Prologue, by Judith Lewis Herman, M.D., and Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div.
"A man can be both evil and mentally compromised - which is a more frightening proposition. Power not only corrupts but also magnifies existing psychopathologies, even as it creates new ones. Fostered by the flattery of underlings and the chants of crowds, a political leader's grandiosity may morph into grotesque delusions of grandeur. Sociopathic traits may be amplified as the leader discovers that he can violate the norms of civil society and even commit crimes with impunity. And the leader who rules through fear, lies, and betrayal may become increasingly isolated and paranoid, as the loyalty of even his closest confidants must forever be suspect." (p. 7)
Introduction: Our Duty to Warn, by Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div.
"Possibly the oddest experience in my career as a psychiatrist has been to find that the only people not allowed to speak about an issue are those who know the most about it. Hence, truth is suppressed. Yet, what if that truth, furthermore, harbored dangers of such magnitude that it could be the key to future human survival?" (p. 11)
Unbridled and Extreme Present Hedonism, by Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., and Rosemary Sword
"In Donald Trump, we have a frightening Venn diagram consisting of three circles: the first is extreme present hedonism; the second, narcissism; and the third, bullying behavior. These three circles overlap in the middle to create an impulsive, immature, incompetent person who, when in the position of ultimate power, easily slides into the role of tyrant, complete with family members sitting at his proverbial 'ruling table.' Like a fledgling dictator, he plants psychological seeds of treachery in sections of our populace that reinforce already negative attitudes." (p. 44)
Pathological Narcissism and Politics, by Craig Malkin, Ph.D.
"When it comes to the question of whether or not someone who's mentally ill can function, danger is the key - to self or others. This is where pathological narcissism and politics can indeed become a toxic, even lethal mix. When peace at home and abroad are at stake - not just the feelings of coworkers, friends, or partners - pathological narcissism unchecked could lead to World War III." (p. 60)
I Wrote the Art of the Deal with Donald Trump: His Self-Sabotage is Rooted in his Past, by Tony Schwartz
"Trump can devolve into survival mode on a moment's notice. Look no further than the thousands of tweets he has written attacking his personal enemies over the past year. In neurochemical terms, when he feels threatened or thwarted, Trump moves into a fight-or-flight state. His amygdala is triggered, his hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activates, and his prefontal cortex - the part of the brain that makes us capable of rationality and reflection - shuts down. He reacts rather than reflects, and damn the consequences. This is what makes his access to the nuclear codes so dangerous and frightening." (p. 72-3)
Trump's Trust Deficit is the Core Problem, Gail Sheehy, Ph.D.
"The narcissism and paranoia are issues, but the bigger concern is that Donald Trump trusts no one. This will be his downfall - maybe ours." (p. 75) "Beneath the grandiose behavior of every narcissist lies the pit of fragile self-esteem. What if, deep down, the person whom Trump trusts least is himself? The humiliation of being widely exposed as a 'loser,' unable to bully through the actions he promised during the campaign, could drive him to prove he is, after all, a 'killer.' In only the first four months of his presidency, he teed up for starting a war in three places, Syria, Afghanistan, and North Korea. It is up to Congress, backed by the public, to restrain him." (p. 81)
Sociopathy, Lance Dodes, M.D.
"Donald Trump's speech and behavior show that he has severe sociopathic traits. The significance of this cannot be overstated. While there have surely been American presidents who could be said to be narcissistic, none have shown sociopathic qualities to the degree seen in Mr. Trump. Correspondingly, none have been so definitively and so obviously dangerous. Democracy requires respect and protection for multiple points of view, concepts that are incompatible with sociopathy. The need to be seen as superior, when coupled with lack of empathy or remorse for harming other people, are in fact the signature characteristics of tyrants, who seek the control and destruction of all who oppose them, as well as loyalty to themselves instead of to the country they lead. " Mr. Trump's sociopathic characteristics are undeniable. They create a profound danger for America's democracy and safety. Over time these characteristics will only become worse, either because Mr. Trump will succeed in gaining more power and more grandiosity with less grasp on reality, or because he will engender more criticism producing more paranoia, more lies, and more enraged destruction." (p. 91-2)
Donald Trump Is: a) Bad b) Mad, c) All of the Above, by John D. Gartner, Ph.D.
"Let's put these two moving parts together, bad and mad. Trump is a profoundly evil man exhibiting malignant narcissism. His worsening hypomania is making him increasingly more irrational, grandiose, paranoid, aggressive, irritable, and impulsive. Trump is bad, mad, and getting worse. He evinces the most destructive and dangerous collection of psychiatric symptoms possible for a leader. The worst-case scenario is now our reality." (p. 107)
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