview" of our next candidate(s).
Our backgrounds!
I was thinking much the same thing. Donald Trump has always appeared to be stuck in a permanent state of adolescence.
His father was apparently very abusive, so that likely created much of the pathology he exhibits.
Great idea! Thankfully my 2 DEM Senators will listen to my suggestion. My House member, unfortunately, is a young man who already drank the kool-aid.
I'm glad to hear this stated so clearly. Your suggestion to include a psychological assessment of potential candidates is a good one. Thank you.
Thank you, Jayne - am thrilled to read this. I've heard of Antisocial Personality Disorder before but don't recall anything about "simple" Conduct Disorder. While Trump probably has both, Bondi and Noem must surely be fellow CD-afflictees (and with quite advanced cases, IMHO).
Conduct Disorder is generally reserved for Children and Adolescents, not adults. They may have each had Conduct Disorder in childhood, but we don't know enough about them to determine that.
I don't know as much about Noem's and Bondi's adult lives to consider what pathology they may have--unlike 47 who cannot keep thoughts to himself, and thus, has provided multiple opportunities over 11 years to observe his behavior, plus more is known about his family background. But in my mind, there has to be some pathology in people who willingly do bad things to curry favor with someone like 47. For these 2 administration officials it could be Personality Disorders or it could be other things.
Both ladies have both said and done disturbing things, but Bondi also said very supportive things about bringing justice to the Epstein victims as AG of FL years ago when the investigation first started, so who knows what is going on with her or what happened to her since then. In the hearing last week, I did find myself wondering during some of her more angry outbursts if she, too, is a victim of abuse. I wondered if the presence of some of the victims and the unexpected request to publicly apologize to them at the beginning of the testimony triggered something in her, causing her to avoid looking at or speaking to them and then for all that rage to spew forth. Yes, for much of that testimony, she was also performing for one person. But I wondered how much the Epstein investigation may have genuinely and unexpectedly triggered her own trauma. She seemed like she lost control of her reactions during that testimony. Doesn't mean I excuse her behavior, but just observing that she seemed really traumatized.
Thank you for this added information. Admittedly, I was being a little snarky in my original comment. Had been a little too "tickled" by the simple term "conduct disorder" which seemed, in a nutshell, to amply describe Bondi's over the top rudeness, lack of manners, name-calling, refusal to answer yes or no questions, and so on. It may very well be indicative of "something the matter," but it's shocking to watch given the non-private audience.
Thank you! Can you clarify whether antisocial personality disorder is the same as sociopathy?
Back in the late 1980's when I got my Masters in Social Work, the words were interchangeable. But the official term is Antisocial Personality Disorder whereas "sociopathy" is more of a layperson's term.
Great discussion! CD, NPD, APD. Now I have something to call it beside FUBAR.
It's one thing to say that DJT is in decline, "rot and failure..." but we also know that the machine behind him is strong and must be defeated. And the international trust will take so very much to re-build... but we go forward.
Need a pool for wagering on the time he takes for the State of the Union. Maybe over/under 2 hours? With maybe 1 hour riffing on "crimes committed by immigrants". He's going to give a real Maduro-type bloviation. A standing bloviation. Will he resort to props he can hold? Like stacks of documents? Photographs of brown people he can wave in the air?
I have been working at postcards for FT 6.
maybe all dems should just not attend the state of the union. since all lies anyway. take a stand: boycott.
Yes maybe. They need some kind of protest display. If it is related to the Epstein stuff, it should be respectful of the survivors. But something.
Or invite the survivors if they are brave enough to attend the speech.
Or laugh really hard at absolutely everything he says like it’s an SNL skit. I don’t think the orange leader likes to be laughed at.
Whatever Ds do, T**** will accuse them of treason or piracy or something and call for their executions.
Edit: I am going to bet on over two hours. He loves to talk, especially when there won’t be any questions. It is his big day of self-important self-congratulation.
I love the idea of laughing at him. That would really get under his skin.
I got a letter from my representative, Ami Bera, stating he is NOT attending the SOTU. And I won't be watching. I RSVP'd for the State of the Swamp livestream instead, it's free. Scroll down to the bottom to "Join the Livestream" and type in your e-mail to RSVP: https://www.defiance.org/sotu
done! thx for this!
I would rather watch paint dry than listen to anything Donald Trump has to say. I'll read about it. I will not watch or listen to this man lie and say stupid things.
What if he goes full-out Fidel Castro? Three or four hours or more? Not sure how long I can take it. Maybe muted but with subtitles? PS: Love "a standing bloviation!" Good one. :)
I’m not going to subject myself to it. Going full Castro would be good. Maybe he’ll show up in his pajamas. Maybe a shiny dictator chic track suit.
Now, that would be enough to make me watch!
we can always count on two things from trumpism: gross incompetence and overreach. deadly combo! we'll accept the wins!! wish we had a real president on president's day! missing Joe!
It ain’t just Politico reporting on the sour economy. The linked article from WSJ - the lead in my feed - is about resumption of price increases. I take no joy in people’s suffering, but whoever didn’t see this coming has some explaining to do.
https://www.wsj.com/business/price-increases-consumers-businesses-b70e4542?st=SXyLwZ&reflink=article_copyURL_share
Absolutely! All the horrors were predicted but largely ignored. People should be surprised by NONE of it--not the whiplash inconsistencies; not the lack of real policy chops; not the crazy late-night pronouncements working at cross-purposes with each other; not the violence; not the cruelty; not the lawlessness; not the capitulation of R "lawmakers;" not the huge tax breaks for people who don't need them at the expense of government help for those who do. NONE OF IT SHOULD BE A SURPRISE. ALL OF IT WAS PREDICTABLE AND PREDICTED.
And we know exactly what lies he'll be telling for hours at the State of the Union. Greatest economy in the history of the world! All countries respect us now! Fossil fuels for everyone! Secure borders! No crime! The guy has NO NEW TRICKS! Just the same old ones--like an over-the-hill comedian playing at a rinky dink Catskills bar.
The difference now is that we're on offense. We're winning. We just have to keep going and add to that momentum.
You nailed it. Thank you.,
Thank you! This is all great news, especially since the news re detention sites just keeps getting worse. Apparently in addition to the warehouse purchases, they have been trying to acquire existing/former correctional facilities as well bc they have infrastructure (i.e., bathrooms, segregated housing, etc.): https://projectsaltbox.substack.com/p/foia-documents-unmask-the-sites-of
I honestly don't know why this isn't a front page/lead story in MSM every single day.
And then there's the part about the thousands of children in detention, which is just so unspeakable I can't find the words to convey my outrage. But there's always a Dylan quote: "How many times can a man turn his head/And pretend that he just doesn't see?"
Leaving you with another great speech by Sen. Ossoff, who keeps hitting the right tone of both urgency and moral clarity: https://youtu.be/y9h2fiQ7_eE?si=tYP6hxFcFqUekQmw
And town hall w Gov. Moore: https://youtu.be/rA_Z0lE5SbY?si=wEESvWtQReN_I0iK
Make your calls, and keep going. We have a lot of work to do.
Yeah, the treatment of children in detention centers is just next level cruelty. They are so clearly using poor conditions for children as a way to get parents to self deport.
I was trying to follow up on a Bluesky post I saw about DHS overpaying for a warehouse in Georgia, which was owned at least in part by a Russian oligarch. Ran across this article from a local newspaper in Georgia, describing how one town essentially dodged a bullet. The article really highlights the potential backlash these human warehouses are going to have in red areas. https://www.morgancountycitizen.com/news/this-could-have-been-us/article_be587ac8-6b77-4be2-ace3-ea96326954e7.html
[Added quote if paywalled for you]
"The people of Social Circle are in an uproar over a PNK warehouse located inside the city limits recently purchased by the federal government for more than $128 million that is set to be converted into a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment facility that could potentially hold up to 10,000 people at a time. But it was only a few years ago that PNK, a Russian-based company, was courting Madison to build an even larger distribution warehouse center that city officials voted down.
“Madison could have just as easily been in the position Social Circle is in today. And we certainly came close,” said Madison Mayor Fred Perriman, who noted PNK hoped Madison would approve the necessary zoning changes to accommodate a 2.3-million-square-foot distribution center that is nearly twice the size of the warehouse PNK built in Social Circle that will now serve as a controversial ICE detainment facility. Social Circle officials were blindsided by the sale and the ICE detention facility is moving forward despite public backlash and without the feds seeking any input from local Social Circle or Walton County officials."
Sen. Ossoff's speech was out of the park awesome!!
Which Governors are actively fighting the current and proposed concentration camps in their states? California? Illinois? How are they doing it? What is the model/template?
Good question. There have been protests galore in Roxbury NJ, which was mentioned on Maddow last Monday. But we already have one of the largest, which had already existed - under previous Dem governor. It's where Rep. McIver was assaulted and Mayor Baraka got arrested.
Good question! Of everything going on, hauling people into detention centers, claiming they are “the worst of the worst” and the sending them —where??—with no due process—is beyond comprehension. What is being done? What can We the People do to stop this travesty?
I'm not sure what the governor is doing vs the state legislature, but look at New Mexico. Especially impressive since they are a border state.
You can follow the creation and reaction to the human warehouses on Project Salt Box:
https://projectsaltbox.substack.com
Hello friends, I’m reposting my comment from yesterday because I posted late in the day, but these are thoughts that are still very much on my mind and I think the most important thing I have to share right now. Love and respect to you all…..
Hello friends. Ordinarily, I am not someone who writes anything too fiery here. But I just saw something that pissed me off, and it’s not here at Hopium… So please understand I’m not directing this at anyone in particular here.
But I just think it’s time for all of us to start being a little bit wary of “influencers” in our movement who would rather tell us how terrible the Democrats are than give us constructive ideas to mobilize around our shared agenda to beat back the authoritarian threat.
I just read a BlueSky post by someone I’m going to leave unnamed, but it essentially said that, “I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I think the Democrats are greatly over valuing holding majorities in the Congress. Trump will simply veto all their bills, appoint acting officials for all the agencies and judicial openings, and ignore all subpoenas. The only value and holding the majority in Congress is the bully pulpit, and they suck at it.”
You know what guys, I’ve been plenty pissed off and disappointed at Democrats that I thought were slow in comprehension and tone deaf in their response over the last year… But Goddammit, this is the team that is available to us to beat this threat to our Republic back.
And also, it is time for us to remember that WE are the Democratic Party! It’s not some nebulous secret council of ghosts … It’s us. It’s not Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jefferies, they are just members of it like we are… So if we want them to be better, we have to be better.
That’s what I love about this community… Every day, thousands of us are getting on the phone and calling our representatives at every level and telling them what we expect of them. And anyone who thinks we haven’t made a difference in the political center of gravity within the Democratic Party at the local, state, AND federal level, is completely full of shit.
Newsflash, Congress is ALWAYS the last domino to tip, never the first. We on the ground will always be ahead of them, and it is our job to drag them to us. We are the Democratic Party… Every day, we should all look in the mirror and say “We are the Democratic Party.”
So I am advocating for another daily action step on our part… In addition to telling our leaders what we expect of them and continuing to pull them closer to the fight we need them to be engaged in, we should also start posting comments anytime we encounter an influencer who is more interested in trashing the Democratic party than they are in mobilizing and organizing their followers within our movement toward constructive action, saying, “Stop telling us how bad our team is and start telling us what we can do to make things better.”
I’m done with this bullshit… Anyone who thinks that we can stop Trump from every terrible thing he wants to do has not read the constitution because there are just some powers granted to the executive branch that he will have until he’s gone. But if we want our team to exercise the most aggressive checks and balances against him possible, we have to demand it of them and thank them when they level up their game.
And we have to stop trashing them constantly and convincing swaths of people that agree with us on our objectives that they are just as bad as the corrupt, incompetent, and malevolent group of dunces and thugs that are terrorizing and sabotaging our country right now. On their worst fucking day, they are not in anyway as bad. We have to stop treating them like it, and we have to stop forwarding that message to other people inside the movement because it runs the risk of them staying home with their heads in the sand instead of voting and helping us with the daily work.
I love you guys, and I love being part of this community… Let’s help our bigger community understand the assignment better, and win our country back.
❤️🩹🇺🇸
Exactly correct! If Minnesotans had listened to the influencers who peddle that doom and gloom, Bovino and his troops would have taken over the state by now. Thanks for articulating what I've been feeling. Onward!
Hi Steve - I agree 100%. We, the Dems, are doing good work at pushing back and minimizing damage and we will be in a much better position after the election. It's all hands on deck, 5 alarm fire time and that means we work together as a family to strongly oppose. All discussions about leadership positions and policy tweaks can be decided once we're in power again and have saved the damn country. Everything has to positive action right now - no naysayers. We can do this together. We are very lucky to have each other and Simon!
Block those guys
I agree with this when you’re talking about commenters… But I actually think the smart play with the influencers themselves is to leave a comment telling them that if they’re not also going to share positive action steps for how to defeat the authoritarian threat, we’re not interested in hearing Useless critiques about the only viable alternative we have in the political space. The comments are largely probably bots, but the influencers themselves are a form of “leaders“, and most certainly entrepreneurs who are trying to make money, so we can influence them back by letting them know that what they’re selling is not a compelling product to the consumer base. Those are just my thoughts, because if we just block everybody who’s criticizing the Democratic Party, then we are not engaging with a lot of people who are part of the coalition we need to win the bigger battle. It also helps keep that perspective in the debate for the people who are reading comments and not necessarily participating in them… This is a time for constructive action, not just doom speak.
Somewhat similar to this comment, I’ve noticed social media posters largely jumping ahead now to the presidential primary, when arguably we should focus on midterms. I suspect a lot of fake/foreign accounts are trying to direct people’s attention away from 2026 elections.
I agree and wrote something to a national resistance leader a few days ago along those lines. In his case, I think he's also very DC-focused as opposed to what pro-democracy activism looks like out in the states. His views of DC Dems (both criticism and support) are generally accurate and specific, but he then omits ever mentioning really impressive organizing in the states and never gives any credit for that to DNC leaders.
Exactly. And for me, this isn’t about a need for them to do a love fest for Democratic leadership or members of Congress… It’s more that if you’re gonna trash those guys, then encourage your followers to contact them and make them better. Don’t demobilize people with doom speak about the leaders that we are in bed with…instead, as an influencer of an audience, empower your them with action steps to put points on the board… To punch back against the Republican destruction and sabotage and improve the quality, ambition, and boldness of the Democrats. If you’re not doing that and instead you’re just spending all your time telling everyone how terrible what Trump is doing is, and how we’re fucked because we don’t have a strong enough Democratic Party to resist him, then I would label you something of a con artist. You’re monetizing people’s rage and hopelessness, and not actually interested in solving the problem. I don’t have any patience for that at this moment in time.
Great post, PianoMan. Agree. May I pop in here just to make one little helpful-I-hope suggestion to the universe as we fight for the cause. Just something that bugs me. Specifically, the body language of people sitting in the "back rows" of congressional oversight hearings and other such televised events. Not even sure who they are - other reps? Aides? The press? Most (when not on their phones or fidgeting) often/usually look completely uninterested with what's going on - if not bored to death. I'm so exasperated by this and think it has a deleterious effect on viewers. Just a thought. Thanks again.
Boy, do I like this comment. I've been writing postcards, writing to my reps, and on Saturday, I went to an Indivisible event where we all worked on making signs and origami butterflies with ICE OUT written on them. All of these creations will be used/displayed at NO KINGS III. Nobody trashed Democrats. Everybody was busy doing something, including building a little community and camaraderie. It was uplifting and fun. We'll do it again next Saturday too. We're in this together. We have no time to waste on naysayers. I'm off to write more postcards for Wisconsin.
Love it Susan….you rock!
🙏
To watch or not to watch the State of the Union address; that is the question.
I guess it will be a "game day" decision.
Continue to call TN repub 👹 in Sen & been calling my Dem Rep Cohen lately as well.
Attended a protest in support of Memphis immigrants before the City mayor gave his State of the City address. I stayed to hear it. The most striking thing was, he NEVER mentioned ICE, TN Guard, THP, TBI, immigrant abuses, disappearances, etc, or anything dealing with federal agencies now intertwined within Memphis at the invitation of the corrupt TN Gov. Crickets. I am dismayed at his omission and have emailed him about my feelings.
Writing postcards for Jerri Green for TN Governor! Keep pushing.....
Hi CC - I can barely stand to watch video of him, so I will wait to hear from you all and the podcast news people I follow! Prayers for Memphis if ICE is there. Minneapolis people have the blueprint for opposing. Be safe.
Jumping back in, just got NATO newsletter with this tidbit indicating US will:
-"lead all three theater component commands, newly taking up responsibility for Allied Maritime Command, and maintaining leadership of Allied Land Command and Allied Air Command."
-continue its commitment "to NATO command and control, including in maintaining the role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe."
We'll see, won't we?
https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2026/02/06/european-allies-to-take-on-new-leadership-roles-in-natos-command-structure
I agree that he is failing but his bootlickers (Miller, Bannon) remain strong. Bondi and Noem seem to be imploding--perhaps because they're women and therefore more "expendable"? I don't know, but what I DO know is we can't let up for one second until all of them are gone.
One extremely frightening development that seems to be going largely under the radar is the purchase of huge warehouses to hold those snatched by ICE. This is how the last, monstrous stage begins. How long before someone decides that it's impossible to warehouse people; they're too expensive to feed, they want decent housing that's too costly, and their maintenance is eating into the profits of the Epstein Class. WE MUST FIND A FINAL SOLUTION.
It's coming if we don't stop it. People whose beloved family members went to the gas chambers aren't going to thank us for overturning the regime after everyone is dead. We have to stop this right now.
Can you discuss this, please? 1939-1945 is not ancient history, but it's being overlooked, intentionally I think.
Hello Karla: I understand your concern about the huge deportation centers, as I live in GA and we have 2 planned. Simon addressed these mass detention centers in several if not all of his posts last week. He has added to our "to do" list at the bottom of each of his posts that, when contacting our MoC, we include that they fight against these detention centers in addition to fighting against ICE being on our streets:
"Defend our democracy, rule of law, and our liberties adopting the Dem leadership’s ten point plan to rein in ICE; ending mass deportation and the expansion of the detention camps . . . . " Although not highlighted in my copy/paste, the phrase "expansion of detention camps" in his to do list is hyperlinked so you can click on it to see additional posts/information.
Hope this helps you find additional information and reassures you that these places are getting people's attention, although it always helps to continue to pressure our MoC. 🙂
Thank you so much for pointing this out. I am reading so many sources trying to keep up that I've taken to skimming many newsletters, promising myself "I'll read it carefully later." Obviously I don't. I'll add this to my list of concerns when I call. Thank you again, and Simon, I apologize for not reading your newsletters closely, especially as you work tirelessly to keep us informed.
No problem. 🙂 There is too much to keep up with! Personally speaking, following Simon, HCR, and Joyce White Vance daily is my limit-- I cannot handle much more inflow of news than these three brilliant individuals (all with their own angle) provide. I mainly wanted you to know that Simon is on top of it all! How he keeps up with everything is beyond me, but guessing it's his years of experience on what to focus on helps him. Have a great rest of your day.
Happy President's Day! I loved watching BTC's interview with Obama this weekend and then seeing the standing ovation that the Obamas got at the basketball game. I didn't always agree with him, but that was a real president.
I called my congressman and senators to discuss the ICE concentration camps, the need to always mention Trump's declining mental state, and how much we don't want Trump's ballrooms, arches, stadiums, etc.
Here's my two cents worth on the Pumpkin: We've talked about his hands, he's talked about passing the cognitive exams and get MRIs and can't tell you which part of his body and here's a strong possibility: He may be receiving anti-amyloid treatment, either Leqembi or Kisunla for Alzheimer's Disease. That's maybe why he's had several MRIs and why he may have had so many MoCa exams. Impulsivity, inability to follow a complete thought, vacant looks, change in posture... And Beth W is absolutely right: there is a strong infrastructure holding up the rot and profiting "bigly" from it. More for them and a whole lot less for us... Let's stay together people. Let's make a big tent for our PRODEMOCRACY coalition. Thanks, Simon, for that quote from Prez. Zelensky. He is so right. I've called my red senators and told them not to let the aggressor be rewarded.
Well, I can’t say that I’m very concerned that he’s going to give a compelling speech before a joint session of Congress that will start to turn the tide for him. I’ll be shocked to my bone marrow if he can stay on the Teleprompter for longer than 12 minutes, and I would take the over on the over under for him rambling for two hours rather than staying concise. What a fucking loser.
EVERYONE: DEMAND YOUR LAWMAKERS TO ABSTAIN FROM THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AND INSTEAD PLACE A PHOTO OF AN EPSTEIN VICTIM IN THEIR UNOCCUPIED SEAT. AND FOR US MORTALS, DO NOT TURN IT ON (KILL THE RATINGS) AND WAIT FOR SIMON’S COVERAGE. THOSE IS WAR TO SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL DEMOCRACY AND EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!!!
"The growing Republican freakout over the economic and political consequences of Trump’s mass deportation polices became so great this week that Mike Johnson, the Cowardly Speaker, had to bring a delegation of Members to the White House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I guess I'm wondering if all those feckless republicans watch is Faux News. How could they not know? I've watched them run away from town halls, go on 3-month vacations called by Maga Mike, not show up for votes then blame Democrats for the problems of our declining democracy. SERIOUSLY, they didn't know? They didn't see this coming? The wannabe dictator would save their political careers? They are all too stoooooopid to remain in office. Every last one of those SOBs must be tossed out on their sorry asses come the midterms. Just desserts for their cowardice.