Nine years ago, I wrote the following posts: Will our next President be a psychopath?  and A psychopath slipped into the White House . . .

They showed you that Donald Trump was (and still is) a clinical psychopath.

The second post covered the Robert Hare Checklist of Psychopathy Symptoms, which includes 20 symptoms rated on a scale from 0 to 2.

(Spoiler alert: I concluded that Trump exhibits all 20 symptoms.) If you go to the post, you can examine those symptoms and see whether you agree with my analysis.

I just read, “What If We Could Treat Psychopathy in Childhood?” in the July/August edition of Scientific American Magazine (New strategies help to reduce callous and unemotional traits in children, guiding them toward productive lives) By Maia Szalavitz edited by Madhusree Mukerjee

Here are a few excerpts, along with my comments.

Lillyth Quillan knew almost immediately that something was wrong with her baby. At around eight months old with eight sharp new teeth, he began deliberately biting her breast as she fed him, then looking her in the eyes and laughing.

Even though she cried out and pulled him away for significant stretches of time, whenever she returned to nursing, he’d bite again—and then snicker. Within days she had to switch to bottle feeding.

Quillan’s son, Alex (his name has been changed for privacy), was almost expelled from preschool because he repeatedly hurt other children. In middle school he began stealing and selling his parents’ electronics. He would pretend to hug his mom, then headbutt her instead.

“I remember hitting my mom as a kid,” Alex says. “I know I shouldn’t have enjoyed it, but at the time, I did.” He adds, “If you’re looking for a reason, I wish I had it.” By high school he was using a gun to commit armed robberies.

According to Donald Trump’s own accounts and biographies, he was disruptive, aggressive, and hard to control as a child. He reportedly misbehaved frequently, and his parents became concerned about his behavior and lack of discipline.

At age 13, after some behavioral problems, his parents decided to send him to a military boarding school to instill discipline and structure.

The couple tried all types of discipline short of corporal punishment. They saw counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists; wasted thousands of dollars on brain scans; got diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger’s syndrome; and tried medications, therapies and special education.

Nothing worked.

Finally, when Alex was 14, Quillan told her own therapist that she thought her son was a sociopath. The therapist said such terms weren’t used to describe children—but she diagnosed him with conduct disorder, which can be a precursor to psychopathy in adults.

Conduct disorder is characterized by defiance of rules, aggression toward people or animals, and ongoing cruelty such as bullying.

The type that Alex turned out to have comes with so-called callous-unemotional (CU) traits and is seen in up to 2 percent of children. CU traits—a lack of empathy and generally low emotional response—can be caused or exacerbated by child abuse or neglect, but genetic predispositions alone can also spur their development.

Separating children from their parents and reveling in the harshness of the “Alligator Auschwitz” (Alcatraz) symbolize Trump’s lack of empathy.

When they appear as early as they did in Alex’s case, they are overwhelmingly driven by genetics and more likely to develop into adult psychopathy. (At least one relative on each side of Alex’s biological family seems to have some of these traits.)

According to reports, Donald’s father, Fred Trump, modeled ruthlessness and dominance, teaching Donald to view kindness as a sign of weakness.

He was hard-driving, ambitious, controlling, authoritarian, and demanding.

Success was measured almost entirely in financial or competitive terms, emotionally cold, practical to the point of ruthlessness, and not nurturing.

Fred promoted a clean image but was involved in questionable practices (e.g., racial discrimination in housing). This duality may have influenced Donald’s flexible morality and image obsession.

Donald’s mother, Mary Anne, reportedly prioritized appearances and social status.

She was emotionally distant. Her fascination with status and pageantry helped shape Donald’s later obsession with fame, wealth, and image.

Psychopathy sits at the uncomfortable intersection of mental illness and morality, with symptoms such as cruel behavior and remorselessness that inherently raise questions about the line between medicine and criminal law.

Television serials may dwell on the sadistic criminal, but research suggests executives and politicians also have high rates of psychopathic traits.

People with psychopathy can carry out cold, calculated crimes and cons that require significant planning, but they may also engage in wildly impulsive aggressive behavior.

They can understand the perspectives of other people well enough to manipulate their emotions but lack the intuitive emotional empathy that would help them care about causing harm.

Most disturbing, unlike people with classic psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, people with CU traits appear socially typical and may even be charismatic.

Trump has become the MAGA cult leader, not because of his intellect but because of his personal charisma.

Most MAGAs, know he is a liar, a cheat, and an incompetent, but they don’t care, because they feel they need him (even when he is hurting them, personally.)

That hypnotic spell is beginning to wear thin, as more people begin to resent looking like fools for supporting Trump.

According to a study published in 2021, among people imprisoned in the U.S., up to one quarter of men and up to 17 percent of women meet the criteria for psychopathy.

The condition is typically diagnosed based on a measure developed by psychologist Robert D. Hare.

Psychologist Christopher Patrick of Florida State University and his colleagues, divides psychopathic traits into three domains: boldness, meanness and disinhibition. The combination of fearlessness, callousness and remorselessness is unique to psychopathy.

Callous and unemotional traits are associated with alterations in the brain that impair the individual’s ability to experience sensations and emotions—especially negative ones—in themselves and in others. People with these characteristics have a reduced ability to feel pain.

In 2012 Jean Decety and his colleagues at the University of Chicago first showed that teens with CU traits have higher thresholds for their own pain and abnormal brain responses to images of other people in pain.

The researchers also measured brain-wave responses using electroencephalography (EEG) as these teens viewed pictures of others in painful situations.

Those with high levels of CU traits perceived others as having less pain than the other participants estimated. 

Alex says that when he was a child, he sometimes saw hitting his mother as being “playful.”

But, he adds, “If you flick my hand, I’m going to say ‘ow,’ but obviously it doesn’t hurt.” He literally did not perceive her pain.

He shows cruelty towards immigrants and political opponents, which does not bother him. He lacks empathy and compassion for others.

Psychopaths, despite their callous and unemotional traits easily make friends and—at least initially—seem charming.

Attention and focus are also aberrant in people with psychopathy.

Once CU children or psychopaths zero in on something they want to obtain or achieve, they tend to have an extremely restricted view of the world—so much so that they lose awareness of the potential for harm to themselves or others.

Trump appears indifferent to the people he hurts; their well-being does not seem to concern him.

“It’s like this ultrafocused attention on reaching a goal,” says neuropsychologist Inti Brazil of Radboud University in the Netherlands.

Viding, the developmental psychopathologist at University College London, for example, recalls working with a child who ritually killed ducks.

She describes it as a kind of habit for the child, resembling the type of obsessive interest and rigidly patterned behavior seen in some autistic children.

Those with CU traits easily make friends. They tend, however, to see relationships as ways to exert poweror get other things they want, not as reciprocal connections.

Callous-unemotional (CU) children deliberately violate laws and conventions. It is extraordinarily difficult to lovingly parent a child who doesn’t care about harming you or even enjoys it.

Yes, Donald Trump meets all the criteria for psychopathy. He is open about his callous disregard for human life.

However, what do psychologists say about his supporters—the voters, Republicans, and administration officials who lie on his behalf? What kind of individuals are most likely to follow a psychopath?

I posed this question to ChatGPT, and here is the response I received:

Psychologist Bob Altemeyer researched what he called Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) — not necessarily politically right-wing, but referring to people who: Submit to strong leaders, aggressively support those leaders against perceived enemies, and conform rigidly to group norms.

These followers tend to prefer black-and-white thinking, be uncomfortable with ambiguitym feel threatened by outsiders or change, and are especially vulnerable to charismatic, manipulative leaders—including psychopaths.

Translation: Followers look to Trump to save them from “evil” (his favorite epithet) immigrants and Democrats.

They believe the world is a competitive place where some groups should dominate others.

Translation: “My group should dominate all other groups.”

They are more likely to support leaders who show dominance, even cruelty, express contempt for the weak, violate norms to achieve power, and see psychopathic traits (e.g. ruthlessness, lying, manipulation) as signs of strength, not pathology.

Kidnap people ruthlessly from the streets, without trials, tear apart families, separate children, and imprison them in “Alligator Auschwitz” (or Alcatraz), then mock their suffering.

Some voters rationalize obvious lies, cruelty, or incompetencefrom a leader because they have committed their identity to that leader or movement. Admitting the truth would create psychological pain (cognitive dissonance).

They reinterpret facts to preserve self-image (“He’s a strong leader,” “The media is lying”), and this makes them stick with psychopaths even when confronted with overwhelming evidence.

Despite his losing over 60 trials, with no credible evidence found, Trump’s followers continue to repeat the false claim that the election was stolen.

Psychopathic leaders often create closed information loops: “Don’t trust the press.” “Only I tell the truth.” “We’re under attack.”

This isolates followers from alternative viewpoints, fostering cult-like loyalty. Social media algorithms, propaganda outlets, and partisan bubbles all intensify this.

Translation: Their only news comes from echo chambers like Fox News. Any news source that presents facts contradicting the party line is met with anger: “Immigrants (especially black- or brown-skinned) rape your women. They take your jobs. They commit violent crimes. I will Make America Great Again.”

Disempowered or economically anxious people may seek a “savior” figure who promises to punish the elites, break rules, restore lost status or identity.

Psychopathic leaders often position themselves as outsiders who will smash the system. This appeals to the alienated or resentful.

The “dark triad” in culture (Psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism) can become normalized or valorized, especially when media (i.e. Fox News et al) glamorizes antiheroes and rule-breakers. political culture rewards dominance over cooperation.

Followers mistake pathology for power, and cruelty for competence.

Psychopathic leaders need willing followers. The psychology of those followers is shaped by fear, group identity, desire for order, emotional manipulation, and greed.

Followers are psychologically primed to respond to authority, charisma, threats, and promises of glory.

Sources: Chat GT; Bob Altemeyer – The Authoritarians; Erich Fromm – Escape from Freedom; Martha Stout – The Sociopath Next Door; Philip Zimbardo – The Lucifer Effect; Karen Stenner – The Authoritarian Dynamic; John Dean – Conservatives Without Conscience

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

Monetary Sovereignty

Twitter: @rodgermitchell

Search #monetarysovereignty

Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell;

MUCK RACK: https://muckrack.com/rodger-malcolm-mitchell;

https://www.academia.edu/

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A Government’s Sole Purpose is to Improve and Protect The People’s Lives.

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY

I had hoped that by now, everyone in America knew that the import tariffs America levies are paid for by Americans.

Tariffs are a double whammy:

1. Sales taxes, that raise the prices of goods and services,
2. while removing growth dollars from the economy.

Alas, the word has not reached Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek, the author of the following article:

Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus in June A record-high tariff haul in June fueled a rare budget surplus—and set the stage for even bigger collections ahead.

New data from the Treasury Department show that surging tariff revenues in June helped the U.S. government post an unexpected budget surplus of $27 billion, offering a rare fiscal bright spot amid persistently high federal deficits and suggesting that President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are becoming a significant source of government revenue.

A question for Mr. Ozimek: What if the federal government announced it was doubling the FICA tax and income tax rates while cutting Medicare and Social Security payments to $0? Would you term that a “rare fiscal bright spot”?

Now that would give the government a huge budget surplus. Is that also a “rare fiscal bright spot?”

I know President Trump will claim so, but will you, Mr. Ozemik, be fooled?

After running a $316 billion deficit in May, the government recorded a surplus of just over $27 billion last month, according to data released on July 11 by the Treasury Department.

The tariff windfall helped narrow the fiscal year-to-date deficit to $1.34 trillion—a slight 1 percent improvement from the same period last year. By contrast, June 2024 saw a $71 billion deficit.

For you benighted souls who are happy when our Monetarily Sovereign government– a government that never can run short of its own sovereign currency — takes dollars from your pockets, the following message should be enlightening:

The federal government does not need your money, does not use your money, and in fact, destroys all the money you send it — and import duties fall into that category.

A key driver of the improved balance was a record-breaking surge in customs duties. The Treasury data released on Friday show that tariff collections soared to $27 billion in June alone, pushing total tariff revenues since October to $108 billion—the highest ever recorded for the first nine months of a fiscal year.

June’s haul marked a significant jump from May’s prior record of $22 billion and was about 93 percent higher than the $56 billion collected during the same nine-month span of the previous year.

Translation: A key driver of the economy’s loss was a record-breaking surge in customs duties extracted from the pockets of the American people.

The Treasury data released on Friday show that tariff collections took $27 billion from the economy in June alone, pushing total tariff dollars lost from the economy since October to $108 billion—the highest ever recorded for the first nine months of a fiscal year.

June’s economic deficit marked a significant jump from May’s prior record loss of $22 billion and was about 93 percent higher than the $56 billion taken out of the economy during the same nine-month span of the previous year.

(Note: Gross Domestic Product, the usual measure of the economy = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports. When you take billions of dollars from the economy, you literally take those dollars from the American people.

(The Federal government is not the American people. It creates new dollars, and does not use tax dollars) to pay its bills.

So far in July, customs duties have added another $2.4 billion to federal coffers, according to daily Treasury figures.

Translation: So far in July, customs duties have taken another $2.4 billion from the economy while adding not one penny to the Monetarily Sovereign federal government’s infinite ability to pay its bills, according to daily Treasury figures.

(The Federal government has no “coffers.” It has infinite dollars.) That is why there is no measure of how much money the federal government has. It creates dollars at will by passing laws.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has predicted even higher tariff revenues in the months ahead.

Translation: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has predicted even higher economic losses in the months ahead.

Speaking at a July 8 White House Cabinet meeting, he said the United States is on track to collect $300 billion by the end of calendar year 2025, noting that the “major” tariffs imposed under the Trump administration did not start until the second quarter.

Translation: Speaking at a July 8 White House Cabinet meeting, he said the United States is on track to take $300 billion from the economy by the end of calendar year 2025, noting that the “major” economic deficits imposed under the Trump administration did not start until the second quarter.

Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has imposed 10 percent universal tariffs on trading partners, along with reciprocal tariffs announced in April on a number of nations, depending on the trade barriers they have with the United States.

Translation: Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has imposed 10 percent universal tariffs on trading partners — all of which are paid by American consumers — along with reciprocal tariffs announced in April on a number of nations — also paid by American consumers, depending on the trade barriers they have with the United States.

(Those trade barriers with the United States also are paid by American consumers in the form of higher prices. That’s called “inflation.”

Trump has said the higher duties will substantially boost government revenue.

Translation: Donald Trump, the man who has gone bankrupt six times and needed to ask his daddy to bail him out, doesn’t mention that “higher government revenues” are a net loss for the American public.

They don’t help the government, which has the infinite ability to create its sovereign currency and has no need for, or use of, “revenues.”

(Monetarily non-sovereign state and local governments do need and use revenues. It’s important for economics writers to understand the fundamental differences between a Monetarily Sovereign government and a monetarily non-sovereign government.)

“The big money will start coming in on Aug. 1st. I think it was made clear today by the letters that were sent out yesterday and today,” he said during the Cabinet meeting.

Translation: “The big money will start leaving our economy on Aug. 1st. Because Gross Domestic Product growth requires money supply growth, this will likely lead to a significant recession in the last quarter of 2025. Unless these misguided tariffs are revoked, a depression is expected to begin in late 2026 and continue to worsen after that until Trump is removed from office. 

Bessent also cited a June 4 report from the Congressional Budget Office projecting that tariff revenues could total $2.8 trillion over the next decade—a figure he said the administration believes is understated.

Translation: Bessent also cited a June 4 report from the Congressional Budget Office projecting that economic losses could total $2.8 trillion over the next decade—a figure he said the administration believes is understated.

Trump said he won’t extend the Aug. 1 deadline for countries to start paying reciprocal tariffs, signaling a firm stance after earlier suggesting flexibility for nations offering trade concessions.

 Trump noted that the tariffs might be lowered if countries open their markets and reduce non-tariff barriers, emphasizing that persistent trade deficits pose “a major threat” to U.S. economic and national security.

Translation: Trump noted that the tariffs might be lowered if countries open their markets and reduce non-tariff barriers, failing to mention that persistent tariffs pose “a major threat” to U.S. economic and national security.

The president has also announced that Canada will face 35 percent tariffs starting on Aug. 1.

Translation: The president has also announced that American buyers will pay 35 percent more for Canadian imports starting on Aug. 1.

Will someone please contact Tom Ozimek and tell him I would be glad to educate him on economics before he writes another misleading article. Please.

Thank you.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

Monetary Sovereignty

Twitter: @rodgermitchell

Search #monetarysovereignty

Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell;

MUCK RACK: https://muckrack.com/rodger-malcolm-mitchell;

https://www.academia.edu/

……………………………………………………………………..

A Government’s Sole Purpose is to Improve and Protect The People’s Lives.

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY