The following, according to the manual of psychiatry, are the traits of a narcissist: he (it is usually a he) is self-important. He boasts a lot, exaggerating his own achievements and talents. He requires constant admiration and praise. He expects to be recognised as superior even without achievements. He demands special treatment and loyalty. He cannot accept criticism or blame. He envies and resents the achievements of others. He cannot recognise the needs or feelings of others.
Now, if you do not see that list as a summary of the character of Donald Trump, then there is no point in your reading on. That Trump is a narcissist is beyond dispute.
He has to. In the mental world he inhabits, criticism of him cannot exist. He is a prisoner of his psyche.
Now, it is possible that the attack on Iran will work out well. Certainly no-one should mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
His regime has killed thousands of his fellow citizens and has sponsored violence throughout the Middle East. He is no loss to the world.
And when the smoke from the bombs has blown away it may happen that the brutal military police lay down their arms and the mullahs withdraw quietly to their mosques and the good people of Iran rise up and establish, somehow, a peaceable democratic regime.
History suggests it is unlikely, but it is possible. And if it happens there will be much to celebrate.
But there is no reason to believe that Trump cares whether it happens or not. Because where in that list of a narcissist’s traits do you find anything suggesting concern for the downtrodden in foreign lands?
For sure Trump has been given pretexts for the attack on Iran to read from his teleprompter. (Oh he reads so badly. The written word is alien to him. He’s the emperor of anti-eloquence. He’s a pre-linguistic bunch of appetites. He’s the reptilian amygdala-anointed president.)
He has read, haltingly, the words on the teleprompter urging Iranians to be bold and to seize their future. He has read, haltingly, the words on the teleprompter saying that Iranian missiles were an immediate threat to the US.
He has read, haltingly, the words on the teleprompter saying that Iran must not be allowed a nuclear weapon, (despite his having boasted only last year that he had destroyed Iran’s entire nuclear capacity).
But it is only when he speaks unscripted that you see the true Trump. He is so governed by his narcissism that he often blurts out the truth.
And so it was in this case. While his various underlings gave various justifications for the attacks, Trump merely said of Khamenei, "I got him before he got me".
That’s the true Trump. It seems that Iran may have sponsored an attempted assassination of Trump. That was all the reason Trump needed.
The sentiment is infantile in its simplicity, and it’s all about him, because everything is always all about him. A narcissist knows no other way.
In addition, it seems that Israel was already planning to attack. Trump would have resented the idea of Netanyahu stealing his thunder.
Trump needs all the attention for himself. He needs to be the headline every day. So up went the missiles and in went the bombers.
Another trait of narcissism is to nurse a fantasy of unlimited power. Trump is living out that fantasy before our eyes.
He has set about removing the very few restraints on his presidential power. He has appointed a lickspittle cabinet who attend meetings only to praise him. He has appointed a Supreme Court that has granted him immunity in office.
He has reduced the Republican Congress to lapdogs. He has withdrawn the US from binding treaties and alliances. He ignores international law.
He is in office for three more years. He will continue to act narcissistically because he has no choice but to do so.
And he has the world’s largest military on hand to act as an agent of that. Woo hoo.
• Joe Bennett is a Lyttelton writer.
