The Man with ‘Dark Triad’ Traits
And the millions of mindless minions who adore and follow him.
The term “Dark Triad” refers to a trio of negative personality traits that share some malevolent features — psychopathy (lacking empathy and remorse), narcissism (excessive self-regard, heightened arrogance, and feelings of entitlement), and Machiavellianism (manipulativeness and exploitation of others to achieve personal gains). The term was coined by researchers Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002.
People with these ‘Dark Triad’ traits are willing to do or say anything to get their way — including operating their continuous ‘lie’ machine. They can be manipulative and callous. They have an overblown opinion of themselves and are typically shameless about self-promotion.
These individuals are prone to being impulsive, antagonistic, and willing to engage in treacherous behavior — sometimes even committing crimes — without concern for how their actions affect or harm others.
Most researchers consider psychopathy to be the “darkest” of the Dark Triad, in so far as psychopaths generally cause more harm to individuals and society than do Machiavellians or narcissists.
Researchers have recently begun to theorize that a single primary factor — labeled as “D” (dark factor personality) — may underlie many negative traits. This would include those in the Dark Triad. The letter “D” denotes a tendency to maximize one’s own desires at the expense of other people’s.
Having said all this about ‘Dark Triad’ individuals, you can probably guess who comes to mind.
The Republican machine was primed and waiting for someone like Trump.
So, how was a narcissistic TV reality star — who bragged about the size of his penis, made no mystery about his bigotry or sexism, and called himself a genius while retweeting conspiracy theories — able to ascend to the Presidency in 2016?
Political parties have traditionally paid a steep price for nominating extreme and/or eccentric candidates. So, before voting in 2016, how did nearly 63 million Americans look at this buffoon’s actions both on and off the ‘political’ court and think, “This is a man I can trust with nuclear weapons”?
Trump’s deception could only have worked in an environment where his party of choice (he was never really a Republican) would cave to him completely. In truth, the GOP began sliding down a rathole of race-baiting and anti-democratic behavior long ago. Click here for my articles regarding the ‘De-Evolution of the GOP.’
In 2016 and again in 2020, Republican voters looked past Trump’s ‘Dark Triad’ personality. In 2016, for example, Trump became President partly because of his blatant bigotry against Mexicans and Muslims. And in 2020, Republicans again flocked to vote for Trump, still clueless about the darkness within his small brain.
Trump seems to possess a power over his minions that stacks up against any leader in American history. It’s like Elvis Presley and Taylor Swift wrapped up into one — and then put on steroids.
It seems the Republican machine had been primed and was waiting for someone like Trump. By 2020, after four years of his erratic and indefensible conduct, he had expanded his darkness and pushed the far-right-leaning Republicans into ever-more cult-like behavior. Principles had been laid aside one after another in service to Trump’s power over his minions. A power that continues to this day.
Some recent rants from the Man-child
For the Holiday Season 2023, most spiritual, political, and national leaders worldwide offered peace messages while stressing the Christmas spirit’s virtues.
For example, President Joe Biden shared this Christmas message to America on social media: “This Christmas Eve, my wish for you and your family is that you take a few moments of quiet reflection and find that stillness that’s at the center of the Christmas story. May you find peace in this silent night. And warmth from those surrounding you.”
The man-child Trump had a different holiday message. The ex-POTUS spewed a torrent of fury and bitterness — mostly over his legal troubles as he is facing four criminal indictments. His attacks, posted on his social media site, Truth Social, occurred on Christmas Eve and throughout Christmas Day.
The postings offered a preview of the discord and personal obsessions Trump will attempt to inflict on America this upcoming election year, 2024.
As usual, these tirades by Trump demonstrated a demented state of mind and extreme denialism — and should once again raise profound concerns about his temperament and suitability to serve another term as POTUS.
In his ‘ALL CAP’ post on Christmas Eve, Trump displayed a mixture of anger and self-pity while making multiple questionable or false claims:
“THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, LIED TO CONGRESS, CHEATED ON FISA, RIGGED A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ALLOWED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, MANY FROM PRISONS & MENTAL INSTITUTIONS, TO INVADE OUR COUNTRY, SCREWED UP IN AFGHANISTAN, & JOE BIDEN’S MISFITS & THUGS, LIKE DERANGED JACK SMITH, ARE COMING AFTER ME, AT LEVELS OF PERSECUTION NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN OUR COUNTRY??? IT’S CALLED ELECTION INTERFERENCE. MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
Trump’s mood barely improved early on Christmas Day as he posted:
“It’s hard to have a truly great Christmas when you have a Crooked and Incompetent President who wants to put his Political Opponent in jail, and who has been working hard (for a change!), illegally using all of the levers of Law Enforcement, to do so. We are in the fight of our lives to save our Country from MADNESS & DOOM. MAGA 2024!!!”
In another Trump post:
“2024 WILL GO DOWN AS THE YEAR OF GREAT AND FULLY COORDINATED ILLEGAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE BY CROOKED JOE BIDEN, THE WORST AND MOST CORRUPT PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, THE DOJ, FBI, A.G.’s, & D.A.’s THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.”
And in yet another Trump post on Christmas Day:
“Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden’s ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA.”
And finally, Trump wrapped up Christmas Day with:
“Included also are World Leaders, both good and bad, but none of which are as evil and ‘sick’ as the THUGS we have inside our Country who, with their Open Borders, INFLATION, Afghanistan Surrender, Green New Scam, High Taxes, No Energy Independence, Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, are looking to destroy our once great USA. MAY THEY ROT IN HELL. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
And before signing off, Trump rallied his clueless supporters with:
“BUT DESPITE IT ALL, IN THE END, THERE WILL BE A BIG AND GLORIOUS VICTORY FOR THOSE BRAVE AND VALIANT PATRIOTS WHO WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!”
Trump’s Mindless Minions
Amazingly, millions of Americans — the mindless millions — are likely to vote for Trump in the upcoming presidential primaries. Tens of millions more minions are likely to support Trump if he ends up as the Republican nominee for another run at POTUS.
Such continued loyalty to the man-child shows that his minions were not and are not disturbed in any way by his dark behavior or his increasing extremism.
It would seem Trump’s attraction to these gullible minions is layered. Many naïve Republicans saw Trump’s first presidency — with all its upheaval — as a success and a period of economic well-being. Click here for my articles regarding Trump’s dismal performance as POTUS #45.
Other naïve minions consider Trump’s relentless assault on institutions of accountability — such as the media and the legal system — as well as his attacks on supposed elite experts as a justified crusade against a governing control system they believe has failed them.
And when Trump joked in December 2023 that he’d be a dictator only on “day one” of his second presidency, he was playing to those who crave an autocratic leader whose offenses are merely part of his political attraction.
The fact that millions of gullible, naïve minions appear ready to embrace Trump as POTUS #47 is a clear commentary on America’s current political state.
Just three weeks before voting starts in the Republican primaries, the front-runner continues demonstrating the remarkable extent to which false claims about a stolen past election three years ago are still the anchor of his political campaign.
As we move toward the Presidential election in November 2024, and given how many people continue to support the ‘Dark Triad’ personality of Trump, it seems certain that regardless of the outcome, America will still be embroiled in unrelenting political turmoil and retribution.
In closing, I offer the Credo — the statement of beliefs that guide someone’s actions — that all Trump’s Minions steadfastly abide by:
- The bad things you say about Trump aren’t true.
- And if they are true, it’s no big deal.
- The bad things you say Trump did — they didn’t happen.
- And if they did happen, they weren’t that bad.
- And if they were that bad, it’s no big deal.
- And if they were a big deal, they are not Trump’s fault.
- And if they were his fault, Trump didn’t mean it.
- And if Trump did mean it…You deserved it.
