Russia’s Tzar Ivan III, known as Ivan the Terrible, was renown for torturing and murdering his rivals, to include his own son whom he had killed in prison. He refurbished Moscow’s Kremlin with gold and ornamentation to commemorate himself. Although Ivan was obsessed with establishing absolute control and deifying himself, he is now remembered as one of the most reviled Tzars to ever head the Russian Empire.
Louis the XIV called himself “Louis the Great” and the “Sun King.” He spent the equivalent of $30-60 billion in modern-day funds to build a gilded Versailles Palace as a tribute to himself and his “divine appointment.” Yet only 80 years later, his descendant Louis XVI was beheaded during the French Revolution.
Napoleon built the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, a victory arch commemorating his supremacy in battle. He commissioned dozens of portraits and busts of himself as emperor. Napolean’s narcissism is legendary. Despite his claims of infallibility, he later lost the wars he started and died in captivity.
Historians generally agree that famous narcissists include the above mentioned and dictators Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Caligula, Muammar Gaddafi and Nero. Not a friendly crowd.
History shows us that narcissistic rulers prioritize resources on themselves, attempt to rewrite history by supplanting the names of their predecessors, commission self-promoting monuments and art, mercilessly attack and defame anyone challenging their authority, seek constant adoration from others, blame others for their errors in judgement, and proclaim themselves supreme.
Narcissists ignore sound advice. They claim they know more about everything than anyone in including the “experts” and “the generals.” Rather than accept responsibility, they often blame immigrants, ethnic groups, and the political opposition for errors they have made.
The National Institute of Health’s “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” 5th Edition, defines someone with a narcissistic personality as consistently exhibiting at least five of the following manifestations: grandiose delusion; obsession with self-brilliance; belief in singular uniqueness; need for extreme admiration; extreme sense of entitlement; exploits/degrades others; significant empathy deficit.
Even though these traits might describe Trump, I understand that those who consider Trump as our national savior, sent from on high to rescue us, believe Trump can do no wrong.
But we the taxpayers nevertheless are footing the billions for Trump’s follies and self-aggrandizement such as his unauthorized war with Iran, unlawful tariffs and pet vanity projects.
This April, the Trump administration awarded “an emergency no-bid contract” to refurbish the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to well-known Trump donor and convicted felon “Fat John” Cafaro’s company to install the “high-tech” filtration system to keep the pool crystal clear. Cafaro’s largest single political contribution to benefit Trump was a $250,000 donation to Trump Victory in June of 2020.
Are you surprised that Trump’s administration selected a donor to win this massive $1.7 million no-bid contract?
As the D.C. reflecting pool project was underway, Trump said, “I know a pool guy … I watched him. He worked so fast. They’re really professional.” Clearly Trump knows this contractor.
When asked about the durability of the pool lining, on May 4 Trump pronounced, “It will last for 50, maybe a hundred years … It’s very strong. … If you had a knife, you can’t even cut it, so strong, so powerful.”
Within two weeks after completion, dramatic globs of algae predictably appeared as the pool waters transformed to a murky deep green hue. Cafaro’s company filter was ineffective. Soon chunks of liner floated to the surface of the algae-infested pool.
MS Now reports that on June 22 Trump posted on Truth Social that he doesn’t know the contractor. “Also, I didn’t give out the contract. Interior did — to a contractor I did not know and have never used before.”
Trump claims this pool lining, “so strong, so powerful,” was victim of a “gash” or “numerous slashes” and the algae was due to “fertilizers.”
What nonsense.
Would a narcissist make ridiculous claims and lash out at others for his own decisions? Of course. Would a narcissist accept responsibility for any error in judgement? Never.
While you can decide for yourself if Trump exhibits narcissistic traits, those who continue to empower him and his lavish taxpayer-funded sprees and catastrophic policies induce a bad reflection on this nation and on us all.
Jonathan Kraut directs a private investigations agency, is the CEO of a private security firm, is the CFO of an accredited acting conservatory, is a former college professor and dean, is a published author, and is a Democratic Party activist. His column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of The Signal or of other organizations.
