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The NYT Times Continues to Normalize Trump
MELVIN GOODMAN
CounterPunch, March 25, 2026
“This is in a way the anger presidency. Anger defines Mr. Trump’s decade on the political stage. Mr. Trump is not the first president with a temper. Even the genial Dwight D. Eisenhower was known to be sharp behind closed doors. Lyndon B. Johnson’s tantrums were Texas size. Richard M. Nixon seemed to be on a medium boil for most of his nearly six years in office.” (Peter Baker, The New York Times, March 17, 2026, Front Page.)
The mainstream media, particularly the New York Times and the Washington Post continue to normalize Donald Trump by applying everyday terms to his personality and his presidency. He has been called an “isolationist,” a “neo-isolationist,” and currently an “imperialist.” Peter Baker, who has been covering the White House for the past several decades, now believes that it is “anger” that defines the Trump presidency. These descriptions normalize the Trump presidency and avoid the rages that are unique to Donald Trump.
Two terms that make the Trump presidency unique in American history are “megalomania” and “pathological narcissism.” I discussed his “megalomania” several weeks ago, emphasizing his extreme obsession with power, wealth, and self-importance. In the past year, Trump has used military force in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, West Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and the eastern Pacific. He has threatened attacks on Colombia, Denmark, Canada, and now Cuba is in his crosshairs. The joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility points to the risks that Trump will assume. Trump is also threatening to use the centuries-old Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. troops in American cities, namely sanctuary cities, perhaps to compromise America’s elections later this year.
Not even megalomania and pathological narcissism accounts for Trump’s hyper-aggressive acts. His rages go far beyond the tempers of other presidents. His rage causes him to pursue hostile actions against those who have slighted him or have failed to do what he wants them to do.
Now, Trump’s pathological narcissism, a hard-to-treat personality disorder, is on full display.
Trump is intoxicated by praise and, as a result, his closest aides must constantly show fealty by engaging in false flattery. Even heads of state have joined this parade, expressing exaggerated praise in order to gain favor. The most recent example was Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who had to endure an obnoxious reference to Pearl Harbor and surprise attacks, but managed to credit Trump with trying to secure peace around the globe. Diplomatic norms mean nothing to Trump.
Continues…
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/03/25/the-nyt-times-continues-to-normalize-trump/
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