Understanding Trump
behaviors and implications
(updates added at the end)
I just finished viewing two of Michael Wolff podcasts, Inside Trump’s Head. Wolff has written two books about Trump, mostly critical. He is no fan of Trump. Despite this, Trump sometimes calls Wolff on the phone, an apparent attempt to influence him while pretending to be a friend. Wolff’s observations about Trump are based on his own experience with Trump, and those of others who were willing to discuss their experiences. Wolff details Trump’s behavior, without asking why Trump behaves as he does. I have listed below a summary of Wolff’s observations (or my understanding of them). Following this, I speculate about what lies behind Trump’s behavior. I think this is actually quite clear, even for an amateur like myself.
Some of Wolff’s observations
Trump spends most time on the phone. He needs to always be in contact with someone.
Before he became President, Trump had a habit of calling journalists, saying that he is John Barron (fictitious). These were fishing expeditions to solicit opinions about Trump, or to spread favorable information about Trump. “John Barron” became a joke among NYC journalists.
Trump sometimes called journalists to complain that their reports contain nothing about Trump, or were garbage because no one had asked Trump.
Journalists in NYC thought Trump was a joke and did not want to talk to him or write about him.
Trump never reads documents. He wants all information orally.
On the phone, others never get a word in edgewise. The receivers of this calls are sometimes flooded with incoherent information. They may have a hard time understanding why he called or what he wanted from them.
Trump uses the phone for human connection, but there is no human connection in the form of two-way communications. It is all one-way.
Trump calls A to criticize B, and then asks for confirmation that B is indeed bad.
Trump calls to float ideas and solicit confirmation. He does not ask for opinions or advice.
Trump’s staff are mainly servants to execute his wishes. Trump’s real advisors are the people he calls. In his calls, he criticizes his staff and solicits confirmation.
In general, Trump talks to inform others of his opinions. He expects and only accepts confirmation.
Call chain: Trump calls X, X calls Epstein, Epstein calls Wolff.
Trump calls people all the time: politicians, business friends, journalists.
Trump is 100% in transmit mode, never in receive mode. Much random incoherence.
Trump staffers delete persons from his cell phone they don’t want him calling.
Trump staffers routinely confirm Trump’s assertions even though they do not believe them. They confirm his delusions about winning the 2020 election, even though they do not believe this. Contesting this is self-destructive.
Trump sees the world as those who are on his side and those who are not. The latter are enemies. Trump is obsessed with destroying his enemies. He will take enormous risks to damage them, such as fully made-up lies and absurd insults. His personal status equates to how well he can destroy his enemies.
A scene from the Melania movie: the time is shortly after election 2024. Trump’s win has just been certified. Melania takes a call from Trump, who asks if she is watching the news about his victory. She answers that she will watch later. This scene is also in the trailer. Message to the world: Melania is separate from Donald, and has little interest in Donald.
My observations
Trump often says something in public that reflects very badly on himself. The most famous example: fallen soldiers are losers that should be forgotten. The most recent example: telling the Norwegian prime minister that he no longer feels obligated to work for peace, because he did not get the Nobel Peace Prize. How can Trump be so stupid? He must not understand normal human values, because he cannot see the damage he does to his own reputation. Apparently he cannot imagine how others perceive his shameful attitudes. Trump’s constant self-glorification for imagined triumphs looks ridiculous, but he apparently cannot see this. How about Trump’s devoted MAGA fans? I guess they also do not see this, out of stupidity or blind loyalty. And Trump’s political allies? Most of them surely understand how sick Trump is, but they live in fear of retribution, or they play along because they get something for themselves. The morbidly rich surely love Trump’s tax and regulation policies.
Explaining Trump
What could be the root of Trump’s behavior? My take: Trump has a desperate need to be loved and respected by the elites of his world. He is like a small child trying to impress his mother: “look at me, Mamma, look at me!”. Trump’s speech is one “look at me” after another. Why is he like this? I think it is because his parents treated him like dogshit when he was very young. The pain and the insecurity must be enormous. Trump is actually quite ignorant, and has never won the respect he wants from his intellectual betters. He constantly strives to prove that he is really one of the best and brightest, while (in his gut) fearing the opposite. This is a live or die issue with him. He teeters on the edge of feeling strong and triumphant or feeling like dogshit. This makes him very dangerous: he might try anything to prove his greatness. Up to now it has been silly acts like naming organizations and buildings after himself, or the new Trump Class battleship, or putting his portrait on every possible wall. This may not be enough - more extreme and dangerous actions could be forthcoming as Trump continues to lose popular and political support.
Update March 26: In his podcast from today, Michael Wolff gave a similar assessment to the one above (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e86jT8Wc8Rg).
Trump fears he is not very smart and, in defense, constantly claims the opposite.
Trump fears that others recognize this.
Wolff spent weeks in the White House trying to discover the logic behind the apparent chaos, looking for the hidden strategies. Sam Nunberg (long time Trump associate) finally gave him the key: “he’s an idiot”. Big aha! moment.
Trump never reads written material. He may have a limited reading ability.
Steve Bannon: Trump is an idiot with useful instincts.
Trump was a bad student, reacted with anger and rejection. He hates learning.
Jeffrey Epstein: Trump is illiterate and innumerate.
Warton business school transcripts remain hidden under threats of lawsuit.
Trump’s secret appeal: he hates the elites, and so do most people. Vote getter.
Trump has always been like he is - not clearly a recent mental decline.
Update March 27: Trump made a speech in which he said:
«It’s a good thing to have a lot of losers. I always like to hang around with losers, because it makes me feel better. I hate guys that are very, very successful, and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success.» (link)
This is another demonstration of how Trump damages himself because (a) he shows what a monster he is, and (b) he has no idea how normal people think and does not understand how they will react (e.g. damaging press stories like the one linked here).