‘Malignant narcissist’: Why Donald Trump will never really change

DON’T be fooled by Donald Trump’s backflips on “little Rocket Man” Kim Jong-un, and separating families on the Mexican border, a leading psychologist has warned.

HE recently turned his bitter feud with North Korean despot Kim Jong-un into a bromance, and backflipped on separating migrant kids from their families, but US President Donald Trump still thinks he’s Teflon.

And, a leading Australian psychologist warns, signs of a softer Donald Trump may be smoke and mirrors. He may appear a little softer, says Dr Helen McGrath, but he’s still a “malignant narcissist” at heart.

“He’s not changing. Malignant narcissists can’t,” Dr McGrath says.

It’s more that Mr Trump, and his advisers, are getting better at tempering his message to keep his place in the sun.

“It’s not quite that he’s suddenly listening because he sees consequences, because these personalities don’t operate that way — but people are pointing out the consequences,” she says.

“They would have said ‘this works well, this not so much’. They’d be pandering to him still being right.

“I think they point out the advantages to him of behaving a certain way, more than anything else. In some ways he would see a response [to him] getting better, and that feeds what he is.”

In 2017, a collection of 27 psychiatrists and mental health experts argued Mr Trump has malignant narcissism, publishing a book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump., and challenging his fitness for office.

They argued that those with the disorder were grandiose, arrogant, self-centred, ruthless and would stop at nothing to get their own way, especially if they feel cornered or threatened.

They said Mr Trump’s propensity to lie publicly, fabricate information to suit his agenda, and refuse to admit he is wrong “even when strong evidence suggests this is the case” were classic indicators of malignant NDP.

Another classic narcissistic personality trait is listening, but only hearing what you want to. Picture: AFP/Nicholas Kamm

Dr McGrath, who has researched malignant NDP and a number of other personality disorders in depth for a new book, Mind Behind The Crime: What Makes Australia’s worst killers tick?, says Mr Trump has all the classic indicators.

“His is a classic way to explain the characteristics of malignant narcissism — he’s certainly the most public case of it in front of us,” she said.

And even though Mr Trump’s behaviour of late may seem slightly tempered, that also fits the profile.

“They [those with malignant NDP] will modify their behaviour to serve their own interests,” she said.

“I suspect he has got some advisers who he is listening to a little bit more about how to tone it down … particularly with North Korea.

“He went from being the leader of a nation who called another leader ‘Little Rocket Man’ to something more tempered.

“I believe it’s more people around him are encouraging him to act in some situations like he is changing, even though at heart, he’s not.

“He’s become more aware of what needs to happen so he can continue to be what he is [US president].”

“And he’s just getting a little bit more wary of how he does that.”

She says Mr Trump, will always believe he is “Teflon man” because the malignant narcissist personality type always believes that it is the cleverest and is always right.

“Absolutely he thinks he’s cleverer than all of us, that he’s the cleverest leader of all and ultimately this will be revealed and shown,” she says.

Equally, the malignant narcissist goes on the attack with critics, and will “lie with ease” and reshape facts to suit themselves — hence, she says, Mr Trump’s term “fake news”, for anything he doesn’t want to hear or which paints him in a less than adoring light.

He believes he’s always right, and anyone who thinks otherwise is out to get him.

“Malignant narcissists are dangerous in that they say essentially say “it doesn’t matter what it costs, I’ll get what I want”, she said.

“They can be concerned and empathetic — as long as it benefits them.”

She says Mr Trump has his eye firmly on the next election.

“There’s a chance he will be able to moderate enough — and it’s not genuine — to get some of his detractors a little bit more on side,” she says.

The thing with narcissists is they are convincing — it takes people a long time to wake up.

“With Trump, if he starts responding to some of the people who don’t particularly like him but don’t hate him yet — there is a certain number of people who will always admire him.

“There’s an admiration for him because he’s seen as someone who is not a puppet.

“He says ‘I don’t respond to politicians; I don’t respond to Saturday Night Live — I’m me.

“He’s extremely confident and to some extent that has appeal — it says ‘this guy can’t be bought, this guy can’t be knocked off his pedestal, so there’s cleverness in that.

“But they forget that essentially narcissists are in it for themselves, not anyone else.”

Dr McGrath’s book looks at the role of personality disorders in the psyches of some of Australia’s worst killers, including Lindt Cafe siege killer Man Haron Monis, granny killer Megan Haines, and Lin family murderer Robert Xie.

Mind Behind The Crime: What Makes Australia’s worst killers tick? is on sale from June 26.

Cover of Mind Behind The Crime: What Makes Australia's Worst Killers Tick? by Dr Helen McGrath and Cheryl Critchley. Publisher: MacMillan