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Idedicatethisbooktoallthosewhohavesufferedfromabusivemindcontrolinthehopethatithelps them heal. Freedom of mind which includes critical thinking, pursuing facts, listening to one ’ s conscience,andactingwithintegrity isthefoundationofallourotherfreedoms,includingfreedom ofreligion.
I wasnineteen and attending QueensCollege when I wasrecruited tricked into joining a dangerous mind-controlling cult: Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. During my time in the group, I experiencedaradicalpersonalitychange,ferventlybelievingandspreadingthecult’sdoctrine.Ifelttotallyin control of my mind and thoughts something I can now confidently say wasnot the case. It wasonly throughluck,andsomeclevermaneuveringonmyfamily’spart,thatIwasabletofreemyself.Iwasacult memberforonlytwoandahalfyears.I’moneofthefortunateones.Sincethen,I’vebecomeamentalhealth professionalandhavedevotedmy lifetohelping peoplebreakfreefrom destructivecults, passing on the lessons learned through my own deprogramming. Over the past forty years, I’ve gotten a close look at hundredsofdangerousgroups aswellasindividualrelationships andknowwhat,exactly,makesthem destructiveandcultish.Ihavespokenoutpubliclyaboutcultsandhavefacedalotofbacklashfromsome prettyscaryandpowerfulorganizations.I’vefacedlawsuits,deaththreats,andslanderuponmycharacter. Still,IfeelprivilegedtodotheworkthatIdo.
Ihavedonemybesttoensurethatthematerialinthisbookisasaccurateandverifiableaspossible.Of course, when writing about another person, there is always a certain amount of subjectivity, and many opportunitiesforbiastocreepin.IhavenodoubtthatsomewilltakeissuewithwhatIhavewritten.Iaskyou to take the wider view. I also invite you to differ with me. My goal isto empower people to think for themselves,whichmaymeanmovingoutsideofourideologicalbubbles.
ThisisabookaboutanareaofhumanbehaviorthatIlikentoadarkforest.Asaformercultmember,I personallyhaveseenthetrees,ashavemillionsofpeoplewhohaveescapeddestructivegroupsandfoundtheir waytofreedom.Asamentalhealthprofessional,I’vealsospentdecadesmappingthecontoursofthecult mind control phenomenon. My hope is that this book may help point a way out of the dark forest of authoritarianism.
StevenHassan
INTRODUCTION
Iknowbutonefreedom,andthatisthefreedomofthemind.
AntoinedeSaint-Exupéry
WhenDonaldJ.TrumpannouncedhewasrunningforthepresidencyoftheUnitedStates,Ihadahard timetakinghimseriously.LikemanyAmericans,IcouldnotimaginethatarealityTVstar especiallyoneso brashandcontroversial mightsoonbecomethemostpowerfulpersononEarth.TrumpandIgrewup aboutamilefromeachotherinQueens,NewYork,butIknewlittleabouthim.Ioncewatchedaboutten minutesofanepisodeofTheApprenticeandswitchedstations.IwassurprisedbytheintensityofTrump’s support, especially from evangelical Christians. He was a casino mogul and a notorious playboy and philanderer,whomarried andfatheredchildrenwith threedifferentwomen.Heregularlytoldoutright liesand,whenchallenged,wouldstubbornlydoubledownonthem.Howcouldhepossiblygainenough supportamongtheconservativeChristianswhowouldbesoimportantforhimtobeelected?
AsI watchedhim pickoff, one by one, hisfellow GOPcontenders, I hadnochoice buttotake him seriously. I have spent many years studying influence how people systematically use psychological and socialtechniquesfortheirownends.ItbecamecleartomethatTrumpwasexploitingthosemethodstogreat effect.Hecertainlywasnotplayingbytraditionalpoliticalrules.Hewasamastermediamanipulator,calling mediaoutletslikeFoxNewstoinsulthisopponentsandbragabouthisownaccomplishments,attractingthe attention of other cable networks like CNN and MSNBC with his circuslike behavior and gaining an estimated$2billionworthoffreepublicity.1Hewasanentertaining,ifblustery,speakerwhousedsimplistic, almosthypnoticallyrepetitious,terms.Hegaveinsultingbutcatchynicknamestohisopponents “Crooked Hillary,” “Lying Ted,” “Low Energy Jeb” and used slogans that became rousing anthems at his rallies “Lockherup”and“BuildtheWall.”
same methods used by Moon and other cult leaders such as L. Ron Hubbard, David Koresh, Lyndon LaRouche,andJimJones,tonamejustafewhigh-profileones.MoonthoughtAmericandemocracywas satanic, andsoughttoinstall in itsplace aworldwide theocracy withhimselfatthe head. Hisfamily and designateswere100percentloyalandobedient.Theypromisedtodowhatevertheyweretold,including,asI foundoutinmytopleadershipmeetings,amendingtheConstitutiontomakeitlegaltoexecutethosewho werenotfaithfultoMoon’spolicies.AsIwatchedTrump,especiallyashehasrevealedhisinfatuationwith authoritarianleaderslikeVladimirPutin,RecipTayyipErdogan,andKimJong-un,Igrewworriedthathe mighthavesimilaraspirationsor,attheveryleast,thathemighttrytopushAmericandemocracytoward authoritarianism.Whenaleadergainspsychologicalswayoverhisfollowersandalsooverotherpoliticians membersofCongress,thecabinet,andeventhejudiciary thechecksandbalancesofhealthydemocracycan bestrippedaway.
LikeMoon,Trumpcommands,andevendemands,devotionandadorationfromhisaudiences,butIalso sawtellingdifferences.Trump’sover500ralliesarefarmorechoreographedandstage-managedthanMoon’s mass assemblies ever were. Rousing patriotic music heralds his appearance onstage, while enthusiastic supportersstandbehindhim cheering. Trumpralliesare also, strangely, more intimate. PartofTrump’s effectivenessisthewayhetalkstohisaudience,takingthemintohisconfidencewithpersonalasides,talking abouthowmisunderstoodandmalignedheisbythemedia.Hefurtherearnshisfollowers’sympathy and allegiancebytellingthemhowgreattheyaretobefollowersofhis,andhowmuchhelovesthem.
Moonalwayssethimselfapart,whichwasappropriateforsomeonewhowas,ashewasfondofsaying, “tentimesgreaterthanJesus.”ButjustbeneaththesurfaceofTrump’swoe-is-mefacadeisamessianicstreak. Hemaynotcomeoutandsaythathebelievesheisamessiah,buthehasdonenothingtodispelthenotion, popularamongsomeChristianfollowers,thatGodhaschosenhimtobetheirleader.Certainlyhemakesno bonesaboutthefactthatheistheonlyonewhocanrestoreAmericatoanimaginedpastglory andsave themfromaterriblefuture.OneofTrump’searliestcampaignmoveswastoestablishtheimageofagreat shiningWallinthemindsofhisfollowers.TheWallwasakeypieceofTrumppropagandatoinsulate,isolate, and elevate America from the rest of the dangerous world. The idea was actually suggested by political consultantsRoger Stone and Sam Nunberg, who were looking for a mnemonicdevice thatwould keep Trumponmessage.2 Trumpdidn’tlovetheideaatfirst,buthetrieditoutatarallyandthecrowdswent crazy.3Itturnedouttobeastrokeofmarketinggenius.Notonlydiditplayontheusversusthemtrope,but italsoallowedTrumptoconjureimagesofmurderersandrapistsamassingatthesouthernborder.Itallowed himtoinstillfearintheheartsandmindsofhisfollowers,farbeyondwhatisthenormatcampaignralliesand
Trumpusesallkindsofculttactics lying,insultingopponents,projectinghisweaknessesontoothers, deflecting,distracting,presentingalternativefactsandcompetingversionsofreality toconfuse,disorient, andultimatelycoercehisfollowers.Repetitionprogramsthebeliefsintotheunconscious.Butfearmongering topsthe list. In my experience, phobia indoctrination the creation offearful thoughtsto promote and reinforce a desired set of beliefs or behaviors in followers—is one of the most powerful and universal techniquesinthecultleader’sarsenal.ThisiswhyTrumpspendssomuchairandTwittertimepaintinga frighteningpictureofthedangerposedbyimmigrants Mexicans,Muslims,themigrantcaravan.Themore vividthethoughtorimageinstalledinpeople’sminds,thegreateraholdithas,andthelesssusceptibleitisto rational or critical thought. There are other enemies in Trump’s world globalists, radical left-wing Democrats,socialists,Hollywoodactors,theliberalmedia allofwhomwanttodestroyAmerica.Inspiring fearofrealorimaginedthreatsoverridespeople’ssenseofagency.Itmakesthemsusceptibletoaconfident authorityfigurewhopromisestokeepthemsafe,andcanmakethemmorecompliantandobedient.
FeardefinesTrump’sphilosophy,hispersonality,andhispresidency.Itisalsohisdefinitionofpower, accordingtoBobWoodward’saptlytitledbook,Fear.Init,WoodwardreportedthatTrumptoldhim:“Real poweris,Idon’tevenwanttousetheword:fear.”Trump,likecultleadersanddictatorsthroughouthistory, seizes upon people’s needs and fears and amplifies them. Like these authoritarian leaders, he may manufactureproblemsthatdonotexist,andthensay“trustme”or“believeme”andpromisethatonlyhe canfixit.
Giventherightcircumstances,sane,rational,well-adjustedpeoplecanbemadetoconsiderandultimately believethemostoutrageousleadersandpropositions.Thereisamethodtothemadness.Cultleadersmay lookandbehavedifferently, buteven thecraziest, mostchaoticonesfollowasimilarpattern. Whilethey usuallyhavenoacademictraining,theyaremastersofhumanpsychology,especiallysocialpsychology.They understand that human beings are social creatures who, at some level, are wired to follow leaders and powerfulmembersoftheirgroup.Theyknowthattheycanconfusepeoplewithfalseinformationandlies, andthensowdoubtbyclaimingthattheyneversaidwhattheysaidinthefirstplace.Peopleliketothinkthey arerationalandincontrol,butthelessonsofhistoryandsocialpsychologydemonstrate,timeandagain,that simplyisn’tso.Wegoaboutourdays,andourlives,usingunconsciousmentalmodels.Whencultleaders manipulatethosemodels,insubtleandovertways,wecanbepersuadedtobelieveanddothingswemight neverhaveconsideredwithoutsuchsystematicpsychologicalinfluence.
Ultimately,theirgoalistomakepeopledependentandobedient.Beforethe24/7worldofsmartphones andtheinternet,cultleaderswouldphysicallyisolatemembersinordertocontrolallaspectsoftheirlives theirbehavior,information,thoughts,andemotions,orwhatIcalltheBITEmodelofindoctrination.But physicalisolationisnotalwaysnecessaryforindoctrinationtooccur.Throughthemediaandtheinternet, peoplecanbeindoctrinated andevenrecruited ontheirsmartphonesorintheirownhomes.Somecult leaders, including pimpsand human traffickers, use smartphonesand digital technology to monitor and controltheirfollowers.
Takentoanextreme,theindoctrinationprocesscanbreakdownaperson’sfundamentalidentitytosuch anextentthattheycouldbesaidtohaveanewpseudo-identity,castintheimageofthegroup’sleaderor ideology.Inherdocumentary,TheBrainwashingofMyDad,JenSenkoshowshowheroncelovingand liberalfather,Frank,cametoespousehate-filledracistviewsafterlisteningtoRushLimbaughandotherrightwingradiohostsformanyhoursadaywhilecommutingtowork.Hewasessentiallyradicalizedbythese showsandalsobyFoxNewstelevision.IhavemetandheardaboutfollowersofTrumpwhohaveundergone radical personality changes, adopting viewpoints that would have been abhorrent to their former selves. PerhapsmostconfoundingishowsomanydevoutChristianshavecometobelievethatamanwhocheated onhispregnantwifewashandpickedbyGodtobepresident.
Ofcourse,Trumpisnotcarryingoutthisindoctrinationsingle-handedlythroughhisTwitteraccount.In thecaseofFrankSenkoandmanyothers,Trumpwasaidedbyavastandmutuallysupportiveright-wing media machine notably news programming like Fox, Breitbart, Sinclair, Nexstar, Trinity Broadcasting Network,andmanyothers.Hehasalsobeenhelpedbyinternettrolls,socialmediamanipulators,andeven ashasbeenshownbynumerousfederalinvestigations byagentsoftheRussiangovernment.
Some may reject the characterization of Trump and his followers, including members of his administration,asacult.ThecultofTrumpdoesnotfitthestereotypeofreligiousdevoteesdressedinspecial garb HareKrishnasintheirsaffronrobesorfollowersofthelatecultleaderRajneesh(alsoknownasOsho) clothedinred.Itturnsout,thesecultsaretheexceptions.Mostpeopleinvolvedindestructivecultsdresslike youorme,andmanyworkregularjobs.Noraretheynecessarilyreligious therearepoliticalcultsaswellas psychotherapyandcommercialcultsaswellaspersonalitycults.Aswewillsee,it’snottheirbeliefsthatdefine thesegroupsascultsbutthewaytheydeceptivelyrecruit,indoctrinate,andultimatelycontrolthelivesof theirmembers.Itmaybehardtoviewanelectedfigure,muchlessthepresidentoftheUnitedStates,inthis light.Buthavingworkedwithvictimsofcultleadersformorethanfourdecades,thewarningsignsarehiding inplainsight.
Iam notalonein seeingthem.On June7,2018,theNewYorkTimes ran an editorial, “TheCultof Trump,”describinghowtheRepublicanPartywasobediently,almostblindly,rallyingaroundthepresident inacultofpersonality.4FormerTennesseeRepublicansenatorBobCorkerwasquotedintheWashington Postassaying,“It’sbecomingacultishthing,isn’tit?”In2019,MarylandDemocraticrepresentativeJamie Raskinsaid,“TheRepublicanpartyisalmostlikeareligiouscultsurroundinganorganizedcrimefamily. That’sthementality.”5FormerWhiteHousestafferandApprenticecontestantOmarosaManigaultNewman endsherbook,Unhinged,withthesememorablewords:“I’veescapedfromthecultofTrumpworld.I’m free.”
Prominent psychiatrists and psychologists detailed their concerns in The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump:37PsychiatristsandMentalHealthExpertsAssessaPresident,editedbyYaleforensicpsychiatrist BandyX.Lee.ThebookisfilledwithdescriptionsandalsodirewarningsaboutTrump’smentalhealthand hisfitnesstoserve.“InDonaldTrump,”oneoftheauthorsinthebookdeclares,“wehaveafrighteningVenn diagramconsistingofthreecircles:thefirstisextremepresenthedonism;thesecond,narcissism;andthethird, bullyingbehavior.Thesethreecirclesoverlapinthemiddletocreateanimpulsive,immature,incompetent personwho,wheninthepositionofultimatepower,easilyslidesintotheroleoftyrant,completewithfamily
memberssitting athisproverbial ‘ruling table.’ Like a fledgling dictator, he plantspsychological seedsof treacheryinsectionsofourpopulationthatreinforcealreadynegativeattitudes.”
Perhapsmostpertinentaremymanycolleaguesinthefieldofcultstudies researchers,academics,and practitioners such as Robert Jay Lifton, Philip Zimbardo, Jon Atack, Stephen Kent, Steve Eichel, Janja Lalich,AlanScheflin,DennisTourish,AlexandraStein,DanShaw,andothers whosee,alltooclearly,the cultlikeaspectsoftheTrumppresidency.
Inthisbook,IwillshowhowTrumpemploysmanyofthesametechniquesasprominentcultleaders,and displaysmanyofthesamepersonalitytraits.Hehaspersuadedmillionsofpeopletosupport,believe,and even adore him by exerting control in four overlapping areas: Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotion(BITE).Iwilldescribehowcultleadersexertcontrolineachoftheseareasandthenshowhow Trumpandhisadherentshaveexploitedthemtotheirownends.
Theymaynotapproachpeopleon streetcornerslikemembersoftheMoon cult(often referredtoas Moonies) did, but Trump and his supporters are using social and mainstream media to gain access to followers in ways Moon never could. Through his barrage of daily tweets, Trump sows confusion and distortsreality,andhasultimatelycalledintoquestionthefoundationsofnationalinstitutions.Questioning government,politicians,andthemediaareallsignsofahealthydemocracy,onethatvaluesfreeandcritical thinking.Trump’sexhortationsdotheopposite.Bypromotingtheideaof“fakenews”andcallingjournalists whodisagreewithhim“enemiesofthepeople,”heisclosinghisfollowers’mindstodisconfirmingevidence andarguments.HesoundstomelikenotoriouscultleaderJimJones,who,ashewastakinghislastbreaths, toldhisfollowersatJonestownthatitwasall“themedia’sfault don’tbelievethem.”
Overtheyears,I’vereceivedthousandsofcalls,emails,andlettersfrompeoplewhohavelostlovedonesto adestructivegrouporrelationship.Manydescribehowtheirlovedonehasundergonearadicalpersonality change.Theyarenotthelovingson,daughter,parent,orfriendtheyonceknew.Theyholdbeliefsthatare diametricallyopposedtothevaluestheyonceheldandarenotwillingtodiscussissuesandlookatfacts.A similarthingappearstobehappeningtothenationandtoindividualfamiliesandrelationships,manyof whichhavebeen broken by therecentpresidentialelection. Ihave known criticsaswell assupportersof Trumpwhoarerigidlyclosed-mindedtoanyopposingevidenceorinformation.Iencouragethemtothink analyticallyandconsciouslyandnoton“automaticpilot.”
WhatI’velearnedinworkingwithsuchpeopleisthatattackingaperson’sbeliefsisdoomedtofail.WhenI firstbeganconfrontingthisreality,IrealizedIhadtodevelopaprocesstohelppeoplerecovertheirindividual facultiesand,ultimately,theirtrue,orauthentic,selves.Ifoundthattoreachthatauthenticself,Ineededto encourageapositive,warmrelationshipbetweencultmembersandfamilies essentially,tobuildtrustand rapport whileraisingessentialquestionsforcultmemberstoconsider.Mygoalinthisbookistoeducate andinspirepeopletoregaintheircapacityforcriticalthinkingandtofreetheirownminds.Bypresentingthis approach, and showing how itappliesto the currentsituation, my hope isthatitmightbe used to heal fracturedfamilies,fracturedrelationships,andafracturednation.
It was stunning. The country had already witnessed the almost daily onslaught of bizarre and contradictorystatementsandbehaviorcomingfrom theTrumpWhiteHouse, butthisshouldhavebeen different.Wasn’tthecabinetsupposedtogivethepresidentunadulterated,honestadviceforrunningthe country,notpraisehimorstrokehisego?Itseemedthatthevideocamerashadbeenallowedintotheroom for the sole purpose ofpublicizing the fawning display. Asthe memberscarried on their praise, Trump smiled,almostgleefully,noddingvigorously.Heinterruptedtheadulationjustlongenoughtoofferhisown somewhatcontradictoryself-praise.
Moon’s Unification Church. They invited me to dinner that evening, and over the following weeks, I experiencedthefullarsenalofinfluencetechniques.Icutoffconnectionwithmyfamilyandfriends and mypreviouslifeandself andwasthrownintorecruitingandindoctrinatingothers.BeforeIknewit,Iwas risingrapidlythroughtheMoonieranks.IwasalreadyafanaticalfollowerofMoonwhenIwasinvitedinto hisinnersanctum,thoughtheproximitytopowerwasaheadyincentivetodoevenmoreforhim.
ButmostofthepressuredidcomefromTrump.Howcoulditbeotherwisewhenthepresidentequates powerwithfear?Mnuchin,Acosta,andtheothershadalreadyseen,ashadtheworld,whathappenstothose who “betray” Trump the shunning, bullying, baiting, and outright expulsion. They had seen Trump unleashthefullfuryofhisangerononeofhisearliestandmostdevotedfollowers,thenattorneygeneralJeff Sessions,forrecusinghimselffromtheFBIinvestigationintopossiblecollusionwithRussiaduringTrump’s presidentialcampaign.TheyhadseenTrumpfiretheheadoftheFBI,JamesComey,forreportedlyrefusing tostopthatsameinvestigation.
Saythewordandmostpeopleusuallythinkofareligiousgroup.Merriam-Websterdictionarydefinesitas “ a religion regarded asunorthodox or spurious.”According to Google, it is“a relatively small groupof people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.” Some expand the definitionbeyondreligiontoa“smallornarrowcircleofpersonsunitedbydevotionorallegiancetosome artisticorintellectualprogram,tendency,orfigure.”Infact,mostcultsdotendtorevolvearoundacentral figure theleader.Cultleadersoftenappeartobedevotedto,andevenembody,thereligionorideology practicedbytheirgroup.Inmyexperience,cultleadersareoftenmotivatedbythreethings:power,money, andsex inthatorder.Itisestimatedthattherearenowmorethanfivethousanddestructivecultsoperating intheUnitedStates,ofvaryingsize,directly andunduly influencingmillionsofpeople.
THE STUDY OF BRAINWASHING
Thoughcultshavebeenaroundforcenturies,itwasduringthesecondhalfofthetwentiethcenturythatthey wereapproachedinasystematicfashion.TheformerairforceandYalepsychiatristRobertJayLiftonwasone ofthefirsttostudyhowauthoritarianleadersandregimes,suchasthoseexperiencedinacult,exerttheir power. Lifton spent much of the 1950s studying the experiences of political prisoners in China and AmericansoldiersheldasprisonersduringtheKoreanWar.Hecametounderstandthatunderconditionsof totalitarianism,thehumanmindcanbesystematicallybrokendownandremadetobelievetheexactopposite ofwhat it once did. In hisseminal 1961 work, Thought Reform andthe Psychology ofTotalism, Lifton
identified eightcriteria ofwhathe called “thoughtreform,”popularly known as“brainwashing”(a term coinedintheearly1950sbytheintelligenceagentandwriterEdwardHuntertodescribehowtheChinese communistarmywasturningpeopleintofollowers).TheTrumpparallelsarestriking:
2. Mystical manipulation. Group and individual experiences are contrived, engineered, and even stagedinawaythatmakesthemseemspontaneousandevensupernaturalordivine.Aleadermaybetold somethingaboutanewmemberandthenpresentthatknowledgetothenewrecruitasiftheyhadsomehow divinedit.Witnessingsuchthings,thememberbelievesthattherearemysticalforcesatwork.
3.Demandforpurity.Viewingtheworldinsimplebinaryterms,as“blackversuswhite,”“goodversus evil,”membersaretoldthattheymuststriveforperfection nomessygrayzones.Theyaresetimpossible standardsofperformance,resultinginfeelingsofguiltandshame.Nomatterhowhardapersontries,they always fall short, feel bad, and work even harder. (Out of twenty-four cabinet posts, at least forty-six appointeeshavebeenfiredorresignedsinceTrump’sinauguration,arecordforthepresidency.1)
8.Dispensingofexistence.Onlythosewhobelongtothegrouphavetherighttoexist.Allex-members andcriticsordissidentsdonot.Thisisperhapsthemostdefiningandpotentiallythemostdangerousofallof Lifton’scriteria.Takentoanextreme,whichithasbeenbysomecultgroups,itcanleadtomurderousand even genocidal actions. Trump doesn’t go that far, but some have argued that hisracist tweets against Muslims,Mexicans,andimmigrants mayhavefueledhatecrimes,suchasthekillingofHeatherHeyerin CharlottesvilleandelevenpeopleattheTreeofLifesynagogueinPittsburgh,tonamejustafew.TheFBIhas reportedthathatecrimeswentup17percentin2017alone,continuingathree-yearrise.2
THE MYSTERY OF MIND CONTROL
InadditiontoLifton,researcherssuchasarmypsychologistMargaretSinger,psychologistEdgarSchein,and military psychiatristLouisJolyon Westhad been studying American POWsheld captive by Korean and Chinesecommunistsandweremakingcontributionstounderstandingcoercivepersuasionandcults.Singer wouldlaterwriteabook,CultsinOurMidst,withcultexpertJanjaLalich,identifyingsixconditionsfor exertingundueinfluenceonaperson.
After World War II, American intelligence agencies began to aggressively engage in mind control research.TheCIAperformeddrug,electroshock,andhypnosisexperimentsonhumansubjectsinorderto developnewwaysofextractinginformationandconfessionsfromSovietspiesandothercaptives,largely, theyclaimed,inresponsetotheallegeduseofmindcontroltechniquesonU.S.prisonersduringtheKorean War.Thisprogram,code-namedMK-ULTRA,beganin1953andcontinuedfornearlytwentyyears,during whichtimefearofcommunismwasreachingnewheights.
Meanwhile,branchesofthemilitary includingthenewlyformedDefenseAdvancedResearchProjects Agency (DARPA), whichwascreatedin 1958 in response to the Sovietlaunching ofSputnik1 began fundingtheworkofsocialpsychologistsatmajoruniversities,aswellasinbranchesofthearmedforces.Two ofthesemilitary-fundedprojectscametofruitionintheearly1970s,eachshowinginadifferentwayhow easily people can be influenced by authoritarian settings. Stanley Milgram, working at Yale University, conducted experiments showing that subjects could be induced to administer ever more powerful and painfulelectricshockstowhattheythoughtwereinnocentsubjectswhendirectedbyanauthorityfigure. Meanwhile, PhilipZimbardo, in hisfamousStanfordPrison Experiment, showed how easily and rapidly subjects in thiscase, collegestudentswhowererandomlyassignedtoplaythepartofeitherprisoneror guard would take on social roles, exhibiting either submissive or authoritarian behaviors, sometimesin quiteextremefashion.Aftersixdays,Zimbardohadtostopwhatwastobeatwo-weekexperiment.
Spurred in part by this and other new research, destructive groups were developing ever more sophisticatedtechniques.Duringthelate1960s,theHumanPotentialMovementinpsychologybeganto experimentwithapproachesthatmightenhancepeople’slives.Oneofthesewasaformofgrouptherapy knownassensitivitytraining.Itstartedwithgoodintentions tohelppeopleoutofdebilitatingmentalruts.
People were encouraged to publicly speak about their most intimate experiences. One technique widely popular at the time was the “hot seat,” which was first used by the drug rehabilitation cult of Charles Dederich,calledSynanon.Someonewouldsitinthecenterofacirclewhileothermembersconfrontedthe personwithwhattheyconsideredtobehisorhershortcomingsorproblems.Withoutthesupervisionofan experiencedtherapist andsometimesevenwithit suchatechniqueopenedupconsiderablepossibilities forabuse.Todaythehotseatisusedbysomedestructivecultstodemeanandcontroltheirmembers.
Anotherdevelopmentwasthepopularizationofhypnosis.Originallythissetofapproachesforreaching thesubconsciousmindwasusedonlyonwillingparticipants,manyofwhomreportedpositiveexperiences. Eventually hypnotic techniquespercolated outinto the general culture, where they became available for anyone to use and abuse. Unscrupulous con artists began using them to make money off unsuspecting subjects while would-be cult leaders used them to gain power by manipulating a coterie of unwitting followers.
Due in partto these new understandingsandmethodsfor controlling people’sminds, cultsbegan to proliferatein thelate1960sand1970s. Someofthem, likeCharlesManson’sgroup, whichcommitteda seriesofmurdersinfourdifferentlocationsovertwodaysin1969,madefrontpageheadlines.Oneofthe biggestcultstoriesofthe time wasofPatty Hearst, the daughter ofone ofthe country’smostpowerful newspaperpublishers,WilliamRandolphHearstIII.OnFebruary4,1974,shewasviolentlyabductedfrom herBerkeley,California,apartment,lockedinacloset,raped,andsystematicallyindoctrinated.Sheemerged totheworldtwomonthslater,duringadramaticbankrobbery,asTania,amemberofaleft-wingterrorist cult,theSymbioneseLiberationArmy.Hearstwascaptured,jailed,andultimatelyfreedandwouldlatertalk aboutherexperiencesasaformofbrainwashing.
Perhapsthebiggestandmostdevastatingstory,onethatturned“cult”intoahouseholdword,wasthe 1978massacreinJonestown,Guyana.MorethanninehundredfollowersofJimJones,aboutathirdofthem under the age of sixteen, drank cyanide-laced fruit punch and died, on the order of Jones. The idea of brainwashinghadbeenintheculturebutthatitcouldbecarriedoutinsuchamassiveanddevastatingway stunnedtheworld.
A MODERN PHENOMENON
Theriseofcultscanbeattributedtoafewotherfactors.Amongthemostfundamentalisthebreakdownof familiesandcommunitiesandthegrowingsensethatoursocietyisindisarray.Economicfactorsplayarole. Alargeandgrowingsegmentoftheworld’spopulationispoor,whilearelativelysmallelitecontrolsaneverincreasing share of the world’s resources. More people have been uprooted, even in the United States. Whereasoncetheycouldexpecttospendtheirentirelifewithinafive-mileradiusoftheirbirthplace,today it’s not unusual to relocate to faraway places. Such big transitions can create greater susceptibility and vulnerabilityinpeople.Theyfeeldisenchantedandseparatedfromtheirculture,andseekanswersinfringe groupsofalltypes,fromfanaticalreligioussectstomilitiagroups.
may become addicted to video games and deprive themselves of the social contact that people need to function in healthy ways. While apocalyptic visions are not new, the means by which they can be promulgatedischangingatanunprecedentedpace.Wehavetelevision,socialnetworks,andtheinternetto spreadalarmistideas.Withtheinternet,it’seasytodownloadinformationandtrainingmanualsandtouse themtomanipulateothersintonewbeliefs,behaviors,andcultidentities.Theinternethasbeenusedtogreat advantagebyterroristgroupslikeISISandBokoHaram,andhumantraffickingrings allofwhichfitthe definitionofacult.
THE INFLUENCE CONTINUUM
Thecultmindsetmightbeblack-and-whitebutcultsthemselvesexistonakindofcontinuum.Groupswith charismatic leaders and devoted followers are not always harmful. Unlike destructive cults, which have memberswhotendtolieanddeceivetorecruitpeople,andwhichcontrolinformationtokeeppeoplefrom doubtingorquestioning,somegroupsaretransparentintheirrecruiting.Theyallowmemberstofreelyread, talk, and even leave the group. Fans of a sports team, musician, or a popular game might fall into this category.BruceSpringsteenhaslegionsofadoringfollowerswhoreverehimandcallhimtheBoss,butthey arefreetoleaveaconcert,arepermittedtonotlikeaparticularsongoralbum,andareallowedtolikeother musicians. Thisisafanciful example butitmakesthe pointthatgroupsexistalong acontinuum from healthyethicalinfluencetodestructiveunethicalinfluence.Distinctcriteriacanbeusedtodiscernharmless groupsfromdestructiveones.Dependingonwhichcriteriaareused,groupsmayfallatdifferentpointsalong thiscontinuum.Theymaybemoreorlessharmfulwithregardtocertainaspects,andlesssoregardingothers, thoughdestructivebehaviorsdotendtocluster.
Ultimately,it’snotagroup’scontentorideologybutratheritspatternofbehaviorthatgenerallydefinesit as a destructive cult. Cults can promote all kinds of beliefs in all kinds of areas commercial, political,
psychological, beliefsin UFOs, science fiction, aswell asreligious butthey typically possessa common structure.
SomeofTrump’sfollowersmayhavedisliked,evenhated,himatthestartbuthavecometorespectand evenreverehim,thankstothepolicieshehasimplemented.MuchofTrump’ssupport,bothinhisbaseand intheupperechelons,comesfromtheRepublicanParty,theChristianright,libertariangroups,theNational Rifle Association, the alt-right, andwhite supremacy groups. These movementsandorganizations, ifnot theirindividualmembers,mayseeinTrumpausefultoolforenactingtheirownpoliticalagendas.Trump himselfhasnorealideologyotherthantheonehehadasbusinessman:winning.Hehasdependedonadvisors such as Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, and Stephen Miller; a covey of wealthy donors such as the
Initially,cultsexerttheircontrolthroughothermembers thepowerofcommunityishuge.Thesocial settingmaybeintimate suchasthreewomen chattingyou upin acafeteria andbecomeprogressively moreexpansive.Peoplecanalsoberecruitedandindoctrinatedonline.Humansareintenselysocialandcults play upon this, often creating an instantsense ofcommunity throughtechniquessuchaslove bombing; groupprayer,singing,andchanting;andstagedanddramaticgroupexperiences,suchasthosethatoccurat politicalrallies.
THE BITE MODEL
Cult membersmay bring other people through the door but what ensnaresthem isa complex array of influencetechniques, appliedincrementally tocontrolalmostevery aspectofaperson theway they act (behavior),whattheyread,watch,orlistento(information),thewaytheythink(thoughts),andhowtheyfeel (emotions).Trumphasgottenmillionsofpeopletobelieve,support,andevenadorehimbyusingtechniques ineachoftheseareas:
Behavior:Trumpdemandsloyaltyandobedience,andoftengetsit,usingavarietyoftried-and-truecult tacticssuchasshunning and publicly insulting those who disagree withhim. He createsfalse enemies Mexicans, Muslims, themedia, tonamejustafew toengenderusversusthem thinking, whichrenders peoplemorefearfulandobedient.Herewardsthosewhosupporthimandpunishesthosewhodon’t.He holdsmassralliesfilledwithpeoplewearingTrumpandMakeAmericaGreatAgainhatsandT-shirtsand chantingslogans,whichpromoteidentificationwithhimandthegroupinoppositiontooutsiders,though thisisacommonfeatureofmanypoliticalrallies.
Information:Cultleadersaremastersofdeceptionbutthey,likeTrump,useothertactics:discouraging accessto noncult or critical sourcesof information; compartmentalizing information into insider versus outsiderdoctrines.ClearlyTrump’sbrandingofthe“liberalmedia”as“fakenews”or“phony”hitsthesenails right on the head. On the flip side, cults flood their members with cult-generated information and propaganda videosandpodcastsdistributedbyYouTubeandsocialmedia.Theytake“outsider”statements out ofcontext or misquote them. Ofcourse, Trumpcould not have done thiswithout the propaganda machineofright-wingTVshowslikeFoxandBreitbartNews,aswellasright-wingtalkradio.
Thought:IntheMoonies,Iwastaughttosuppressnegativethoughtsbyusingatechniquecalledthought stopping.Irepeatedthephrase“CrushSatan”or“TrueParents”(thetermusedtodescribeMoonandhis wife,HakJaHan)wheneveranydoubtaroseinmymind.Anotherwaytocontrolthoughtsisthroughthe useofloadedlanguage,which,asLiftonpointedout,ispurposelydesignedtoinvokeanemotionalresponse. When I look at the list of thought-controlling techniques reducing complex thoughts into clichés and platitudinous buzz words; forbidding critical questions about the leader, doctrine, or policy; labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate or evil it is astounding how many Trump exploits. As I have mentioned,oneofthemosteffectivetechniquesinthethoughtcontrolarsenalishypnosis.ScottAdams,the
Emotion:Cultshavemanytechniquesforcontrollingtheirmembers’emotions,suchasmakingthemfeel thattheyarespecialandchosen trueAmericans,inTrump’sparlance.Butthemosteffectiveisbyfanning fear and implanting phobias. Trump’s Wall is most compelling because of what it will do keep out murderersand rapists. Inspiring fear ofreal and imagined threatsiswhatcultleadersdo best. It wasby exaggeratingthethreatofforeignersthathegainedhisfootholdinthepoliticallandscape.Trump’sperverse genius,andhefollowsinthefootstepsofcultleadersanddictatorsalike,istoconvincehisfollowersthatthe worldisadangerousplacethatonlyhecanfix.
AsNewYorkTimescolumnistCharlesBlowobserved,“Trump’smagicalmixtureistomakebeingafraid feellikefun.Hisralliesareahybridofconcertrevelryandcombatprep.Trumptellshisfollowersaboutall thethingsofwhichtheyshouldbeafraid,orshouldn’ttrustorshouldhate,andthenpositionshimselfasthe greatest defense against those things. His supporters roar their approval at their white knight.”4 The unfortunate thing is, all his fearmongering has made the country and the world a more divided and dangerousplace.
AUTHENTIC SELF/CULT SELF
Ultimately the goal ofthe cultindoctrination processisto render a person dependentandobedient to createakindof“cultself”thatsuppressesthe“authenticself”thatapersonisbornwith.Throughmywork, I’vecometobelievethatpeoplewanttobefree theydonotlikebeingliedto,manipulated,orexploited. Reachingthatauthenticself,andhelpingtoliberateit,isthegoalofmyworkwithcultmembers.Itwas striking how Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen described himself in dichotomous terms during his February 2019 congressional testimony. He was the devoted husband, father, and son of a Holocaustsurvivorwho“triedtolivealifeofloyalty,friendship,generosity,andcompassion.”Hewasalso themanwhoignoredhisconscienceandwas“somesmerizedbyDonaldTrumpthatIwaswillingtodo thingsforhimthatIknewwereabsolutelywrong.”Heclaimedthathewasevenpreparedtotakeabulletfor Trump.
THE FIVE MAIN TYPES OF CULTS
AsImentioned,groupsusingmindcontroloperateinmanydifferentareasofsociety,buttheyroughlyfall intofivecategories:religiouscults, politicalcults, psychotherapy/educationalcults, commercialcults, and cultsofpersonality.Theirphilosophicalinclinationsmayvary,buttheirmethodsarestrikinglysimilar.
Religious Cults
Religiouscults,liketheMoonies,Heaven’sGate,andmorerecently,theIslamicterroristgroupISIS,arethe best known and most numerous. These groupsuse religiousdogma to justify their ends. Some, like the MooniesortheWorldMissionSocietyChurchofGod,usetheirinterpretationoftheBible.Inthecaseof ISIS,it’softheKoran.Some,likeSokaGakkai,arebasedontheirownversionofBuddhism.ShokoAsahara,
These groups are organized around a particular political dogma. The Aryan Nations believes in white supremacyandhasambitionstotakeover theU.S. government. Lyndon LaRouche, theapocalypticand conspiracy-obsessedcultleader whoran for presidentoftheUnitedStateseighttimes, oncefrom prison, startedonthefarleftandendedonthefarright.Thenow-defunctDemocraticWorkers’PartyofCalifornia, headedbyMarleneDixon,wasforyearsanextremeleft-wingcult,aswastheSymbioneseLiberationArmy, thecultthatkidnappedPattyHearst.TheNaziParty,underAdolfHitler,wasaninfamouspoliticalcult. This is true of many dictatorships. They are brutal, repressive regimes that imprison or kill critics and dissidentsand,likeHitler,usepropagandatospreadtheirmessageandkeeppeopleinline.KimJong-un’s NorthKorea,RobertMugabe’sZimbabwe,VladimirPutin,theSaudiprinceMohammedBinSalman they controlthepressandpreventfreeassemblyandelectionsthatmightchecktheirpower.Rarelydopeoplehear aboutthedeceptiverecruitmentandmindcontrolpracticesthatlinktheseauthoritarianregimestopolitical cults.Butdespotstendtoplaybysimilarrules.Theyusesimilarwords,techniques,andpoliticalmovesto acquire control and power. Dictators don’t just install irrational fears they actually have the power to imprison,torture,huntdown,andkillopponents.
Psychotherapy/Education Cults
These cults hold expensive workshops and seminars that provide participants with “insight” and “enlightenment,”usuallyinahotelconferenceroom.Theyusebasicmindcontroltechniquestoprovide participantswithpeakexperiences,whichareusuallyhypnoticallyinducedtrancesorstatesofeuphoria.For many,thatisallthathappens,butothersaremanipulatedtosignupformoreexpensiveadvancedcourses. Graduatesoftheadvancedcoursesmaythenbecomeenmeshedinthegroup.Oncecommitted,membersare toldtobringinfriends,relatives,andcoworkers,ortocutoffcontactwiththemiftheydisapprove.Some membershaveexperiencednervousbreakdowns,brokenmarriages,andbusinessfailures,aswellassuicides andaccidentaldeathsbyrecklessaccidentsasaresultoftheirinvolvement.Thepeoplewhorunthesegroups sometimeshavequestionablepersonalbackgrounds,and,often,fewornocredentials.
Commercial Cults
Commercial cults prey on people’s desire for wealth and power. Many are pyramid-shaped marketing organizationswhose membersdeceptively recruit people who, in turn, recruit others, who then provide incomefortherecruitingmember.CompanieslikeAmwayandHerbalifepromiseget-rich-quickschemes through selling goods, such as health and beauty products or supplements. These pyramid-scheme or
Some of these companies have gotten into trouble with federal regulators for defrauding members. Yet membersofthesegroupsareindoctrinatedtobelievethatthepyramidschemeworks.Iftheylosemoney,it’s theirfault.
Some multilevel marketing organizations sell services, such as business and leadership programs and seminars. Major legitimate businessesunwittingly hire these pseudo-consultantsto train their employees. Believerswithinthecompanypressureotheremployeestoattendtheprograms.Oneofthemostnotorious groupsisKeithRaniere’sNXIVM,whichinearly2018camecrashingdown.Ranierewasarrested,andlater convicted,forsextrafficking,conspiracytocommitforcedlabor,andothercharges.Hehadpreviouslybeen shut down by no fewer than twenty attorneys general for his multilevel marketing, pyramid scheme, ConsumersBuyline.Hethencreatedacoachingentity,ExecutiveSuccessPrograms,thatemployedmanyof the psychological techniques used in destructive cults. The 2018 arrest made headlines not only for the organization’sluridpractices usingacauterizingirontoforciblybrandwomenwithRaniere’sinitials but alsobecauseofitscelebrityinvolvement.OneofRaniere’smainlieutenantswasSmallvilleactressAllison Mack,whowasalsoarrested.Shewouldlaterpleadguiltytoracketeeringandracketeeringconspiracy.6
Perhaps the most pernicious of all commercial cults are pimps and human trafficking rings who deceptivelyrecruitpeoplewithdreamsofmakingmoney,andthenbuyandsellthemforsexandlabor.An estimated4.8millionpeoplearevictimsofsextraffickingworldwide,andmorethan40millionarevictimsof labortrafficking.Organizedcrime,drugcartels,andgangsoftenmakemoneyfromextortion,sellingonthe blackmarket,andhumantrafficking.
Thoughcultsgenerallyfallintooneormoreoftheabovecategories,therearenumerousothervariations, fromcomputertosciencefictionandUFOcults.Heaven’sGatefallsintothelastcategorybutitwasalsoa religiouscult anditisoftentruethatcultsfallintomorethanonecategory.NXIVMwasasexcultaswell asacommercialcult.Politicalcultsmayusereligionasacloak,asdotheMooniesandsomeChristianright groups. Cultscan be huge andhave many millionsofpeople, like the Jehovah’sWitnesses, a groupthat satisfiesmanyofthemaincriteriaoftheBITEmodel.Othersmaybetiny,consistingofjusttwopeople.
Personality Cults
Sometimesthecharisma,fame,money,andcelebrityofasingleperson oftenmale canformthebasisfora high-demandrelationshiporgroup.Thesemicrocultsmayconsistofafewmembersorevenjustanabuser andhisorhervictim.Insuchcases,apersoncontrolsordominatesanotherpersontosuchanextremethat theycannotthinkforthemselves,renderingthemdependentandobedient.Theabusercanbeaspouse,a parent, a therapist, or someone completely unrelated. Many domestic abusers are adept in BITE model techniques,andusethemtocontroltheirvictims.Mostabusersaremalebutthereareapercentageofwomen whofitthe profile. Personality cultscan alsoexiston amassivescale, especially in politicalcults. Korean leaderKimJong-un’sfaceisplasteredalloverNorthKorea,whereheisidolizedandveneratedasadeity, thoughthatispartlyduetothestructureofhisoffice.Atsomepoint,mostcultsdodependonthepowerand charismaoftheirleader.
Trumpisan interesting andunique case. He ran the TrumpOrganization asabusinessthatusedhis personalitytosellproducts,especiallyrealestate,buthehasalsobrandedproductlinesfromcasinostosteaks, vodka,andanairline allfailures.WhenhebecamearealityTVstar,apersonaofsavvybusinessmanwas constructed through careful editing and information management. I would describe his presidency as a personalitycultthatusespoliticsandreligiousright-wingideology anti-abortion,antiscience,antidiversity, white power, if not outright racism to sell himself and, by association, the Republican Party. But the influence goestwo ways. Organizationsholding those right-wing ideologiesuse Trumpto sell their own political and religious agendas. Former FBI director James Comey likened Trump to a mafia kingpin, anothernodtothecultofpersonalitysurroundinghim.
In their edited anthology, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, Bandy X. Lee and her colleagues describewhattheyperceivetobeTrump’spsychologicalmakeup thementalinstability,extremehedonism, grandioseomnipotence,andnarcissistictendencies.Infact,thelistappliestomanycultleaders SunMyung Moon,L.RonHubbard,DavidKoresh,JimJones,KeithRaniere,tonamejustafew.Mostcultleaderswere eitherbornintoacult,laterjoinedone,orhadsignificantexposuretoauthoritarianfigures.Thequestion arises,howdotheseexperiencescontributetothemakingofacultleader?
Intheir1991book,AgeofPropaganda,AnthonyR.PratkanisandElliotAronsonprovide,somewhat tongue in cheek, a formula. In a chapter titled “How to Become a Cult Leader,”7 they describe seven “mundanebutproven-effectivetactics,”whichIsummarizehere:
4. Establish your credibility and attractiveness through myths and stories that can be passed from membertomember(thatTrumpmadehisownfortuneandwaschosenbyGodtoleadthenation).
Inearly2019,apoliticalbrawlbrokeoutbetweenPresidentTrumpandCongressoverTrump’splanto build a wall on the U.S. southern border. Thisled to the longestgovernmentshutdown in history. For Trump,itwasallaboutmakinggoodonacampaignpromise.Hethreatenedto andlaterdid declarea national emergency, using false information about a huge migrant caravan supposedly filled with drug dealersandrapiststodrumupfearandtojustifyhisactions.1Hisinsistenceonawallputmorethan800,000 governmentemployeesoutofwork(andpay)forthirty-fivedays.Meanwhile,thousandsofpeople,many fleeingdangeroussituationsin embattledCentralAmerican countries, wereunabletoexercisetheir legal righttoseekasylumbecauseofthebacklogattheborder.Trump’sactions,whichappealedtohismostloyal base,constitutedanunprecedentedactfromamanwhoisusedtohavinghisway andusinganymeansto getit.
Trumplovestowieldauthority,thoughheoftendoessoinaham-fistedandfreneticfashion.Likeallcult leaders, he came to his authoritarian tendencies through a long and varied life, filled with a variety of formativeexperiences.Hehasreinventedhimselfmanytimes presidentishislatestmanifestation.Tohear himtellit,hislifestoryisthatofaself-mademanwhohasweatheredmanyupsanddownsbydintofhis personalattributes,andmostofall,abeliefinhisownabilities.
Trumphasseizeduponandcreatedopportunities,yes,buthehasalsobeenhelped,andevenrescued, manytimes byhisfather,hiscreditors,bytheHollywoodproducerMarkBurnett,andlaterbythosewho helpedmake him president. Like all ofus, Trumphasbeen shapedby people andeventsthatreachback decadesintime,tohisearlychildhood,andevenbeforethat.
Tounderstandhowhehascomebyhisparticularconstellationoftraitsrequireslookingathispersonal narrative.WhatisinterestingisthatthoughTrump’sstorydivergesinmanyrespectsfromothercultleaders hewasbornintowealth,whilemanyhadmuchscrappierbeginnings itispossibletodiscernapattern:a cold or absent mother, an authoritarian father or other relative, a childhood filled with acting out and aggressive behavior, in some cases exposure to a military setting, spending time with a church or set of teachings,andfallinginwithotherauthoritarianfigures,insomecasesothercultleaders.
In1885,athin,blond-hairedmannamedFriedrichDrumpf laterchangedtoFrederickTrump leftthe BavariantownofKallstadtcarryingonlyasmallsuitcase,andarrivedbyboatinNewYorkCityatjustsixteen yearsofage.2 HeworkedasabarberbeforemovingtothePacificNorthwest,wherehemadeanamefor himself running restaurants, boardinghouses, and brothels in the booming mining towns. In 1901, he
In 1905, the couple had a son, Fred. When Frederick died thirteen years later, during the 1918 flu pandemic,Elizabeth,displayingremarkablebusinesstalent,hiredacontractortobuildhousesonanempty pieceofpropertylefttoherbyherhusband. Shesoldthem andlivedoffthemortgagespaidbythenew owners.WhenFredwasateenager,shefoldedhimintothebusiness,foundingElizabethTrump&Son(later knownastheTrumpOrganization).Fredtooktothebusinessquickly,displayingaflairforshowmanship andsalesmanship,eventuallybecomingoneofNewYork’sbiggestrealestatedevelopers.
HewouldgoontomarryScottishimmigrantMaryMacLeodandhavefivechildren.Thefourth,bornin 1946,wasDonaldJ.Trump.In1950,Fredbuilt,andmovedhisfamilyinto,ahugetwenty-three-room, nine-bathroom redbrick mansion, staffed with a cook and chauffeur and fully equipped with a color television,aluxurybackthen,andanintercomsystem.3Sophisticatedandimpeccablydressed,Maryplayed the“perfecthousewife.”AsTrumpremembersinTheArtoftheDeal,shewas“enthralledbythepompand circumstance,”andseemedhappytotakeonthesocietaldutiesasthewifeofarealestatemogul.
MARY, FRED, AND DONALD
Marywasapparentlylessenthusiasticabouthermaternalduties.Trump’schildhoodfriendsreportthatthey rarelysawher.“Hisfatherwouldbearoundandwatchhimplay.Hismomdidn’tinteractinthatway.”4 ThoughMaryclearlyplayedaroleinyoungTrump’slife,itisdefined,insomeways,byherabsence.Tothis day,Trumprarelymentionsher.“Youdon’thavetobeFreudorFellinitointerpretthis,”saidMarkSmaller, past president of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APA), speaking with Michael Kruse for his Politicoarticle,“TheMysteryofMaryTrump.”5 Krusequotesotherexperts,includingpastAPApresident Prudence Gourguechon, who describes the all-important role that the mother plays in establishing the cognitiveandemotionalarchitectureofaperson.“Thecapacitytotrust.Asenseofsecurityversusinsecurity. Knowing what’s real and what’s not real. Your mother helps you identify your feelings and develop a cognitivestructuresoyoudon’thavetoactonthemimmediately.AndIthinkit’sfairtosaythatthecapacity forempathydevelopsthroughyourmaternalrelationship.”6
Adisruptioninthebondingprocess,called“insecureparentalattachment,”duringthefirsttwoyearsof lifecanpredisposeapersontodevelopinganarcissisticpersonalitydisorder,whichwewillexploreinthenext chapter.Itturnsoutthatseveralcultleaders,includingCharlesManson,JimJones,andDavidKoresh,had problematic relationshipswith their mothers, and in some casesno relationship at all. Manson’smother wouldgooutdrinking andactually wenttoprison for robbery, andwouldabandon him torelativesor neighbors. Koreshgrew upbelieving hisauntwashismother andspenttimeshuffling between relatives’ houses.Jones’smotherwasoutworking,leavinghimtowandertheneighborhoodevenasatoddler.
Byhisownadmission,Trumpwasadifficultchild.AsheconfessedinTheArtoftheDeal,“Iwasavery assertive, aggressive kid. In the secondgrade, I actually gave a teacher ablackeye—I punchedmy music teacherbecauseIdidn’tthinkheknewanythingaboutmusicandIalmostgotexpelled.I’mnotproudof that,butit’sclearevidencethatevenearlyonIhadatendencytostandupandmakemyopinionsknownina veryforcefulway.ThedifferencenowisthatIliketousemybraininsteadofmyfists.”10
JimJoneswouldgetintoshoutingmatchesontheschoolgrounds.Inhisbook,Raven:TheUntoldStory oftheRev.JimJonesandHisPeople,TimReitermanquotesJonesassaying:“Iwasreadytokillbytheendof thethirdgrade.Iwassofuckingaggressiveandhostile.…Nobodygive[sic]meanylove,anyunderstanding.” FuturecultleaderCharlesMansonwouldgetotherstodohisbidding.Asayouth,hepersuadedgirlstobeat upboyshedidn’tlike,andwouldinsistthegirlshadactedontheirown aforeshadowingofhislateractions. ShokoAsahara,theleaderofAumShinrikyo,wasbornsightlessinoneeyeandattendedaschoolforthe blind.Thoughhispartialsightednesselevatedhimtotheroleofprotector,heoccasionallyactedasabully, reportedly breaking a classmate’s eardrum in a fight. When chastised, he threatened to burn down the dormitory.11
Asa child, Trumpmisbehavedso often andwassentto detention so frequently thathisinitials, DT, becamehisfriends’shorthandfor“punishment.”12Onestudent,StevenNachtigall,nowadoctor,described Trumpasa“loudmouthbully”whooncejumpedoffhisbiketo“pummel”anotherboy.13CharlesWalker, oneofTrump’steachers,afterlearningofTrump’spresidentialrun,reportedlydescribedhiminevenless flatteringterms:“Eventhenhewasalittleshit.”Trumpwouldlaterdescribehisapproach:“Whensomebody triestopushmearound,whenthey’reaftermyass,IpushbackahellofalotharderthanIwaspushedinthe firstplace.”
“We have made the mistake ofthinking thatChristianity isa creed to be recited,”he wrote. “On the contrary,itisapowertobetapped.”14Peale’sinfluencegrewquickly.Hewouldhostalong-runningweekly radioprogram,calledTheArtofLiving;foundtheorganizationandmagazineGuideposts;andwriteseveral
Nicknamed“God’ssalesman,”Pealetaughtakindofforerunnertocontemporaryprosperitygospel if youbelieveinyourself100percentandprayforfinancialsuccess,Godwillgrantyoublessings.Inareligious traditionwherematerialwealthandsuccessaretheconsequencesoffaith,povertyandfailurearethewagesof sinanddoubt.
Pealetaughthisfollowerstocontroltheirthoughtsbypushingasideself-doubt,aformofself-hypnosis akintothoughtstopping.Suchapracticebanishesdoubtbutalsoleavesnoroomforskepticism,criticism, introspection, or any ofthe other toolsnecessary for free thought.15 The flipside wasa kind ofpositive magicalthinking:ifyouthinkandwillsomethingstronglyenough,youcanmakeithappen akindofearly versionofthenewage“wishfulthinking”philosophyofferedinTheSecret,TheLawofAttraction,andother works.CharlesMansonlearnedasimilarapproachthroughaDaleCarnegiecoursehetookwhenhewasa youngmaninprison,doingtimeforacartheft.AsJeffGuinnobservedinhisbiography,Manson:TheLife andTimesofCharlesManson,laterinlife,peoplewouldsayitwaslikehecouldreadtheirminds.“‘Hecame andtalkedtomeanditwaslikehewasimmediatelythefriendI’dwantedandhadneverhad.’Everylinehe used,almostwordforword,comesfromaDaleCarnegietextbookcalledHowtoWinFriendsandInfluence People. ”16
Theological criticsaccused Peale of making religion about the person, and not about God.17 Mental healthexpertsdenouncedhistechniquesasdangerous,possiblyleadingtodelusionsandharmfulbehavior, despitePeale’sinclusionofunnamed“scientificstudies”thatsupportedhisphilosophy.18
PealeremainedconnectedtoTrumpforyears.HewouldofficiateatTrump’sfirstwedding,toIvana,as wellastheweddingsofTrump’stwosisters,MaryanneandElizabeth,andalsoatthefuneralsofFredand Mary.20 TrumpwouldoftenquoteorthankPeale.Ina2009interview,TrumpcreditedPeale’steachings withhelpinghimsurvivehisbankruptciesandotherfinancialhardtimes.“Irefusedtogiveintothenegative circumstancesandneverlostfaithinmyself.Ididn’tbelieveIwasfinishedevenwhenthenewspaperswere sayingso,”hesaid.21InAugust2015then-candidateTrumptoldreporters,“IamaPresbyterianProtestant.I go to Marble Collegiate Church,”adding that he tried to attend church asoften aspossible, even while traveling.Soonafter,MarbleCollegiateChurch whichisReformedProtestantratherthanPresbyterian
Whether or not he attended the church, Trump’sdebt to Peale isundeniable. Trump’sextreme selfconfidence,borderingongrandiosity;hisrefusaltonegotiateortakenoforananswer;hispredator-versuspreystancetowardotherpeople;histasteforwinning allwereforgedinpartduringthoseSundaymorning sermons.Yearslater,TrumpwoulddrawuponPeale’spositivethinkingideologyinhisown“sermons” his campaignspeechesbeforethousandsofcheeringfollowers.
Trump,thehypercompetitiveboy,blossomedattheacademy,evenifhedidkeepuphisreputationasa bully heoncetriedtopushafellowcadetoutofasecond-floorwindowduringafight.26Evenawayfrom home,Trumpwasfollowingtheguidanceofhisdisciplinariandad thatinlife,therewerekillersandprey, andtosucceedyouneededtobeakiller.TonySchwartz,Trump’sghostwriterforTheArtoftheDeal,stated in an interview: “You either createdandexploitedfear, or you succumbedto it, ashe thoughthisolder brotherhad.Thisnarrow,defensiveoutlooktookholdataveryearlyage,anditneverevolved.”27 Trump’s brother,FredJr.,diedofalcoholismattheageofforty-three,areasonthatTrumpsayshedoesnotdrinkor smoke.
Fascinated with Hollywood and moviemaking, Donald wanted to attend the University of Southern California but was rejected.28 He enrolled instead at nearby Fordham University. After two years, he transferredtothe University ofPennsylvania’sWharton School ofBusiness, where he graduatedwithout honors.29
Trump’searly yearsin Queensmay shedlighton hislater policiesaspresident. In aNewYorkTimes opinionpiece,ThomasB.EdsallquotesHarvardsociologistRobertSampsonassaying,“[I]twasnoaccident thatAllinTheFamilywassetinQueens.Theexplosionofimmigrationandtheracialchangeinthemakeup of Queensmight have left an especially deep imprint, because [Trump’s] constant referencesto making America great again evoke an earlier time that was considerably less diverse. Indeed, building walls and stemmingthetideofsuchchangeseemstobeattheheartofTrump’sappealstoarememberednationalpast, andinthiscase,ofhischildhood.”34
The father-son team continued developing mostly low- and middle-income properties in Brooklyn and Queens.Atsomepoint,theyoungerTrumpdecidedtomakeanameforhimself.Usingthatnowfamous million-dollar “ very small”loan from Dad the NewYorkTimes recently estimated that Trump’s father actuallylenthimmorethan$60million hesetouttomakehisownflashymarkinNewYorkCity.His unconventionalbusinesspracticeshelpedhimgetthebackingtobranchoutbeyondtheouterboroughs,over thebridge,andintoManhattan,wherehetookabiggambleandtransformedtheoldCommodoreHotel into the sparkling Grand Hyatt. In 1979 he broke ground on what would become the opulent Trump Tower,whichdrippedwithgoldandmarble.40
In1985,heacquiredtheabandonedrailyardsalongastretchofthewestsideofManhattan.“Nosooner had I announced my plans publicly than other bidders for the rail yards suddenly came out of the woodwork,”TrumpwroteinTheArtoftheDeal.“I’mthefirsttoadmitthatIamverycompetitiveandthat I’lldonearlyanythingwithinlegalboundstowin.Sometimes,partofmakingadealisdenigratingyour competition.”41
HavingmadehismarkinNewYorkCity,Trumpwentontoplaceabiggerbetbybuyinguphotelsand casinos, and also land from mob-ownedsources, in AtlanticCity, New Jersey. New Jersey had legalized gamblingin1977.DisappointedthatNewYorkhadn’topenedupthestateforgambling,Trumpstarted lookingsouthfornewopportunities.TrumpPlazaopenedin1984,andsoonafter,TrumpCastle&Casino. Stillwantingmore,Trumppourednearly$500millionintothemakingoftheglitzyTajMahal.Initiallythis buyingspreegavehimabigpaydayandmadehimahouseholdname.Everythinghetouchedseemedtoturn togold.Hewrotehisbestsellingbook,TheArtoftheDeal,withghostwriterTonySchwartz.Inittheydrewa vivid picture of a shrewd, rich, brash, and successful businessman, one who lived by an eat-or-be-eaten understandingoftheworld.Trumpalsomademoviecameosandplasteredhisnameoneverythingfrom steakstoairplanes.Hemarriedamodel,IvanaZelníc˘ková,in1977,withReverendPealepresiding,andhad threechildren:DonaldJr.,Ivanka,andEric.IvanawouldbecomeavitalpartoftheTrumpOrganization, leadingthedesignofTrumpTowerandoverseeingtherevampofTrumpCastleHotel&Casino.
ItwasattheJerseyShoreinthelate1980sthatTrumpembracedtheboxingworld,hostinganumberof matchespromotedbysilver-hairedDonKing.HealsohostedtwoWorldWrestlingEntertainment(WWE) events WrestlemaniaIVandV.Ithadbeentheglorydaysforthesport,withthelikesofHulkHoganand RandySavagestormingtheringforanoutsizetakedownthatwouldbeviewedbymillionsoffans.WWE’s rough-and-tumble, ready-for TV antics seemed simpatico with Trump’s larger than life personality. The
In October 1993, Marla had a daughter, Tiffany, with Trump. The couple soon married, though they divorcedsixyearslater.In2005,TrumpmarriedtheSlovenianbornmodelMelaniaKnauss,whoborehima son,Barron.Afewmonthslater,Trumpwouldallegedlyhaveasecretaffairwiththepornstaranddirector Stormy Daniels. The hugely publicized affair with Maples had already earned Trump a reputation as a womanizer onehedidlittletorefute.Infact,heseemedtorevelinit,oftenspeakingwithradioshowhost HowardSternabouthisconquestsand,ononeoccasion,withtheAccessHollywoodhostBillyBush.Itwas duringthisconversationthatTrumpmadehisinfamousremarksabouthowbeingastarallowedhimtograb womenbythegenitals.ArecordingofhisconversationwithBushwouldsurfaceduringhis2016campaign. Ingeneral,Trump’smisogynisticviewsonwomenwouldmakeforcontroversyasheranforpresidentin 2016.
THE COMEBACK KID
Trump’svariousbankruptciesandscandalsdidnotkeephimdownforlong.HemadehiscomebackonTV, finding a kindred spirit in Mark Burnett, the hugely successful producer of the reality show Survivor.46 Burnett had the idea to make an urban jungle version of Survivor. Using his classic reality-competition formula,apowerfulCEOwouldpitcorporatehopefulsagainsteachotherforajob.Heneededsomeone bigger than life, someone who had a recognizable name, someone with “feral charisma.” When he saw Trumpatanevent,heknewhehadfoundhisman.
Atthetime,castingTrumpashostwasseenasahugegamble.Hehadbeenlabeleda“D-lister” someone who lost all his money, a clownlike figure who couldn’t be taken seriously. Supervising editor of The ApprenticeJonathonBrauntoldtheNewYorker,“WeknewTrumpwasafake…butwemadehimouttobe
SomesaytheshowlaunchedTrump’spresidentialcampaignbyrehabilitatinghisimageintoa“Masterof the Universe,”a self-made man who typified the American dream. “MarkBurnett’sshow wasthe single biggestfactorinputtingTrumpinthenationalspotlight,”saidghostwriterTonySchwartz.
TherelationshipwithBurnettwouldcontinuebeyondTrump’sstintontheshow.Theyremaingood friends and, outside of criticizing the way Trump ran his 2016 campaign, Burnett hasn’t said or done anything to criticize Trump’s actions as president. In addition, he has not yielded to calls to release the Apprentice tapes that are purported to have captured damaging racist and sexist remarks from Trump. Burnett,adevoutevangelicalChristian,alongwithhiswifetheactress-producerRomaDowney,introduced Trumpatthe2018annualNationalPrayerBreakfast,heldinWashington,D.C.,aneventthatwasfounded bytheconservativeChristianfoundationtheFellowship,alsoknownastheFamily.
THE TRUMP BRAND
Trump took advantage of his newly burnished celebrity by promoting self-branded companies and aggressivelyseekingoutlicensingdeals.Hemadedozensofdealsovertheyears,includingTrumphotels, Trumpgolfcourses,TrumpSteaks,TrumpMagazine,Trump:TheGame,andTrumpFragrance.In2009, helicensedhisnametotheTrumpNetworkforanundisclosedsum.
48
The Trump Network was a rebranding of a pseudo-medical vitamin company called Ideal Health, founded in 1997 by three alumni ofthe multilevel marketing organization NuSkin Lou DeCapri and brothersToddandScottStanwood. In their salesmaterials, they promisedthat“Ideal Healthisthe only companyinAmericathatputsthepowertoregainnutritionalbalanceandrestoremetabolichealthbackin yourhands.”Theypromisedmiraclesinbottles.Thecompanywasactuallyanotherpyramid-stylescheme thatreliedonrecruitingavastnetworkofpeopletosellquestionableproductsusingquestionablepractices. Theypromisedgreatwealthtoitsnetworkofsalespeoplebutitwastypicallyonlythoseattheverytopofthe pyramidwhomademoney.49ThefounderswerethrilledtohaveTrumpasthepublicfacepromotingtheir products.Inasalesvideo,theyproclaim“It’sanobrainer.Thatbringssomuchtothe[networkmarketing] industry,itbringscredibility,itbringsustoanewlevel.BecauseeveryonerecognizesandtruststhatTrump brandname.”50
ThoughTrumphadnoroleinthedevelopmentormanufacturingoftheproducts,hebeganspeakingat conferencesinMiamiandLasVegas,allowinghisnameandfamilycresttobeusedinpromotionalmaterials, andappearinginatleastoneonlinevideotopromotethebusiness.51 TheTrumpnamewasgoldtopeople whoworkedforIdeal.“Oh,mygod,peoplecriedwhentheyhearditwashim,”saysJennaKnudsen,aformer salesperson for Ideal Health. “They cried and looked at each other and said, ‘We’re going to be millionaires!’”52
It turns out, Trump was considering the presidency as early as 1980. In an interview that year, TV personalityRonaBarrettaskedTrump:“WouldyouliketobethepresidentoftheUnitedStates?”
InApril2017,agroupofdistinguishedpsychiatristsandmentalhealthprofessionalsconvenedatYaleSchool ofMedicine to discussan extraordinarily delicate conundrum: the mental health ofthe president ofthe UnitedStates.AlarmedbythewayDonaldTrumpconductedhiscampaignandalsobyhiscommunications andactionsaspresident,andfeelingastrongdutytowarnthepublic,theydecidedtopublishtheirviewsina book, edited by Yale forensic psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee, called The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. Althoughtheystoppedshortofmakingaformaldiagnosis,theauthorsfoundabundantevidencethatTrump exhibitedadisturbing anddangerouspsychologicalpattern:narcissistictendencies, impulsivity, delusions, paranoia, xenophobia, misogyny, inability to take ownership of errors, pathological lying, and extreme hedonism.
“Aren’tallpresidentsnarcissists?”somemayask.Theofficeselectsfor,andmayevenrequire,acertain amountofnarcissisticbehavior.1Thatmaybetruerofrecentpresidents.2Todealwiththeconstantpressure andscrutinyoftheoffice,aswellashandletheweightofresponsibilityforthehealthandsafetyofmillionsof Americans,presidentsneedastrong,ifnotinflated,senseofself.Theymustbedrivenbythebeliefthatthey arethebestpersontorunthecountry.Ittakesenormousconfidence,boldness,andbravado aswellasfocus and persistence to realize thatdream. Small wonder thatthe jobselectsfor a kind offlamboyance and assertiveandinterpersonalstyle whatmightbecalled“grandiosenarcissism.”Arecentstudyrankedpast presidentsaccordingtotheirdegreeofgrandiosenarcissism.LyndonJohnsoncameoutontop,followedby TeddyRoosevelt,FranklinRoosevelt,AndrewJackson,JohnF.Kennedy,andBillClinton.3
Narcissismisnotadisorderbyitself everyonemayhaveastreakofit.Weallwant“tostandoutfromthe restofthe seven billion people on the planet,”writesCraig Malkin, clinical psychologistandlecturer in psychologyatHarvardMedicalSchool.Healthynarcissism thedesiretofeelappreciatedandspecial can evenbebeneficial.Itcanmakepeoplefeellessanxiousanddepressedandmoreeffectiveintheworld.It becomespathological,Malkinwrites,whenapersonbecomessoaddictedtofeelingspecialthatthey’ddo anythingtogettheirhigh,includinglie,cheat,steal,betray,orevenhurtthoseclosesttothem.
There is an even more dangerous kind of narcissism, one defined by a darker and more destructive pattern. It is fittingly called “malignant narcissism” and arises when narcissism combines with other psychopathological traits. According toMalkin, political leaderssuchasHitler, Vladimir Putin, andKim Jong-unexhibitmalignantnarcissism.AsRobertJayLiftonnotesinTheDangerousCaseofDonaldTrump, suchnarcissisminaleadercanleadtoa“malignantnormality” atermLiftoncoinedwhilestudyingNazi doctors,whocarriedoutterribleexperimentsbutwereabletojustifyandnormalizethemthroughakindof “adaptationtoevil.”Lifton’spointisthatpeoplecancometoacceptaberrantandevenpathologicalbehavior asthenewnorm,especiallywhenitisexhibitedbyanauthorityfigure.HeappliesthistoTrump.“Becausehe
Thisprocessofrationalizingandadaptingtoa“newnormal”happensallthetimeindestructivecults,and itdoesso,asIhavesaid,throughasystematicindoctrinationprocess.Butitallstartswiththeleader. Like PutinandKim,cultleaderssuchasSunMyungMoon,L.RonHubbard(Scientology),JimJones(Peoples Temple),DavidKoresh(BranchDavidians),WarrenJeffs(FundamentalistChurchofChristofLatter-Day Saints, or FLDS), Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Rajneesh Movement), and Keith Raniere (NXIVM) display many traits associated with malignant narcissism. They all fit a similar pattern: grandiose, arrogant, bombastic,supremelyconfident,demandingofattentionandadmiration,rarelyadmittingamistake.They wereknowntolie,cheat,andstealwithoutapparentconscienceandevenempathy.Thequestionis,towhat extentdoesTrumpexhibitthemalignantnarcissisticprofileofadestructivecultleader?
Peoplewithnarcissisticpersonalitydisorderdisplayacharacteristicpatternoftraits:1)grandioseself-centered behavior;2)fantasiesofpower,success,andattractiveness;3)aneedforpraiseandadmiration;4)asenseof entitlement;and5)alackofempathy,whichcanleadthemtoexploit,bully,shame,anddemeanothers, withoutguiltorremorse.6 Yet,asPhilipZimbardoandRosemarySwordwriteinTheDangerous Caseof DonaldTrump,“Whatliesunderneaththispersonalitytypeisoftenverylowself-esteem.”7Belowthesurface, they are plagued by feelingsofinferiority, emptiness, and boredom, whichin turn helpto fuel the first patternoftraits.Cultleadersseemtobeespeciallypronetothisviciouscycle.
GRANDIOSITY: EXAGGERATION OF TALENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
JimJonesmadeonlyslightlylessgrandioseclaims.“Atvarioustimes,heclaimedthathewaseitherLenin, JesusChrist,oroneofavarietyofotherreligiousorpoliticalfigures,”saidDeborahLaytonBlakey,aclose aideofJones,whofledJonestownbeforethemassmurderin1978.Sheremembershimtalkingincessantly. “Heclaimedthathehaddivinepowersandcouldhealthesick.Hestatedthathehadextraordinaryperception and could tell what everyone was thinking. He said that he had powerful connections the world over, includingtheMafia,IdiAmin,andtheSovietgovernment.”10
Domestically,heexaggeratedandembellishedhisexpertiseandabilitiesfromthestartofhiscampaign,in interviews, tweets, and rallies. “Nobody will be tougher on ISIS than me. Nobody,” he said during his campaignannouncementspeechonJune16,2015.“There’snobodybiggerorbetteratthemilitarythanI am,”hestatedafewdayslater.Thefollowingmonthcamethismemorablyhypnoticline,onethatechoes Moon’slanguage:“Iknowmoreaboutoffenseanddefensethan[thegenerals]willeverunderstand,believe me.Believeme.Thantheywilleverunderstand.Thantheywilleverunderstand.”It’saclassicexampleof Trump’stried-and-truehabitoflullinghisaudiencethroughrepetition.Afewmonthslatercameanother infamousclaim:“IknowmoreaboutISIS[theIslamicStatemilitantgroup]thanthegeneralsdo.Believe me. ”
ItturnsoutDonaldTrumphasclaimedtoknowmorethananyoneelseaboutmanythings renewables, social media, debt, banking, Wall Streetbankers, money, the U.S. government, campaign contributions, politicians,SenatorCoryBooker,trade,jobs,infrastructure,defense,the“horrorofnuclear”[sic],andthe visasystem.11 Theexpressionistypically,“Nobodyknowsmoreabout[fill-intheblank]thanIdo,”witha fewnotableembellishments:
“Nobody has ever done so much in the first two years of a presidency as this administration. Nobody.Nobody.”— politicalrallyinBiloxi,Mississippi,November26,2018
FANTASIES OF SUCCESS, POWER, AND ATTRACTIVENESS
Narcissistsspinself-glorifyingfantasies abouttheirpower,wealth,intelligence,looks tohelpmakethem feelincontrolandspecial,andalsotocopewithstress.“Sincerealitydoesn’tsupporttheirgrandioseviewof themselves,narcissistsliveinafantasyworldproppedupbydistortion,self-deception,andmagicalthinking,” psychologistandhealthwriterMelindaSmithexplains.“Thesefantasiesprotectthemfromfeelingsofinner emptinessandshame,sofactsandopinionsthatcontradictthemareignoredorrationalized.”12 Narcissists have difficulty handling even the mostconstructive criticism and may feel shame and humiliation when criticizedorrejected.
DonaldTrumphasoftenbraggedabouthisintelligence,power,sexualprowess,looks,andmostofall,his wealth.Hewasproudofhislooksinhisyouthandevennowappearstotakeprideinwhatheseesinthe mirror.“Otherthantheblondhair,whenIwasgrowingup,theysaidIlookedlikeElvis,”hetolda2018rally inTupelo,Mississippi,Presley’sbirthplace.Theaudiencecheered.InApril2016,thensixty-nine-year-old Trump told a crowd in Pennsylvania, “Do I look like a president? How handsome am I, right? How handsome?”
Trumpalsolikestoboastabouthispersonalpower apowersogreatthathecouldfamously“standinthe middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and still win votes. He has also boasted about his sexual conquests, mostinfamously on the 2005 Access Hollywoodtape, in whichhe claimed thatbecause ofhis celebrity,hecouldgrabwomenbytheirgenitals.
WealthiswhatTrumplikestobragaboutmost.Anditishiswealththatisthemostdebatable,especially since, contrary to presidential norms, he has not released his tax returns. In 2015, as he entered the presidentialrace,Trumpclaimedhewasworth$8.7billion,morethandoubleForbesmagazine’stallyatthe timeof$4.1billion.Trumpoftentookoffenseifanyonequestionedthisnumber,ashedidwithTimothy O’Brien,authorofTrumpNation:TheArtofBeingtheDonald,whoestimatedTrump’swealthbetween $150millionand$250million.(HesuedO’Brienfordefamationin2006,butajudgedismissedthecase.)15
In June 2015 he told The Des Moines Register, “I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency,byfar.Nobody’severbeenmoresuccessfulthanme.I’mthemostsuccessfulpersonevertorun. Ross Perot isn’t successful like me. Romney I have a Gucci store that’s worth more than Romney.”16 Whetherornotanyofthisistrue,Trump’scalculationappearstohavepaidoff.Manypeopleclaimedtohave votedforhimforhisbusinesssavvy,areputationconjuredandcultivatedduringhisfourteenseasonsonThe Apprentice.
Moon demanded that we bow and kneel in our small meetings with him. At meetings, he would sometimesbringamemberonstageandkickorhitthemwithastickandthenask:“IfIdidthistoyou,would youstillfollowme?”Theaudiencewouldroartheirapproval.
Trumpmaynotgoquitethatfarbuthisneedforadmirationwasplaintoseeduringhis2016campaign rallies,whereheseemedtoimplorehisaudiencetocheernotjustforhispoliciesbutforhim.Thatneedwas alsoclearfromthemomenthesteppedintotheWhiteHouse.Immediatelyafterhisinauguration,hispress secretarySeanSpicerannouncedthattheeventattracted“thelargestaudiencetoeverwitnessaninauguration period bothinpersonandaroundtheglobe.”Thesewerestillearlydays,andmanywereperplexedthat hecouldmakesuchablatantlyfalsestatement therewasphotographicproofthatitwasn’ttrue.Itisstriking that the size of the audience would remain an issue for Trump long after his inauguration. He would continuetobringitupmonthslater,displayinghisnarcissisticneedforattentionandglory.
Thenthereisthepresident’sloveaffairwithFoxNews.Theconservativenetworkispartofthemachine that praises everything that the president does and demonizes his perceived enemies from former FBI directorJamesComeyandotherFBIagents,toDemocratslikeHillaryClinton,formerstaffmembers,and womenwhohavecomeforwardtoaccuseTrumpofsexualharassment.
ButmostofallTrumpseemstohaveitoutforformerpresidentBarackObama.Therearesomewho believe that he decided to run for president after being roasted by Obama at the White House Correspondents’Association dinnerin 2011, thoughhedeniesit.24 OthershavesuggestedthatTrumpis jealousofObama’slooks,intelligence,andclass,andevenofthesizeofhisinaugurationaudience.“Trump hatesObamabecausehecan’tmeasureuptohim.Obamaisyounger,thinner,better-lookingandsmarter,” writesCarolyn Banksin theAustinAmericanStatesman. “Comeon, wouldn’tyou then wantallthings Obamagone?”25Beyondhisownpersonalissues,Trump likemanyRepublicansandtheright-wingmedia
blames many governmental problems on Obama, and has spent much of his time in office trying to dismantletheformerpresident’smanyaccomplishments.
HubbardbelievedhedeservedaNobelPrizeforhisdiscoveryofthe“PurificationRundown,”aprogram thatsupposedlypurgedthebodyofdrugandradiationresidues.“Whilefeelingenormousentitlementfor accoladesregardinghisownprojects,hehaughtilyandarrogantlydemeanedperceivedenemies,especially psychiatrists, for their opposition,” write Jodi M. Lane and Stephen Kent about Hubbard’s malignant narcissism.26
Narcissistsfeeltheyareabovethelaw.Regulationsmeantfortherestofusdonotapply.Asspecialcounsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaignloomedovertheadministration,Trumpinsistedthathecouldpardonhimself notthathewould needto.OnJune4,2018,hetweeted,“Ashasbeenstatedbynumerouslegalscholars,Ihavetheabsolute righttoPARDONmyself,butwhywouldIdothatwhenIhavedonenothingwrong?”
Asenseofentitlementcanleadtoallkindsoffinancialinfractions.Moonconspiredtoevadepayinghis taxes and was sentenced to prison for eighteen months.27 Trump has bilked hundreds of people underpayingorfailingtopaythem.Hehasbeeninvolvedinmorethan3,500lawsuitsduringthelastthirty years,manyfromeverydayAmericanswhohaveaccusedTrumpandhisbusinessesfornonpayment.They includeemployeesofhisresortsandclubs,contractors,andrealestateagents.28Thenthereisthequestionof Trump’staxes.Ignoringaforty-yearprotocol,Trumpthepresidentialcandidaterefusedtoreleasehistax returns andgotawaywithit.
In 2017, after Hurricane Mariawreakedhavocon Puerto Rico, Trumpchallengedthe mayor ofSan Juan,CarmenYulinCruz,whohadcriticizedTrump’slackofhelp.Trumpdeniedthatthestormwasareal catastrophe allthewhiletakingpersonalcreditfortheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency’sresponse —questionedthedeathtoll,andminimizedaidtotheisland,whichyearslater,isstillreeling.
Morerecently,hepumpeduptheimmigrationcrisisattheborderbetweentheUnitedStatesandMexico tojustifytheneedforbuildingawall andcreatedarealhumanitariancrisisbyseparatingchildrenfrom theirparents.Heminimizedtheplightofthe800,000governmentemployeeswhostruggledtomakeends meet during the thirty-five-day government shutdown. He claimed without any evidence that they wouldsupporthimiftheshutdowndraggedonformonthsorevenyears,usingtheirplightforhisgreater glory.HeappearedtobeunconcernedabouttheeffectthattheshutdownwashavingonallAmericans food and drug inspections were cut, raising alarms about safety; security at airports and borders was compromised,riskingnationalsecurity;andrenters,homeowners,andfarmersalike,whodependonfederal housingsubsidiesandaid,wereleftshort,somepossiblyfacingeviction.29
Duringthecampaign,heputpoliticsfarabovecompassioninhistreatmentoftheGoldStarcoupleKhizr andGhazalaKhan, wholosttheirarmycaptain son in combat, andwhoaddressedthe2016 Democratic NationalConvention.KhizrKhanmemorablyofferedhispocketcopyoftheConstitutiontoTrump,who respondedbycriticizinghiswife,Ghazala,forquietlystandingbyashespoke,suggestingitwasherreligion thatwassilencingher.AndthentherewashisbelittlingtreatmentofChristineBlaseyFord,whoaccused Trump’sSupreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaughofsexual assault when they were teenagers. Trump actuallyturnedhertestimony andherordeal intoajoke,mimickingherataMississippirally,actionsthat herattorneyMichaelBrowichdescribedas“vicious,vile,andsoulless.”30 Trumphasshamed,bullied,and belittledhundredsofpeoplesincetakingoffice,notablyhisonce-devotedfollower,formerattorneygeneral JeffSessions,whomhecalled“mentallyretarded”and“adumbSoutherner.”
Though Trump tries to appear self-confident, he does slip once in a while and reveal the current of jealousythatrunsbeneaththesurface.InJune2018,aftermeetingwithKimJong-uninSingapore,Trump reflected:“He’stheheadofacountry,andImeanhe’sthestronghead.Don’tletanyonethinkanything
different.Hespeaksandhispeoplesitupatattention.Iwantmypeopletodothesame.”32Helaterclaimed thathe waskidding, buthe hasmade no bonesabouthisadmiration for authoritarian leaders, especially Putin,whohavemorecontrolovertheirpeoplethanhedoes.Healsoappearedtobeextremelyimpressed,if notenvious,ofthemilitarydisplayputonbyFrenchpresidentEmmanuelMacronduringTrump’svisitto Paris andwasevenplanninghisownmilitaryparade,butcanceledit,blaminglocalWashington,D.C., officialsforinflatingthecost.
Untilnow,wehavebeendiscussingpathologicalnarcissism.Thisformofnarcissismisdescribedasmalignant when itisjoinedwithotherpathologicalbehaviors antisocialbehavior, sadism, andparanoia. Antisocial behaviormaybedefinedasaningraineddisregard,andevencontempt,formorals,socialnorms,andthe rightsandfeelingsofothers.Thiscanleadmalignantnarcissiststopersistentlylieandtostealandmismanage their own andothers’money. Italsoleadsthem tomanipulate othersfor their own personalgain, often throughfear andintimidation.34 While pathological narcissistsmay lie andmanipulate others, malignant narcissistselevatethistoanartform.
LYING
Deceptionisthelifebloodofadestructivecult.Membersarerecruitedandindoctrinatedthroughliesand trickery. Lying has other intrinsic benefitsfor cult leaders it createsconfusion, which disruptspeople’s stablementalframeworkandmakesthemmoresusceptibletotheindoctrinationprocess.Cultleadersusea varietyofconfusiontechniquesbutamajoroneisdeliveringadizzyingamountofinformation,muchofit contradictory and false, so that it overloads and overwhelms critical thinking. When overloaded and confused, people begin to doubt their ability to distinguish truth from lies, right from wrong. Fundamentally,theirsenseofidentityisleftuncertain,givingthecultleaderanopportunitytoinculcatea new setofbeliefs, feelings, and behaviors. A confused person can be easily manipulated and controlled. Peoplewhoconfrontleadershipwithcontradictoryinformation,regardlessofitbeingfactual,arepunished orevenbanishedforspeakingthetruth.
Thebiggerthelie,thegreaterthedisorientation.Ultimatelyaperson can begin toquestion theirown perceptionofreality,aphenomenonknownasgaslighting.“Theultimatepowerofthegaslighteristomakeit impossibleforhistargetstoimaginearealitydifferentfromtheoneheimposes,”writesPaulRosenberg.37 Thispowermovegotitsnamefromthe1938playGaslight,latermadeintoamovie,inwhichahusband conductspsychologicalwarfareagainsthiswifetothepointthatshebeginstoquestionhersanity.Thegoalis to undermine a person ’ s judgment and increase their reliance on the gaslighter. Trump and his administration are particularly goodatthis. Speaking to aveterans’ groupin July 2018, Trumptoldthe crowd,“Justremember whatyouareseeingandwhatyouarereadingisnotwhat’shappening.”InAugust 2018,RudyGiulianiwentonMeetthePresstoarguethecasethatTrumpshouldnottestifyinMueller’s specialinvestigation.“When you tellmethatheshouldtestifybecausehe’sgoingtotellthetruthandhe shouldn’tworry,well,that’ssosillybecauseit’ssomebody’sversionofthetruth.Notthetruth,”Giuliani said.“Truthisn’ttruth.”Helatertriedtoclarify,buthiscomments likeKellyanneConway’suseofthe term“alternativefacts”todefenddemonstrablefalsehoods arenoteasilyforgotten.
Trump’sliesappeartohavepushedthesamethoughtstoppingbuttonsusedbycultleaders shutting down critical thinking; employing us versus them thinking; and using emotional manipulation to gain sympathyfortheleaderwhileatthesametimedrummingupanimositytowardthemedia.
INTERPERSONALLY EXPLOITATIVE
Malignantnarcissistsexploitpeopleforpersonalbenefit,oftenforfinancialgain.Cultleadersarenotorious formakingmoneyofftheirfollowers.Moonsentlegionsofmembersouton“mobilefund-raisingteams” basicallysellingflowersandcandyforlonghours,interribleweather,andoftenindangerousneighborhoods. Theyweretoldtolietothepublic,tosaythemoneywasforChristianyouthprogramsordrugrehabcenters. Multilevel marketing groups sell vitamins, supplements, water, and other products, as well as lectures, courses,andretreatsofdubiousvalue,allinanefforttoraisefunds.
Trumpfamily-associatedbusinessescontinuetoattractlegalattention.AsofOctober2018,threeTrumpassociatedcompanies ACN, amultilevel telemarketing company; the TrumpNetwork, acompany that soldhealthproducts;andtheTrumpInstitute,atravelingrealestatelectureseries weretargetsoflawsuits. OneofthecomplaintsallegesthatTrumpandhischildrenreceivedmillionsofdollarsinsecretpaymentsand “wereawarethatthevastmajorityofconsumerswouldlosewhatevermoneytheyinvested.”39
SADISM
Formalignantnarcissists,sadismmanifestsasaconsciousideologyofaggressiveself-affirmation,onethatalso serves as a kind of perverse defense mechanism. According to one study, “Individuals with malignant narcissismhaveatendencytodestroy,symbolicallycastrate,anddehumanizeothers.Theirrageisfueledby thedesireforrevenge.”40Narcissistsaredefinedbytheirneedforpraisebuttheirdesiretonotbeinsultedor criticized may be even greater. Suchattackson their sense ofselfare so threatening thatthey cannotbe tolerated malignantnarcissistswilllashoutaggressivelyandsadisticallyatanyoneandeveryonewhohas wrongedthem.
Cultleadersuse an arsenal ofindoctrination techniquestoensure complete devotion andwill reserve someoftheirharshestweapons shunning,shaming,expulsion,andevenphysicalpunishment forthose whocriticizeordisobeythem.
Trump has repeatedly proved that he is incapable of taking the high ground he always hits back at anyoneoveranyperceivedwrongs.InhisbookThinkBig:MakeItHappeninBusinessandLife,Trumphas awholechapterdevotedtorevenge.In2011,attheNationalAchieversCongress,hesaid,“Getevenwith
people.Iftheyscrewyou,screwthemback10timesashard.Ireallybelieveit.”41 Forhim,itisamatterof principle. MelaniaTrumphasdescribedhow, when provoked, he“willpunchbackten timesharder” a lessonhelearnedfromhisfather,Fred.AccordingtopsychologistJohnGartner,Trumphasacruelstreaka milewide.“Youseeitineverythinghedoes,fromtheseparatingofthechildrenatthebordertohowTrump torturesanyonewhodoesn’tgivehimwhathewants.There’sawayinwhichhetakesakindofmanicgleein causingharmandpainandhumiliationtootherpeople.”42
WhenPresidentTrumpfirstnominatedformersenatorJeffSessionsforattorneygeneralinNovember 2016,heshoweredhimwithcompliments:“Aworld-classlegalmindandconsideredatrulygreatAttorney GeneralandU.S. Attorneyin thestateofAlabama. Jeffisgreatlyadmiredbylegalscholarsandvirtually everyonewhoknowshim.”43Sessions,oneofTrump’searliestandmostardentsupporters,wasadarlingof Trump until he wasn’t. Unhappy that Sessions recused himself from the special counsel investigation, TrumpbecamerelentlessinthepublicstoningofSessions,angrilytweetingjibessuchas“WillBruceOhr, whosefamilyreceivedbigmoneyforhelpingtocreatethephony,dirtyanddiscrediteddossier,everbefired from theJeffSessions‘Justice’Department? Atotaljoke!”Then therewasJamesComey. Hewasin Los AngelesvisitingalocalFBIofficewhenhesawatickerontheTVscreenthatread“ComeyResigns.”He thoughtitwasaprank.“Ithoughtitwasascambysomeoneonmystaff.SoIturnedtothemandIsaid, ‘Someoneputalotofworkintothat.’AndthenIcontinuedtalking.”44 AfterfiringdeputyFBIdirector AndrewMcCabetwodaysbeforehewastoreceivehispensionaftertwenty-oneyearsatthebureau,Trump tweeted that it was “ a great day for the hard-working men and women of the FBI a great day for Democracy.”45
HARASSMENT AND SILENCING
Trumpisnotthefirstmalignantnarcissisttousethecourts.Hubbard’schurchofScientologymadethelegal systemaweaponofoppression,asa1993U.S.districtcourtmemorandumdecisionmadeexplicitlyclear: “[Scientologists]haveabusedthefederalcourtsystembyusingit,interalia,todestroytheiropponents,rather than to resolve an actual dispute over trademark law or any other legal matter. This constitutes ‘extraordinary,malicious,wanton,andoppressiveconduct.’”46Hubbardhimselfisquotedina1955manual assayingthatthepurpose“istoharassanddiscourageratherthanwin.Thelawcanbeusedveryeasilyto harass,andenoughharassmentonsomebodywhoissimplyonthethinedgeanyway,wellknowingthatheis notauthorized, will generally be sufficientto cause professional decease. Ifpossible, ofcourse, ruin him utterly.”47
and even cities. “Since winning his party’s nomination in July 2016, Trump has threatened dozens of lawsuits,oftenagainstvocalcriticsandnewsmediacompanies,”writesAlexisSachdevinMetro.“Heonce vowedto‘openup’libellawstomakeiteasiertosuemediaoutlets.He’salsothreatenedtosuewomen:those whoaccusehimofsexualassault,criticizehisgolfcourses,andateenagerwhomadeawebsite”whereusers couldvirtuallyscratchTrump’sfacewithkittenpaws.50Trumpissuesthesethreatsmostlytointimidate he rarelyfollowsup.
KeithRaniere,leaderofthecoachingcultNXIVM,becamenotoriouswhenitwaslearnedwomenwere beingbranded.“Wetookturnsholdingoneanotherdown threewouldbeonthemandthefourthwould be filming,” said ex-member Sarah Edmondson. “The first woman laid on the table and then the other womenandIweresittingonherholdingherlegsdown.Withthefirstcutofherflesh theyburnedherflesh wewerecrying,wewereshaking,wewereholdingoneanother.Itwashorrific.Itwaslikeabadhorror movie. We even hadthese surgical maskson because the smell offleshwassostrong… imagine someone takingalitmatchtoyourcrotchanddrawingalinewithit.”53
Many of history’s dictators were malignant narcissists. A thorough examination of their sadism and crueltyisbeyondthescopeofthisbook.Butitisclearthatwhenamalignantnarcissistobtainspower,they gainaplatformforinflictingenormousharm.Asimplereviewofhistoryisfilledwithsoberingremindersof thedangerofviolentleaders Hitler,Stalin,Mao,PolPot…thelistgoeson.
Aswehaveseen,Trump’sapproachistofightfearwithfear,toreturntothattellingquote:“Realpower is,Idon’tevenwanttousetheword,fear.”60Interestingly,Trump’sfearofassaultextendstotheinvisible heisagermaphobe.SotoowasHubbard,whodemandedthathisclothesbewashedmultipletimes.“His clotheshadtobewashedinpurewaterthirteentimes,usingthirteendifferentbucketsofwatertorinsea shirt,”saidTonjaBurden,aformerScientologymember.61 Hubbard,shesaid,“frequentlyexplodedifhe found dust or dirt or smelled soap in his clothes.” Trump washes his hands multiple times a day, as he acknowledgedtoradiohostHowardSterninaninterview.62Hisloveoffastfoodarises,inpart,fromafear ofbeingpoisoned,whichis“onereasonwhyhelikedtoeatatMcDonald’s nobodyknewhewascoming andthefoodwassafelypremade,”reportsformerWhiteHouseinsiderMichaelWolffinhisbook,Fireand Fury. 63
ALLIES
Oneofthemoretragicfeaturesofmalignantnarcissismisaninabilitytotrustfriendsandsubordinates.Their loyaltymustbecontinuallytested,ofteninabusiveandhumiliatingways.Trumpisnotoriousforrecordsetting staffturnover and hispreoccupation withperceived disloyalty and leaks.64 Once-valued associates becomevillainsand“idiots”overnight.
Thebrilliant2004filmDownfallisnotableforitsthree-dimensionalportrayalofHitler.Theclimactic scene,whereHitlerragesandcursesathissubordinatesforfailingandaccusesthemofsabotaginghimisall tootruetolife.Malignantnarcissistsseeenemiesanddangereverywhereandwilllashoutatallies.Bythe end,Hitlerwassorackedbyanxietythatheevenwantedhistoiletbowl’swaterboiledandanalyzedfortraces of poison.65 Joseph Stalin’s purges born from political paranoia were just as lethal for his allies and followers.Ata1937conferenceoftheCommunistPartyintheSovietUnion,Stalin’speopleapplaudedhim forelevenconsecutiveminutes,fearingthatthefirsttostopwouldbekilledorsenttoprison.Finally,one manstopped,thedirectorofapaperfactory.“Toaman,everyoneelsestoppeddeadandsatdown,”writes NobelPrizewinnerAleksandrSolzhenitsyninTheGulagArchipelago.Thatsamenightthedirectorofthe paperfactorywasarrestedandsenttoprisonfortenyears.“Authoritiescameupwithsomeofficialreasonfor hissentence,butduringhisinterrogation,hewastold:Don’teverbethefirsttostopapplauding!”66
Anothergreatconstantforthenarcissistishisorherobsessionwithperceivedenemies.Wehaveseenthisover and over again with Trump the mainstream media, Democrats, globalists, the deep state, immigrants, Muslims,andreally,anycritic.AsformerWhiteHouseaideCliffSimsrevealsinhismemoir,TeamofVipers, soonafterbecomingpresident,Trumpsummonedhimtohelpdrawupalistofstaffershethoughtcouldnot betrusted.“IwassittingtherewiththePresidentoftheUnitedStatesbasicallycompilinganenemieslist but theseenemieswerewithinhisownadministration.Ifithadbeenahorrormovie,thiswouldhavebeenthe momentwheneveryonesuddenlyrealizesthecalliscomingfrominsidethehouse,”Simswrote.67Itwasonly inretrospectthatthisstruckSimsasremarkable.WhileintheWhiteHouse,thisbizarrecultlikebehavior apparentlyseemednormal.
Trumpmighthavehadreasontobesuspicious hisWhiteHousewasnotoriouslyleaky.Butheclearly tookittoanextreme.Thisisgenerallytrueofmalignantnarcissists.Thereisalwaysapowerfulenemytobe vanquished an urge that stems from both their paranoia and their need for attention. According to psychologistCraigMalkin,“Thegreatestdanger…isthatpathologicalnarcissistscanlosetouchwithrealityin subtlewaysthatbecomeextremelydangerousovertime.Whentheycan’tletgooftheirneedtobeadmired orrecognized,theyhavetobendorinventarealityinwhichtheycanremainspecial,despiteallmessagesto thecontrary.Inpointoffact,theybecomedangerouslypsychotic.It’sjustnotalwaysobviousbeforeit’stoo late.”68
Narcissistsprojecttheirfearsandanxietiesoutward.Byexternalizingtheirfears oftenontopeople they believetheycandestroythosenegativeemotions.Theygainafeelingofsafetyfromidentifyingandattacking enemies.Tonarcissists,admittingvulnerability,especiallypersonalvulnerability,isfarmoreterrifyingthan anyfoe.
Most distressingly, a cult leader’s paranoia and vindictiveness toward enemies can become a selfperpetuatingcycle.HubbardinstitutionalizedhisparanoiawithhisFairGamepolicy,whichwasablueprint for how to treat perceived enemies of Scientology so-called Suppressive Persons, people who criticize Scientology,includingmyself.“Ineverforgetit,alwayseventhescore,”Hubbardoncewrote.71Thepolicy states that any Suppressive Person “ may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist…[they]maybetricked,suedorliedtoordestroyed.”72Whileofficiallythechurchcanceledthe Fair Game policy in 1968 because of bad press, there is ample evidence that the practice continued. Hubbard’svindictivenesswouldallownoless:“Therearenogoodreporters.Therearenogoodgovernment
Sadly,paranoiacandrivemalignantnarcissiststoharmtheiralliesaswellastheirenemies.JimJonestold hisfollowersthattheywereallvictimsofa“profoundconspiracy.”74Fearinglossofcontroloverhispeople or possibly believing his worst paranoid fears—Jones chose to kill himself and, tragically, to bring his followerswithhim.
A FINAL WORD
What goes into the making of a malignant narcissist how much is nature and how much nurture? Interestingly,malignantnarcissistsareatleastseventimesmorelikelytobemen.75Theyarealsomorelikely to have biological relatives siblings and other family members with antisocial personality disorders, thoughitisnotclearhowmuchofthatisduetothecommonfamilialenvironment.Accordingtoresearchers MilaGoldner-VukovandLaurie-JoMoore,peoplewithantisocialpersonalitydisordersmaybemorelikelyto raisechildrenwithmalignantnarcissism.“Theattitudeofparentsofchildrenwhowilldevelopmalignant narcissism iscontrolling and sadistic. They demand that their children be tough, tolerate pain, show no emotionandlearntomanipulateothers.Parentalfiguresarecoldandspitefulbutover-admiringoftheir children’stalentsandcharms.”76
As we have seen, there is evidence that cult leaders and dictators may have experienced insecure or disorganizedattachmentinthefirsttwoyearsoftheirlivesasaresultofabsentorauthoritarianparenting. Suchparentingcaninterruptthebondingprocess,deprivingayoungchildoftheopportunitytofeelsafeand loved,andultimatelyofdevelopingahealthysenseofwell-being.Astheygrowintoadulthood,theymaytry tocompensateforthatlackofahealthysenseofselfbyseekingpraiseandaccoladesfromdevoteesinthe outsideworld—sometimesatallcosts.Itbecomesalmostamatterofsurvival.
With his cold and distant indeed absent mother, and his hard-charging and authoritarian father, Trumpappearstofitthispattern.Ofcourse,havingsuchparentsisnoguaranteethatonewillbecomea narcissist.ItismerelyonemorefactorinTrump’slife.Anotherwouldbehisearlyandintenseexposureto the teachings of Norman Vincent Peale, with his take-no-prisoners, the world is your oyster, harbor no doubts, think-it-and-it-will-happen ethos. Ihavecounseledpeoplewhosuffereddebilitating delusionsasa resultoftheirinvolvementwithPeale’sschoolofthought.Whilepositivethinkingcanbebeneficial,ithasto bebalancedbycriticalthinking,humility,andasocialsupportsystemthatiswillingtosaywhenapersonis offbase.Thedangeriswhenitveersoffintomagicalthinking thatifyoubelievefully,theuniversewill manifest.Ifitdoesn’thappenpeopleoftenblamethemselves theyaren’tbelievingorprayinghardenough. Faithhealingsare avariantofthiskindofthinking andthey can be deadly ifaperson forgoesmedical treatment.Faithandprayercanbehelpfulwhendealingwithanillness,butseeinghighlytraineddoctorsisa wisechoice.
Forwhatismostlikelyacombinationofreasons,“Trumpfeltcompelledtogotowarwiththeworld.It wasa binary, zero-sum choice for him: You either dominatedor you submitted. You either createdand exploitedfear,oryousuccumbedtoit,”saidTrump’sghostwriterTonySchwartz.77
On February 27, 2019, atthe annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)in Maryland, DonaldTrumpstoodbeforehisaudienceinallhisriffingglory.Tenminutesintothespeech,hetoldthem whatthey mightalready have suspected. “You know, I’m totally offscriptrightnow. Thisishow I got elected,bybeingoffscript.”1Notthatlongago,duringtheGOPprimaries,manyintheaudiencemighthave viewedhimwithsuspicion,ifnotdisdain abrashandunseemlyoutsidertryingtohorninontheGrand OldParty.Nowhisremarkearnedhimoneofmanystandingovations.Trumpwassupposedtospeakfor forty-fiveminutesbuthewentonfortwohours,hislongestspeechever.Almostnobodygotuptoleave. Theywererapt.Trumphadtheminthepalmofhishand.
TrumphasnotonlytakenovertheRepublicanParty,hehastransformeditintoitsownopposite:the partythatusedtobeconcernedaboutdeficitspendingbuthasrackedupatrillion-dollarfederaldeficitsince Trumptookoffice.ThepartythatwasoutragedwhenBillClintonliedabouthisrelationshipwithMonica Lewinskybutturnedablindeyeto andmaybeevenbelieved Trump’sthousandsoflies,includingabout hisallegedaffairswithapornstarandaformerPlayboyplaymate.ThepartythatlovedJohnMcCain the late greatwar hero and stalwartRepublican senator who dared oppose Trumpon healthcare butsaid almostnothingwhenTrumpinsultedanddenigratedhim.
To find answersultimately meanslooking at how the mind works. While itsmachinationsare still a mystery, much progress has been made in understanding how we, as individuals, take in and process information,andalsohowourcollectivemindscanbemanipulatedandcontrolled.Wegothroughourdays thinkingwearerationalbeings,butwearemuchmoresusceptibletomanipulationthanwethink.Thatmay betruernowthaneverbefore.Thesheeramountofinformationcomingourwayandthespeedwithwhich wereceiveit coupledwithourfast-paced,overworked,overscheduledworld hascreatedaperfectstormof vulnerability.
Cultsproliferatewhenasocietyisundergoingrapidchangeandparticularlywhenthereisabreakdownin trustbetweenpeopleandmajorinstitutions.TheGreatRecessionof2008createdeconomichardshipsso severethatmanypeoplehavenotfullyrecovered.ThisisespeciallytrueintheAmericanheartland,where Trumphasmanysupporters.Manyfeelbetrayedbygovernment,religion,science,andbigbusiness.Every daytheheadlinesarefilledwithnewsofclergysexualabuse,politicalcorruption,corporationscaughtlying and cheating, and pharmaceutical companies pushing drugs with terrible side effects, and in the case of opioids, creating a national crisis. Meanwhile, the mass media TV and magazines as well as Facebook,
Some thinkersofthe time arguedthatanew elite wasneededtocontrol the public the “bewildered herd,” in the words of leading political writer Walter Lippmann.3 During World War I, the U.S. government,wantingtoswaypublicopinioninfavorofthewar,calledinFreud’snephew,EdwardBernays, whohadpreviouslyworkedasatheatricalpressagenttohelppromotethewaranditsmessageofmaking“the world safe for democracy.” After the war, Bernays, fascinated like his uncle by what drove people’s thoughtsandactions,realizedthatthebestwaytogetpeopletobuysomething awar,butalsoanideaora product wastoappealtotheiremotionsanddesires.Hewouldbethefirsttoapplypsychologicalprinciples totheareaofpublicrelations.Inhis1928book,Propaganda,hespelledoutinstarkdetailtechniquesfor scientificallyshapingandmanipulatingpublicopinion,whichhecalled“theengineeringofconsent.”4
WhenWallStreetcrashedonOctober24,1929,sotoodidBernays’sapproachtoselling peoplecould barelyaffordtobuyfood.ThencameWorldWarII,withactsofinhumanitythateclipsedthoseofWorld War I. Millions of people Jews, blacks, gays, gypsies, communists were killed in Nazi concentration camps that were run by “ordinary” Germans. This mass collaboration provoked great interest among psychologists.5How,theyasked,couldordinarypeoplehelpcarryoutmurdersonsuchascale?Freud’sbelief that,deepdown,humansaremorecarnal,evensavage,andneedtobecontrolled,wasformanyasgoodan explanationasany.
Ratherthantruepeace,theendofWorldWarIIwasfollowedbytheColdWar,whichpittedtheUnited Statesand itsEuropean alliesagainstcommunistcountrieslike the SovietUnion and China. By the late 1950s,boththeUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionwererampingupnucleartesting.Imagesofanotherwar culminatinginaworld-endingmushroomcloudscaredeveryAmerican.Toallaytheirfearsandtopromote theirowninterests,theU.S.governmentonceagaincalledonBernays,whowould,amonghismanypublic relations campaigns, spin a 1954 coup in Guatemala as the “liberation of a country from the jaws of Communism.”6
THE CIA AND MIND CONTROL
Whetherheknowsitornot,Trump thesalesman owesmanyofhistechniquestoBernays.Butthework on influence and mind control intensified dramatically in the 1950s. Withthe rise ofcommunism, and fearing that the Soviets were devising techniques to alter people’s minds, the U.S. government, and in particular the Central Intelligence Agency, set up secret experiments to explore the limits of human behavioralcontrol.AsdescribedbyJohnMarksinhisbookTheSearchfortheManchurianCandidateand by Alan W. Scheflin and Edward M. Opton Jr. in The Mind Manipulators, the CIA conducted mind control research from the late 1940sthrough the early 1960s. Code-named MK-ULTRA, their research programwasaclandestineandillegalprogramofexperimentsonhumansubjectsinaquesttofindwaysto manipulatepeople’smentalstates, alter their brain functions, andcontroltheir behavior. Thetechniques used in their experimentsranged from LSD and other psychotropicdrugsto brain surgery, electroshock therapy,sensorydeprivation,isolation,hypnosis,andsexualandverbalabuse.Otherresearchersattemptedto followuponthisworkbuttheCIA,inviolationofmanyfederallaws,destroyedalmostallofitsrelevant files,claimingtheresearchhadnotbeenproductive.7
Asch Conformity Experiments. In 1951, Solomon Asch conducted his first conformity experimentwithagroupofeightSwarthmore College students. All butone were “actors.”The studentswereshownacardwiththreelinesofdifferentlengthsandthenaskedtosaywhichlinewas closesttothelengthofatargetlineonanothercard.Theactorsagreedinadvancewhichlinethey wouldchoose, even ifitwasobviously notthecorrectanswer. Aschran eighteen trialswiththe group.Intwelveofthem,theactorsintentionallygavethewronganswer.Evenwhentheiranswers wereblatantlyincorrect,theunwittingstudentwouldoccasionallyagreewiththerestofthegroup. Aschrepeatedthisexperimentwithmultiplegroupsofeightstudents.Overall,75percentofthe
studentsconformedtothegroupconsensusatleastonce,while25percentneverconformed.8 The resultsdemonstratedthatmostpeoplewillconformwhenplacedintoasituationofsocialpressure. TheMilgramExperiment.In1961,inspiredbytheconcentrationcamphorrorsofWorldWar II,whereordinaryGermanscarriedouthorrificacts,YaleUniversitypsychologistStanleyMilgram undertookanexperimenttotestthelimitsofobediencetoauthority.Hedidnotbelieveitwasonly “authoritarianpersonalities”thatweretoblameforconsciencelessobedience.Hewascurioustosee whetherordinaryAmericanscouldbemadeobedientlikeGermancitizenshadbeen.Herecruited malevolunteersandpairedthemwithanothersubject,actuallyanactor,forwhattheythoughtwas amemoryandlearningexperiment.Theywereinstructedtoteachatasktotheirpartnerandto administerwhattheythoughtwasashock,rangingincrementallyfrom15to450volts,eachtime thelearnermadeamistake.Taperecordingsofthelearnerfeigningpainorevenscreamingwhen receivingthepunishmentathighershocklevelswereplayed.Ifthesubjectrefusedtoadministera shock, the experimenter would order them to do so. Milgram found that all of the subjects administeredshocksofatleast300volts,thoughsomewerevisiblyuncomfortabledoingso.Twothirdscontinuedtothehighestlevelof450volts.Milgramwrote,“Theessenceofobedienceconsists inthefactthatapersoncomestoviewhimselfastheinstrumentforcarryingoutanotherperson’s wishes,andthereforenolongerregardshimselfasresponsibleforhisownactions.”Thisexperiment showedhowpeoplewillfollowordersfromsomeonetheythinkisalegitimateauthorityfigure,even againsttheirconscience.
The Stanford Prison Experiment.In 1971, Dr. PhilipZimbardo conducted a world-famous prisonexperimentinthebasementofthepsychologybuildingatStanfordUniversity.Hewantedto explorethepsychologicaleffectsofrolesandperceivedpower, asmightexistin aprison setting. Twenty-four healthy young men were randomly divided into two groups: prisonersand prison guards.Prisonersweremock“arrested”attheirhomesandbroughttotheso-calledprison,where theyencounteredtheguards, whoweredressedin uniforms, includingmirroredsunglasses, and equippedwithbatons.Inverylittletime,thesubjectsadoptedtheirroleswithdisturbingresults. Theexperimentwassupposedtolasttwoweeksbutithadtobecalledoffafteronlysixdaysbecause someoftheguardshadbecomesadistic,andsomeoftheprisonershadpsychologicalbreakdowns. Goodpeoplestartedbehavingbadlywhenputinabadsituationandwereunawareofthemind controlforcesatwork.EvenZimbardogotpulledintothepowerofthesituation.Ittookgraduate studentChristinaMaslach,laterZimbardo’swife,toshockhimoutofhisroleaswardenandto realizethatyoungmenweresuffering andthathewasresponsible.
Both the Milgram and Zimbardo studies led to the establishment of strict ethical review board requirementsfordoingexperimentswithhumansubjects.
Why do we bow to social pressure? According to Nobel Prize–winning author psychologist Daniel Kahneman,whenitcomestomakingchoices,wehavetwosystemsinourbrains.Ashewritesinhis2016 book,Thinking,FastandSlow,thefirstsystemisfastandinstinctiveandthesecondsystemmoredeliberate. Thefastsystemreliesonunconsciousheuristics,andmakesdecisionsbasedoninstinctandemotion akind of“sensing” withoutconsultingthemoreanalytic,critical“slow”system.It’sthepartofthemindthatyou
Otherdiscoverieswereshowingthelimitsofhumanrationality.In1967,tworesearchers,EdwardJonesand VictorHarris,conductedanexperimentinwhichsubjectswereaskedtoreadessayseitherfororagainstFidel Castro. When the subjectsbelievedthatthe writersfreely chose their positions, they ratedthem asbeing correspondinglypro-oranti-Castro.Butevenwhensubjectsweretoldthatthewriterhadbeendirectedto taketheirstance,subjectsstillratedthepro-CastrowritersasbeinginfavorofCastro,andtheanti-Castro speakersagainsthim.
Thispsychologicalbias knownasthefundamentalattributionerror isimportanttounderstandbefore wegoanyfurtherinexplainingthescienceofmindcontrol.Whenweseeanegativebehaviorinanother person(forexample,joiningacult),wemightexplainitasanexpressionofapersonalitydefectinthatperson (theyareweak,gullible,orneedsomeonetocontrolthem).Whenweseesuchabehaviorinourselves,we tendtoattributeittoanexternalsituationorcontextualfactor(Iwasliedtoorpressured).Thefundamental attributionerrorreferstothistendencytointerpretotherpeople’sbehaviorasresultinglargelyfromtheir disposition while disregarding environmental andsocial influences.9 When I wasin the Moonies, people probablyassumedthatIwasweak,dumb,orcrazytojoinsuchagroup.IthoughtIwasdoingsomething goodformyselfandtheplanet.Atthesametime,ImighthavelookedataHareKrishnadevoteeandthought theywereweird.Thetruthis,wewerebothbeingliedtoandmanipulated.Wealsoseeitatplayinour country betweenTrumpsupportersandanti-Trumpers,eachassumingtheotherisdumb,stupid,orcrazy. We are all affected by situational factors, including our exposure to influence. By understanding the fundamentalattributionerrorweareencouragednottoblameotherpeoplebutrathertolearnaboutthe influencesthathaveledthemtoadopttheirpositionandworktoexpandthesharingofinformationand perspectives.
are congruent. We can tolerate only a certain amount of inconsistency and will quickly rationalize to minimizethediscrepancy.Thisoftenhappenswithoutourconsciouseffortorawareness.Whatthismeansis thatwhenwebehaveinwayswemightdeemstupidorimmoral,wechangeourattitudesuntilthebehavior seemssensibleorjustified.Thishasimplicationsforourabilitytoaccuratelyperceivetheworld.Peoplewho hold opposing views will interpret the same news reports or factual material differently each sees and rememberswhatsupportstheir viewsandglossesover information thatwouldcreate dissonance. Trump campaignedonthepromiseofawallalongtheborderwithMexicoandevenguaranteedthattheMexicans wouldpayforit.TodaythewallhasnotbeenbuiltandMexicohasmadeitclearthattheywillnotpayforany suchthing.HereishowTrumpdealtwiththecognitivedissonance.“When,duringthecampaign,Iwould say,Mexicoisgoingtopayforit.Obviously,IneversaidthisandInevermeantthey’regoingtowriteouta check.Isaid,‘They’regoingtopayforit.’Theyare.Theyarepayingforitwiththeincredibledealwemade, calledtheUnitedStates,Mexico,andCanada(USMCA)Agreementontrade.”11 Apparently,manyofhis supporters believe him. People tend to look for congruence and avoid discordance, which can create emotionaldistress.Beliefsoftenshifttofallmoreinlinewithaperson’semotionalstate.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MIND CONTROL
In 1961, MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologypsychologistEdgarSchein wrotehisclassicbookCoercive Persuasion.Buildingonamodeldevelopedinthe1940sbyinfluentialsocialpsychologistKurtLewin,he describedpsychologicalchangeasathree-stepprocess.Schein,likeLifton,Singer,andothers,hadstudiedthe Chinese communist programs and applied this model to describe brainwashing. The three steps are: unfreezing,theprocessofbreakingapersondown;changing,theindoctrinationprocess;andrefreezing,the processofbuilding upandreinforcing the new identity. It’samodel thatcouldapply tothe millionsof AmericanswhohavefallenundertheswayofTrumpandhisadministration.
UNFREEZING
Toreadyapersonforaradicalchange,theirsenseofrealitymustfirstbeunderminedandshakentoitscore. Their indoctrinators must confuse and disorient them. Their frames of reference for understanding themselvesandtheirsurroundingsmustbechallengedanddismantled.
Oneofthemosteffectivewaystodisorientapersonistodisrupttheirphysiology.Notsurprisingly,sleep deprivationisoneofthemostcommonandpowerfultechniquesforbreakingapersondown.Alteringone’s diet and eating schedule can also be disorienting. Some groups use low-protein, high-sugar diets, or prolongedunderfeeding,toundermineaperson’sphysicalintegrity.FormerTrumpinnercirclemember OmarosaManigaultNewmanreportsthatwhileworkingcloselywithTrump,sheadoptedmanyofhishabits workingallhoursofthenight,eatingfastfood,oftenatTrump’sinsistence.
Hypnotic techniques are among the most powerful tools for unfreezing and sidestepping a person ’ s defensemechanisms.Oneparticularlyeffectivehypnotictechniqueinvolvesthedeliberateuseofconfusion to induce a trance state. Confusion usually results when contradictory information is communicated congruentlyandbelievablywithanairofcertitude.Forexample,ifahypnotistsaysinanauthoritativetone ofvoice,“ThemoreyoutrytounderstandwhatIamsaying,thelessyouwillneverbeabletounderstandit. Doyouunderstand?”theresultisastateoftemporaryconfusion.Ifyoureaditoverandoveragain,youmay conclude that the statement is simply contradictory and nonsensical. However, if someone is kept in a controlledenvironmentlongenough,theywillfeeloverwhelmedwithinformationcomingatthemtoofast toanalyze. Ifthey are feddisorienting language andconfusing information, they will zone out, suspend judgment,andadapttowhateveryoneelseisdoing.Insuchanenvironment,thetendencyofmostpeopleis todoubtthemselvesanddefertotheleaderandthegroup,asintheAschandMilgramexperiments.
Trumpisamasterofconfusion presentingcontradictoryinformationconvincingly.Wesawitearlierin thewayheexplainedthefundingforhiswall.Hewillsaysomething,“Mexicowillpay,”thensayhenever saidit:“IneversaidMexicowillpay.”Andthensayitagain,“Mexicowillpay,”butinanewcontext:“with theincredibledealwemade.”Hedoesitallinanassuredtoneofvoice,oftenwithotherpeoplepresent for example,atrallies whonodinagreement.Andsodoyou.
Otherhypnotictechniques,suchasdoublebinds13 inwhichapersonreceivestwoormorecontradictory piecesofinformation canalsobeusedtohelpunfreezeaperson’ssenseofreality.Thegoalistogetaperson todowhatthecontrollerwantswhilegivinganillusionofchoice.Forexample,cultswilloftentellaperson thattheyarefreetoleavewhenevertheywishbutthattheywillregretitfortherestoftheirlives.Adouble bindcommonlyusedbycontrollingpeopleistotellapersonthattheyarefreetogobutthattheywillnever find anyone who will love them asmuch asthey do. In short, they will be miserable. An example ofa hypnoticdoublebind onethatKeithRanierereportedlyused is“youwillremembertoforgeteverything thatjusthappened.”Whetherthepersonbelievesordoubtsthecontroller,confusionandemotionaldistress oftenensue.
Changingconsistsofcreatinganewpersonalidentity anewsetofbehaviors,thoughts,andemotions oftenthroughtheuseofrolemodels.Indoctrinationofthisnewidentitytakesplacebothformally through meetings, seminars, andrituals(or atTrumprallies) andinformally by spending time withmembers, recruiting,studying,andself-indoctrinationthroughtheinternet(watchingTrumpvideos,communicating on social media with Trumpsupporters). Many ofthe same techniquesused during unfreezing are also repeatedinthisphase.
Perhapsthemostpowerfulpersuasionisexertedbyothercultmembers.Fortheaverageperson,talking with an indoctrinated cultist is quite an experience. You’ll probably never meet anyone else who is so absolutelyconvincedthattheyknowwhatisbestforyou.Adevotedcultmemberalsodoesnottakenoforan answerbecausetheyhavebeenindoctrinatedtobelievethatifyoudon’tjoin,theyhavefailedtosaveyou. Often,membersaretoldthatiftheydonotgetconverts,theyaretoblame.Thiscreatesalotofpressureto succeed.
During the refreezing phase, the primary method for passing on new information ismodeling. New membersarepairedwitholdermemberswhoareassignedtoshowthemtheropes.The“spiritualchild”is instructedtoimitatethe“spiritualparent”inallways.Thistechniqueservesseveralpurposes.Itkeepsthe oldermemberontheirbestbehaviorwhilegratifyingtheirego.Atthesametime,itwhetsthenewmember’s appetitetobecomearespectedmodelsotheycantrainjuniormembersoftheirown.
Trump has had extensive experience helping to create environments that regulate people’s behavior, information, thoughts, and emotions. On The Apprentice, the show he worked on for fourteen seasons, contestants lived communally, in a highly controlled environment where their actions were tightly circumscribed.(Interestingly,showcreatorMarkBurnetthadsignificantmilitarytraining,havingservedin theBritisharmyintheFalklandsandNorthernIrelandintheearly1980s.)Contestantstriedtopleaseaharsh mercurialleader(Trump),whowouldpunishfailurewithbanishmentandexile.Thosewhoremainedmight berewardedlavishly,butthefearoffailurewasomnipresent,andtrusttowardfellowmemberspractically absent.TheartificialnatureofrealityTVdoesnotmakeitanylessofawindowintothefundamentallevers ofmindcontrol.Ifanything,realityTVbringstotheforemindcontrol’spower howelsecouldpeopledo suchcrazythingsiftheywerenotinanenvironmentthatsystematicallymanipulatedthem?
Mindcontrolisnotanambiguous,mysticalprocessbutinsteadaconcreteandspecificsetofmethodsand techniques. The BITE model, which I briefly outlined in chapter 1, identifies the main techniques cult leadersuse tocontrol behavior, information, thoughts, andemotions all in an efforttomake followers dependentandobedient.Itisnotnecessaryforeverysingleitemonthelisttobepresentforagrouptobe judgeddestructive.Infact,onlyafewitemsundereachofthefourcomponentsneedbepresenttoraisered flagsaboutanorganizationorleader.Forreference,IhaveidentifiedinboldfaceaspectsoftheBITEmodel thatpeople including former Apprentice contestantandpromoter Omarosa ManigaultNewman have describedinassociationwithTrump.
Orchestrate emotional highs and lows through love bombing and by offering praise one moment,andthendeclaringapersonisahorriblesinner Ritualisticandsometimespublicconfessionofsins
Phobia indoctrination: inculcate irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning theleader’sauthority
Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex,orrockandroll
AstheBITEmodelshows,mindcontrolisn’tthethuggish,coerciveactivityportrayedinfilm ofbeing locked up in a dark room and tortured, though that is possible. Instead, it is a much more subtle and sophisticatedprocess.Often,apersonmayregardtheircontrollerasafriendorpeer,andwillunwittingly
Mindcontrolmayinvolvelittleornoovertphysicalcoercion,thoughobviouslythereispsychological abuse.Theremaybephysicalandsexualabuseaswell.Ontheirown,hypnoticprocesses especiallywhen combined with group dynamics can create a potent indoctrination effect. A person is deceived and manipulated, though not directly threatened, into making prescribed choices and may even appear to respondpositively, atleastin thebeginning. ManigaultNewman enjoyedthe“spoilsofsuccess”firstasa contestantonTheApprenticeandlateraspartoftheTrumpOrganizationandthentheWhiteHouse,only later to wake up to the systematic deception and indoctrination she had experienced. Though hers is a prominentcase,IbelieveitishappeningalloverAmerica.Trump,withtheaidofthegreatermediamachine, isusingmindcontroltechniquestorecruit,indoctrinate,andmaintainhisbase,speakingtothemthrough tweetsandatralliesbutalsothroughhisexecutiveorders,judicialappointments,andpolicydecisions,which are essentially call-outs, or political dog whistles, tohisfollowers “I didthisfor you, I expectloyalty in return” allthewhiledrawingthemdeeperintohiscultofpersonality.
Let’s look at the media that we consume today. I have already mentioned the documentary The Brainwashing of My Dad, in which Jen Senko shows how her father, Frank, was transformed from a DemocrattoanultraconservativeRepublicanbybeingexposedtohoursofright-wingmedia,inparticular RushLimbaughandFoxNews.Shefoundmanyotherswhohadlovedonesinsimilarsituationsanduses theirpersonalstories,alongwithinterviewswithexperts,toeducatethepublicabouthowconservativemedia usessocialinfluencetechniquestomanipulatetheirconsumers.
OnesuchexpertisFrankLuntz.APRconsultantandauthorofthebookWordsThatWork,Luntzspells out how propaganda techniques used by right-wing media bypass critical thinking and hit people emotionally, especially throughthe use offear. (A longtime Republican advisor, Luntz openly criticized Trump during the 2016 campaign but is now working in the White House, advising Trump on messaging.)15OnFoxNews,everythingiscreatedtomaximizepatrioticfeelings.Thesettingsareglitzyand compelling, with red, white and blue colors, and attractive female and male hosts who espouse their conservative views, often withpassion butlittle evidence. “Fox tradesin storiesaboutthe venality ofbig government,liberaloverreachandlittle-guyheroesoftheheartland.AlargeshareofFoxstoriesdeftlypush emotionalbuttons,”writesWilliamPoundstoneinForbesmagazine.16Theirsegmentsoftenpromoteviews thatplayontribaltendenciesthatratchetupakindoffearandhatredof“out-groups,”suchasimmigrants, Democrats,andethnicgroupssuchasblacks,Latinos,andMuslims.Andthenthereisthehypnoticscrollof the newsticker and general graphic excess, whichcan leave people feeling overwhelmed butaddicted to findingoutwhatcomesnext—inthesamewaythattheylookattheirInstagram,Twitter,orothersocial mediatoassuagetheirfearofmissingout.
Criticalthinkingisan effortfulactivity onethatour24/7societymakesverydifficultin otherways. Take,forexample,sleepdeprivation.Theaverageadultneedssomewherebetweenseventoninehoursof sleepanight, thoughthiscan varybetween individuals. Currently40 percentofAmericansgetlessthan sevenhoursofsleepanight thenationalaverageis6.8hours,downmorethananhourfrom1942.18Sleep deprivation is linked to many health issues including cognitive impairment.19 Critical thinking is hard enoughwhenyou’renotexhausted.Yetsleepdeprivationisnottheonlyforceerodingourmentalabilities.
ConsidertheeasewithwhichFacebook,Google,Apple,Amazon,andothertechnologycompaniesare affectingourbehaviorsnotjustasasocietybutataverypersonallevel:peopleareaddictedtotheirdevices.20 TheaverageAmericanspendselevenhoursadaylookingatscreens.21 Facebookaddictionisawell-studied phenomenon22 articles with titles like “Facebook Addiction ‘Activates Same Part of the Brain as Cocaine’”23 are more explanatory than alarmist. Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, argues that “the knowledge economy is systematically undervaluing uninterrupted concentration and overvaluing the convenienceandflexibilityofferedbynewtechnologies…[Ifpeoplearebombarded]withemailandmeeting invitations,theircognitivecapacitywillbesignificantlyimpeded.”24 Thisawarenessisnotjustbubblingup fromtherankandfile;CEOsacrossthetechsectorarespeakingoutandcuttingbacktechnologyuseintheir ownlives.25
Trumpwatchesatleastfourhoursoftelevisiondailyandoftenmuchmore,eatsfastfoodatmanymeals, andsleepsareportedthreeorfourhoursanight.HemightbeabletohandleitbutmanyAmericanscannot. Whether we ’ re looking at the effects of adverse nutrition, poor education, climate change, economic disparity,jobinsecurity,highratesofdivorce,alongwiththealarmingriseofdrugabuseinthiscountry the overloadofeverydaystressandoutsideforcesisaffectingthecognitivefunctioningofourbrains.
Oneofthemostdamagingfactorstous,asindividualsandasasociety,ispoorparenting,andinparticular child abuse. In his book, The Holocaust Lessons on Compassionate Parenting and Child Corporal Punishment,socialworkerandchildprotectionadvocateDavidCoopersondescribesthenegativeeffectsof corporalpunishmentonchildhooddevelopment.ThetitleofhisbookreferstostudiesbySamuelandPearl OlinerandothersonpeoplewhorescuedJewsduringWorldWarIIinNazi-occupiedcountries,oftenat great risk to themselves. They found that rescuers received negligible physical punishment as children compared to those who did not attempt to rescue Jews suggesting, among other things, that corporal punishment may play a role in whether a person becomes susceptible to authority. Studies by Harvard
Add to thisvolatile mix the breakdown in trustbetween people and institutions, the rise ofcelebrity culture,andtheexplosionofsocialmedia we ’relookingatastaggeringnumberofnegativeinfluenceson ourabilitytoconcentrate,thinkclearly,andmakedecisions,bothindividuallyandcollectively.
The24/7digitalagehasmadeuswiredformanipulation literally.Buttherearemanyotherfactorsat work.Assomeonewhohasexperiencedlifeinatotalitariangroup,Iknowfirsthandhowcultswork how theytargetpeopleatvulnerablemomentsandusewell-honedpsychologicaltechniquestomanipulateand indoctrinatetheirmembers.Ialsoknowfirsthandhowcultleaderswork howtheydistort,confuse,and manipulate their followers, in their one-on-one interactionsand on a larger stage. Some may think that Trumpisabuffoonwhodoesnotknowwhatheisdoingwhenherepeatshimselfoverandoveragainat ralliesorgoesonforhoursataCPACconference.WhileIdobelievethatheisfailinginhismentalhealth,he isalsoalongtime studentofinfluence techniqueswithaneedfor attention andcontrol over others. He wouldnotbewhereheiswithoutthatknowledgeand let’scallitwhatitis talent.
The Persuasiveness of Trump
Inthesummerof2015,morethanayearbeforethepresidentialelection,DilbertcartoonistScottAdams made what sounded like an outrageous prediction that Donald Trump had a 98 percent chance of becomingpresident.Withastillwide-openfieldofRepublicancandidates,andalmostallthepollstilting heavilytowardDemocraticcandidateHillaryClintonwinningthegeneralelection,Adamswasridiculedand evenattacked.HelateradmittedthathehadexaggeratedTrump’schancesinordertoattractattention akey methodofpersuasion.1ButAdams,whoclaimstobeatrainedhypnotist,didbelievethatTrump withhis mediasavvy,hisfourteenseasonsonTheApprentice,andhisextensiveexperienceinbusiness hadahigh likelihoodofwinning.WhatgaveTrumptheedge,saidAdams,werehissuperiorpowersofpersuasion.
Inhisclassic1936book,HowtoWinFriendsandInfluencePeople,DaleCarnegieoutlinedsixprinciples ofpersuasion: smile, listen, show genuine interestin people, make them feel important, remember their nameanduseitfrequently,andtalkabouttheirinterests.Carnegie’sprinciplessoundalmosthomespun.In fact,theystillwork,butthescienceofpersuasionhasmovedfarbeyondhisinsights.First,withmassmedia radioandtelevision andthenthedigitalage,influencetechniqueshavebecomemuchmoresophisticated. AccordingtoAdams,Trumphasmasterfullyexploitedmanyofthesetechniquestohisadvantage.
InhisbookWinBigly:PersuasioninaWorldWhereFactsDon’tMatter,Adamsdescribesoneofthe fundamental principles of Trump’s rhetorical style. “Persuasion is all about the tools and techniques of changing people’s minds, with or without facts or reason, ” Adams writes. When Trump claimed that Mexicanimmigrantsarerapists,wemayhaverecoiledindisgustbutwerememberedit.Andwetalkedabout it.AdamswouldarguethatTrumpdidn’tmeanallMexicanimmigrants hewasintentionallyexaggerating. Hewasusinghyperbole,apersuasivetacticthatprovokescontroversyandcapturespeople’sattentionand emotions.
“An emotional speaker always makes his audience feel with him, even when there is nothing in his arguments;whichiswhymanyspeakerstrytooverwhelmtheiraudiencebymerenoise,”Aristotlewrotein hisclassicworkonpersuasion,Rhetoric.Byhisownaccount,Trumpseemstoknowwhatheisdoing.“Iplay topeople’sfantasies,”TrumpsaysinTheArtoftheDeal.“That’swhyalittlehyperboleneverhurts.…Icallit truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration and a very effective form of promotion.” AccordingtoAdams,evenathismostblustery,Trumphasastrategy,onethatshouldnotbeunderestimated. Heisamastermanipulatorofthemediaandofpeople’sminds.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT MIND, LANGUAGE, AND HYPNOSIS
Thehumanbrainhasbeendescribedasanincrediblycomplexandsophisticatedbiocomputer,onethatis designed to learn survival patterns. It is remarkable in its ability to creatively respond to a person ’ s physiologicalandpsychologicalneeds,aswellastotheirenvironment.Ourbrainsfilteroutthefloodsof information that come our way every second so that we can cope with those things that we consider important.Thelatestresearchdescribeshowtherighthemisphereofourbrainstakesinthebigpictureand thelefthemisphereconcentratesondetails.2
Our minds are filled with enormous reservoirs of information images, sounds, feelings, tastes, and smells.Allthisinformationissystematicallyconnectedinmeaningfulwaysandstoredasmemories.These memorieshelpdevelopoursenseofself.Ourbeliefsaboutourselvesinturnserveasafilterforprocessing newinformation.Theyalsohelptodetermineourbehavior.Yetonlyasmallpartofourbehaviorisunder ourconsciouscontrol.Theunconsciousdoestherest,includingregulatingourbodilyfunctions.Imagine havingtotellyourhearttobeatseventy-twotimeseveryminute therewouldbenotimeforanythingelse.
In addition to controlling our bodily functions, the unconscious plays a large role in shaping our consciousminds.Itistheprimarymanagerandkeeperofinformation.It’swhereourmultitudeofbeliefs, judgments,feelings,andbehaviorsareprocessedandstored.Thinkofourconsciousmindasthetuneronan AM/FMradio.Youcanputyourattentiononone“station,”butalltheAM/FMfrequenciesaregoingall the time in the human mind. We’re justnotaware ofit. We’re working offwhatNobel Prize–winning behavioraleconomistDanielKahnemancalls“unconsciousheuristics.”
Itisourunconsciousthatallowsustomakementalpicturesandexperiencethemasreal.Yourperceptions oftheworldare“simplyelectricalsignalsinterpretedbyyourbrain,”toquotetheclassicmovieTheMatrix. Try this experiment. Allow your mind to transport you to a beautiful beach bask in the warmth and brightnessofthesun,thecoolbreeze,thesmelloftheocean.Hearthesoundsofwavescrashing,feelthegrit ofthesandbetweenyourtoes.Didyougosomewhereelseforamoment?Imaginationcanbeapowerful tool.Topprofessionalbasketballplayerslearntovisualizetheballleavingtheirfingersandgoingthroughthe netbeforetheyshoot.Wealldoit:imaginingwhatwewillsayatapresentation,orwhenwemeetthe“one” andfallinlove.
Trumpdoesit,too heisamasterofgettingourattentionandmanipulatingpeople’simaginations.You canseeitinhisuseofhyperbole.Hisexaggerationsaresimplyvividimagesdesignedtoscareordelight usually both at the same time. In his2017 inauguration speech, he spoke ofabandoned factories, failed schools,rampantcrime,andadecrepitmilitarythatonlyhecouldfix.“ThisAmericancarnageendsright hereandrightnow,”heclaimed.“I’llbeabletomakesurethatwhenyouwalkdownthestreetinyourinner cityorwhereveryouare,you’renotgoingtobeshot.”OverthecourseofTrump’sfirstyear,112peopledied intenseparatemassshootingevents.3Thefollowingyear,thenumberoffatalitiesreachedover300.4 Even hisinsults Lyin’Ted,Pocahontas,CrazyBernie playuponourimaginations,conjuringupimagesand associatedemotionsthat,onceheard,canbetriggeredoverandoveragainatameremention.
The mind is powerful but it has its vulnerabilities. It requires a stream of coherent information to function properly. Put a person in a sensory deprivation chamber and within minutesthey will start to hallucinate and become incredibly receptive to another person ’ssuggestions. Likewise, puta person in a situation where his senses are overloaded with contradictory incoherent information and the mind will
Youmayassociatehypnotismwithabeardeddoctordanglinganoldpocketwatchinfrontofadroopyeyedsubject,orastagehypnotistwhomakespeoplebelievethattheyareachickenorElvisPresley.While those images are stereotypes, they point to a central feature of hypnotism: the trance. In trance, critical thinkingandothermentalprocessesarediminished,leavingthehighlysuggestableunconsciousimagination moreincontrol.5 Peoplearelessabletocriticallyevaluateinformationreceivedinatrancethanwhenina normalstateofalertconsciousness.Thealteredstatedoesnotneedtobedeeporlong-lasting.Ithappenstoall ofusmultipletimesaday whensomeonesays,“passthesalt,”doyouanalyzethecommunication,ordo youjustpassthesaltwhileyourfocusremainsonthemealorwhoyouwerespeakingwith?
Themindneedsframesofreferenceinordertostructurereality.Beliefs,pastexperiences,orpointsof information provide the filters. Change the frame of reference and the information coming in will be interpreted in a different way. If someone approaches you in the mall and says, “You look like an adventurouspersonwholikestotrynewthings,arealfreethinkerwhodoesn’tletconventionsconstrain you. Wouldyou liketotrysomechocolatecoveredants?”you’remuchmorelikelytoagreethan ifthat personapproachesyouandsays,“Youlooklikeasensiblepersonwhothinkscarefullybeforeacting.”
Whenpeoplearesubjectedtoasystematicmindcontrolprocess,mostdonothaveanyframeofreference fortheexperienceandwilloftenunconsciouslyaccepttheframegiventothembytheleaderorthegroup forexample,thattheyarespecial,chosen,orsmart,andthereforedeservingofwhatyouareabouttoimpart tothem.Trumpdoesthatwhenhegreetshisaudiencesatralliesandtellsthemhowmuchhelovesthem,ashe didatarallyinElPaso.“Ilovethisstate.Ilovethepeopleofthisstate.We’vehadagreatromancetogether, you know that.”6 What they also know isthat the love extendsonly to hissupporters. One ofTrump’s favorite lines when meeting powerful men is to tell them how “handsome” they are. In 2017, when interviewingKevinWarshasapossiblechairmanoftheFederalReserve,thefirstthinghesaidwas,“You’rea reallyhandsomeguy,aren’tyou?”7 Hehasevenuseditonhimself.WhilecampaigninginApril2016,he addressedthecrowd,“DoIlooklikeapresident?HowhandsomeamI,right?Howhandsome?”Thesemay soundlikeharmlesscomplimentsortheendearing orlaughable,dependingonyourperspective ravings ofavainandsuperficialnarcissistbuttheyarehighlystrategic.Heistellingtheaudience whetheritisan individualoracrowd thattheyare“worthy”ofattentionandthattheyareinthistogether.Byframingthe audience’sexperiencefromtheoutset,Trumpmakesitmuchmorelikelythattheywilllapupwhateverhe dishesout.AsbehavioralscientistRobertCialdinishowsinhisbookPre-Suasion:ARevolutionaryWayto InfluenceandPersuade,whenaframeissetfirst,audiencesbecomereceptivetoamessagebeforetheyeven hearit.
David Cay Johnston, author of The Making of Donald Trump and It’s Even Worse Than You Think. AccordingtoJohnston,Trumpis“thegreatestconartistinthehistoryoftheworld,byconninghiswayto theWhiteHouse.”9
NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP)
In the 1970s, Richard Bandler and John Grinder developed a systematic approach to dial into another person ’sworldview to understand how they make sense of reality in an effort to help them be more effective. They called it Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. Bandler and Grinder developed the approachbasedontherevolutionaryworkofpsychiatristMiltonErickson inparticularhisprocess-oriented hypnosis andofotherssuchastherapistVirginiaSatir,anthropologistandlinguistGregoryBateson,andthe bodyawarenessexpertMosheFeldenkrais.10BandlerandGrindersawhowtherapistslikeEricksonandSatir wereachievinggreatresults whattheycalledtherapeutic“magic” withtheirclientsandsetouttomodel themanddiscoverhowtheyweresoeffective.
Theyrealizedthatpeopleexperiencetheworldsubjectively,throughtheirfivesenses vision,hearing, touch, smell, andtaste. When we perform mental operations—recall an eventor anticipate or rehearse a futureone wedosointermsofvisualimages,sounds,tactilesensations,smells,andtastes.Somepeopleare morevisual,whileothersmightbemoreauditory.Thegoalofthetherapististounderstandhowtheirclient subjectivelyexperiencestheworld.BandlerandGrinderfoundthatbyusingasetoftechniques mirroringa person ’spostureorvocalpatterns,respondingtoeyemovements,aswellasobservingnonverbalbehaviors theycouldelicitgreatertrust,whichallowedthemtogettotheheartoftheirclient’smindset,therebyhelping them to change. They did this by creating a set of experiences for their clients, which often included imaginingfuturestatesofbeing,thatwouldhelpthembemoreeffective maketeachersbetteratteaching, salespeoplebetteratselling aswellashelpingpeopleinconflictorpain.
Peoplegoinandoutoftrancealldaylong.It’sanaturalfeatureofconsciousness.Wedaydream.Wegetina carandrealizewespacedoutforthelasttenmileswhiledriving.Ourattentionisnotalwaysinthehereand now, with our analytic mind engaged. Milton Erickson found that he could helphispatientsovercome psychologicalproblemsthroughadynamicprocessofnaturalistichypnosis, in whichhemonitoredwhen patientswentinandoutofconsciousness.Hebelievedthattheunconsciousmindwasalwayslisteningand
that, through hisown careful and strategic use ofwordsand suggestions, he could help patientschange unhealthybeliefs,feelings,andbehaviors.Whetherornotapersonwasintrance,suggestionscouldbemade thatwouldhaveahypnoticinfluenceaslongastheyfoundresonanceattheunconsciouslevel.
Ofcourse,Ericksonwasapsychiatrist peoplewerecomingtohimforhelp.Hehadatherapeuticethical frame but hiswork on hypnosisprovided an extremely important addition to the mind-control arsenal. Hypnoticmindcontroltechniquesarenotinthemselvesnegative.Infact,theycanbeverybeneficialaslong asthelocusofcontrolisinsidethepersonandtheexternalinfluencerdoesnothaveanagendatoimposetheir ownbeliefsandexpectations.
Cultleadersandhigh-demandgroupsalwayshave an agenda they seekto control people for power, money,andsex.Anethicalmentalhealthprofessionalmightusehypnoticsuggestionstohelpyoubeyour mosteffectiveandauthenticselfandwilltellyouthattheyaredoingso.Unethicalpeopleandcultsalmost nevertellmemberstheyareusinghypnotictechniques,whichmakesiteasierforthemtoenacttheiragenda. Inahigh-demandgrouporcult,theexternalinfluencerwantstomakeyouintoatruebeliever,onewhohas internalizedthenewideologyandcodeofconduct.Theywantyoutodietoyouroldselfandbereborn.This istrueinmanycults Scientology,HareKrishnas,Moonies,andNXIVM,Christianshepherdinggroups, andothers.
Scientology is notorious for its use of hypnosis. It employs hypnotic techniques in its initial communicationscourseallthewaythroughtoitsmoreadvancedTrainingRoutines,orTRs,whicharepart ofwhatScientologistscallthe“BridgetoTotalFreedom.”11Thefirsthypnoticstepistomakeapersonsitfor long periods of time without moving; next they are commanded to stare into the eyes of another Scientologist,possiblyforhours.Atsomepoint,theotherScientologistwilltrytogetthemtoreact itisa signofadvancementtobeabletosittheremaintainingthestarebutwhatitrequiresisadissociationfrom themselves.Essentiallytheyarebeingpushedintoanalteredstateofdeeptrancewherethegoalistodevelopa ScientologyselfthatisobedienttoHubbardandthegroup.Membersareindoctrinatedtobelievethatthe Training Routines will help them be more effective in their lives earn more money, be better communicators,getbetterjobs.Latertheyaretoldthatbyperformingtheseroutinestheywillhelpclearthe planetofpoverty,crime,disease indeed,ofallofhumanity’sproblems.Atthehighestlevel,membersare toldthattheycancontrolmatter,energy,space,andtime.Thetruthis,theyaretheonesbeingcontrolled.12
Inextremehypnoticstates,peoplemightseethingsthataren’tthereormakethingsdisappear.Theseare referredtoaspositiveandnegativehallucinations,respectively.TheyareespeciallycommoninsomeBible andshepherdingcults,andinparticularintheministriesbelongingtotheChristianrightmovementknown astheNewApostolicReformation(NAR),whichbelievesindemonpossessionandputsaheavyemphasison Satan. Believers are taught to perform visualizations and undergo various altered states and hypnotic experiencesthatcan leadthem to believe thatthey are being attackedby evil entities. Likewise, they can believethattheyarebeingfilledwiththeholyspiritandact“drunkenforGod.”Youcanseevideosonlineof peoplelookingliketheydrankafifthofscotchbutit’stheirbeliefintheholyspiritthatallegedlyanimates them.ItturnsouttheNAR withitsmillionsofadherents hasbecomeoneofTrump’sbiggestsupporters. Theyaretold,andmanybelieve,thatTrumpwaspickedbyGodtoleadthenation.TheyareTrump’strue believers.Theyviewthemselvesas“spiritualwarriors”whothinktheyarehelpingTrumpcarryouthisGodgivenmission.
Some hypnotic mind control hallucinations can have positive effects. Before I was recruited into the Mooncult,Iwasintrovertedandveryuncomfortabledoingpublicspeaking.Inthegroup,Iwastaughtto useavariationofahypnotictechniquethatincludedprayingandtellingmyselfthatGodwasusingmeasa vessel.IimaginedGodwasspeakingthroughme,soIhadnoego.AfterIleftthecult,Ineededtoreconfigure mybeliefsystem,butrealizedIcouldstillbehaveconfidently,asIhadasaMoonieleader.Also,Istarted applyingsometechniqueswhenIstartedgivinglecturesaboutmycultinvolvement.Forexample,Iwould useanotherpositivehallucinationtechnique:Iwouldimaginemyfamilyandfriendsintheaudience.This way,Iwouldn’tfeelalonetalkingtostrangers.WhenIdidmyfirstfewtelevisioninterviews,Iusedanegative hallucinationtechniquetomakethecamerasinfrontofmedisappear.AllIsawwastheinterviewer.
Hypnotictechniquesare notinherently goodor bad. Itdependson who isusing them andfor what purpose.NormanVincentPeale Trump’smentorduringhischildhood taughthypnotictechniquesinhis churchandinhisbookThePowerofPositiveThinking.ThereisanaspecttoTrump’spositiveself-talkthat soundsalmostself-hypnotic.Duringthecampaign,afterthesecondRepublicandebate,whenTrumpwas slipping in the polls, he wouldtalkaboutall the positive signs referring only to pollsthatshowedhim gainingground,andtalkingabouthow“amazing”thingsweregoing.Hewassoinsistentonthehugenessof hisinauguralcrowdthatonemightwonderifheactuallyhallucinatedthatitwasthathuge.
WhilePeale’smethodsmightbeaboonforsome,theycanalsoleadtopsychologicalproblems.Iworked withayoungmanwhowasatruebelieverintheartofpositivethinking hewasahighschoolfootballplayer and was practicing Peale’s techniques, visualizing himself in a particular football position and being successful. Itturnsouthiscoachdidn’twanthim toplaythatposition andtoldhim todoanother. The youngmandidtheprogramandbelieved100percentandthoughtifhejustkeptbelieving,thecoachwould magicallychangehismind.Insteadthecoachkickedhimofftheteam.Hehadabreakdownandthought therewassomethingwrongwithhim.
One needsto be able to use reality-testing strategiesand be open to feedbackand adjustaccordingly. Believeallyouwant,butifyoudon’thavethetalent,nomatterhowmuchpositivethinkingyoudo,youare notgoingtobecomeabaseballlegend,arockstar,oracomputergenius.
Sofar,Ihavemostlytalkedabouttechniquesthatareusedone-on-onebuthypnotictechniquescanbe used on large crowds, like at a Trump rally. Of course, all political rallies or rock concerts have the potentialforinducingakindoftrancestate,butTrump’srepetitions,hisrhythmicvocalcadences,hisvivid imageryareunusual.Hekeepsreturningathisralliestothesameimages oftheWall,dangerousfoes,and evennow,thesizeofhisinauguralcrowd.Noneoftheseexistandyetsomeofhisfollowersbelievethatthey do theycanevenvisualizethem.Theyhavebecomerealinmanypeople’sminds.
It is a fact that some people are more susceptible to trance and may even be born with that ability. Hypnosisexpertscall them “highhypnotizables.”These people have a highcapacity for imagination and concentration, so much so that some can intentionally change their skin temperature just by imagining holdingicecubes.We’veallfeltice,manyofushavemadesnowballs,sowecarryinourmemoryandinour neuronalpatternswhatitfeelsliketobecold.It’sreallyaboutaccessingyourimaginationandyourreservoir ofexperiencesandapplying them in aconcentratedway. An ethicaltherapeutictreatmentbyhealth-care professionalstrainedinhypnosiscanhelppeopleavoidmigraineheadaches.Peoplearetaughttovisualizeas
well ashave kinesthetichallucinationsthatcan dilate andconstrictthe bloodvesselsin their heads. They practicefirstwithmakingtheirhandswarmandcold.
Therearehundredsifnotthousandsofwaystomeditate noonewayisbestforeveryone.Ihavedonea number of different meditation practices with a variety of teachers. My understanding is that the fundamental goal ofmeditation istotrain the mindtoovercome restlessandunsettling thoughts what meditationteacherscall“monkeymind” and,insomepractices,toletgoofordinaryconsciousnessand reachahigherstateofawareness.Somemeditationpracticesinvolvesittingstillandwatchingyourthoughts, orattendingtotheinflowandoutflowofyourbreath,orwalkingandfocusingonyoursteps.Thelocusof controlisinsideyou.Focusingonaflameorrepeatingaword,ormantra,arealsoformsofmeditation.
In my opinion, guided meditation and visualization are not, strictly speaking, forms of meditation. Listening to someone prompt you through a series of thoughts, feelings, and experiences is closer to a hypnotic, trance-inducing process than it is to meditation. Guided visualizations can be healthy and therapeutic,dependingonwhoisdoingitandwhy.Forexample,ifattheendofayogaclass,youarelyingon yourmat,andtheinstructorasksyoutovisualizewalkingonwarmsandatabeachortofeelyourbody melting into the mat and you feel better, that is fine. If it is ethical and empowers people to think for
Someformsofmeditationcanactuallybedetrimentalforcertainpeople,provokingfeelingsofanxiety andevenpanic.Thiscanbeespeciallytrueifapersongetsdrawndeeplyintoameditation-basedgrouplike TranscendentalMeditation(TM),whichencouragesitsmemberstomeditateforhoursatastretch.Inhis bookTranscendentalDeception:BehindtheTMCurtain,formerten-yearTMteacherAryehSiegeldescribes howthegroupusesa“veneerofscience”andcelebrityendorsements frompeoplelikefilmmakerDavid Lynch—to peddle their own brandofHinduism. According to Siegel, TMclaimsto promote asciencebackedformofmeditation,butmemberscanbedrawnintoawholesetofbeliefsandpracticeswhichtheyare toldwillleadtosupernaturalpowers flying,invisibility,andimmortality allforaprice.
Anchoringisessentiallyusingacue atouch,sound,avisualimage totriggeranassociatedthoughtor feeling.Thecue,oranchor,cancomefromanyofthefivesensessolongasitconnectstoanexperienceora memory.Wordscanbeanchors,sotooatoneofvoiceoratouch.Agesture,asaying,animage allofthese serveasanchorswhentheyareusedpurposefullytotriggeranemotionalresponseinsomeone.Thesetriggers canbeusedquiteintentionallyandrightintheopenwithoutpeopleevenrealizingit.Onceyouaremade awareofthesetechniques,youarefarmorelikelytoidentifythemwhentheyarebeingused.Tome,they seemobviousandpopintomyconsciousmindlikeawavingredflag.Muchliketheconditioningexperiment conducted by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov on his dogs, a person who is subjected to the trigger is “trained”torespondinaprescribedway.Asthefamouscasegoes,Pavlov’sdogswouldhearabellringwhen given food, andthe dog wouldsalivate seeing the food. After several meals, Pavlov noticedthatthe dog wouldsalivatejusthearingthebell.AsthepsychologistB.F.Skinnershowed,asimilarkindofconditioning
ForTrumpsupporters, redMAGAhatsorT-shirtsmayactasanchors. Theybringaboutafeelingof identity and solidarity and may elicit memories of past Trump rallies. Make America Great Again is a linguisticanchor.Thisphrasetriggersakindofpositivenostalgiaandidealizationofamomentinhistorythat mayneverhavehappened animaginarygoldenage.Eachpersonmighthaveadifferentimageormoviein their mind when they hear this phrase. For some people, it may have less benign associations, possibly harkeningbacktoatimewhenAmericawasalessdiverse,morerepressivecountry.Theyhearthephraseand maythink,MakeAmericaWhiteAgain.20
FRAMING
Aswehavealreadyseen,framingoccurswhenwesetapsychologicalcontextforanexperienceinawaythat biasestheoutcome likeaperson’swillingnesstoeatchocolate-coveredants,aswesawearlier.Trumpalso usesit to identify hisrally audiencesasloyal followers. It’sa way to directand focusattention and, for Trump, togain theupper hand. In theFox presidentialdebate in 2015, moderator Megyn Kelly saidto Trump:“You’vecalledwomenyoudon’tlikefatpigs,dogs,slobs,anddisgustinganimals.”21Hecutheroff: “OnlyRosieO’Donnell.”TrumpturnedthetablesandreframedKelly’saccusation,takingallthepowerout ofherstatementandgettingachuckleoutofthecrowdtoboot.
Withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, Trump called climate change a “hoax” and redirected attentiontoChinaandIndia,whoheclaimedweretherealwinnersintheaccord.Hereframedthedebate fromsavingtheplanettoaneconomicandpoliticalcontestwithtwosuperpowers.
Scientologyliesafantasticsecretnarrative,onethatmembersspendmanyyearsandtensofthousandsof dollarsto finally learn. They are told that they will die ifthey discover thisinformation before they are preparedfor it. The story goeslike this:75 million yearsago, agalacticdictator namedPrince Xenu (or Xemu)wantedtosolvetheoverpopulationproblemplaguingthegalaxy,sohesentmillionsofbeingsfrom seventy-sixdifferentplanetstoTeegeeack nowknownasEarth.Heforcedthebeings,or“thetans,”into volcanoesandthendroppedhydrogenbombsonthevolcanoes.AccordingtoHubbard,everyonealivetoday isamassofthousandsof“clusters”ofthese“bodythetans,”whichinfluenceoureverythoughtandaction. Weareallpossessedandcontrolledbydemons,accordingtoHubbard.OnlyScientologycanridusofthese invisiblebodythetans.Oncefreed whichusuallyrequiressixextremelyexpensivelevelsof“processing” Scientologistsaretoldtheywillhavesuperpowers,includingcompletecontrolovermatter,energy,space, andtime.(AlthoughHubbard’scourseshavebeenavailablesince1967,noScientologistwasabletoclaimthe million-dollarprizeoffered,until2016,byfamousmagician JamesRanditoanyoneabletodemonstrate supernaturalpowers.)
WhitenationaliststorytellingdescribesaglobalconspiracyofJewishbankers,Muslims,andterroristswho wanttodestroythewhiterace.TheycreatevividnarrativesportrayingHitlerasagreatsaviorandherowho triedtorestorethewhiteracetoitsrightfuldominantplace.Theyrousepeoplewhohavefelteconomicallyor culturallydeprivedbyblamingandevenattackingthe“other” Jews,Blacks,Hispanics, Muslims fortakingwhatisrightfullytheirs.It’saclassicvillainversus-hero narrative pattern. The meme #WhiteGenocide isa kind of shorthand for the story, one that Trumphasretweetedmanytimes.22
Trumpisnotabrilliantstoryteller hecanbeclumsy,andlackinginsubtlety.Butinhiscampaignslogan MakeAmericaGreatAgain hehadasimpleandbrilliantstory,onethathetoldoverandoveragain,in rallyafterrally.AccordingtoauthorandfilmmakerRandyOlson,itwonhimthepresidency:“Howcould thiscountryelectarealityTVshowhostasitsPresident?Trumphadastory.Hillaryhadnone.‘Americawas oncegreat.Americaisnolongergreat.IwillmakeAmericagreatagain.’”23Nowthatheispresident,Trump tellsan updatedversion Keep America Great. Butthe message issimilar: “I have made American great again,butitcanallcomecrashingdowniftheliberalDemocratsareelectedintooffice.”
One might say that Donald Trump, the successful businessman, is himself a story crafted by Tony Schwartz,hisghostwriteronTheArtoftheDeal onethatwasfurtheredthroughthepropagandaeffortsof Mark Burnett for fourteen seasons on American reality television. People who have worked on The Apprenticehavetalkedabouthowimportanttheeditingprocesswastocraftingastorythatreinforcedthe imageofTrump’sgreatness.FansofTheApprenticewouldbeinfluencedhourbyhour,weekafterweek,and year after year tothinkofhim asagreatbusinessleader. Itmaynothavebeen aleaptothinkofhim as president.
NormanVincentPealewasalsoinfluential,aswasRoyCohn.Lookingforrolemodelsdoesn’tendwith childhood adultsoftenemulatepeopletheyrespectandmaytrytoembodycertainoftheircharacteristics. The whole self-helpmovementisbased on the premise thatby following the advice and example setby successfulpeople,wecanimproveourlives.
One ofthe key techniquesofNLPisto create internal mental modelsofsuccess. Often thatinvolves findinga“true”rolemodelofsuccess anactualperson.Thedangercomeswhenourrolemodelsturnout tobeunethical,unscrupulouspeople,whopromiseonethinganddeliveranotherandwhoseekfollowersfor theirowngain.Cultsarebuiltonafoundationofrole-modeling—followersmodelthemselvesintheimage offalseprophets,gurus,ormessiahs.ItseemsludicroustometodaythatIoncetriedtobelikeSunMyung Moon a paunchy, middle-aged Korean arms dealer who lied, humiliated followers, had multiple extramaritalaffairs,andfoistedhisdelusionsofgrandeuronhishundredsofthousandsoffollowers.
To prepare herselffor her role on The Apprentice, Omarosa Manigault Newman read everything she couldaboutTrump.Shewantedtolearnallshecouldtoimpresshim,butmodelingherselfafterhimmay havemadehermoresusceptibletohisinfluence.InTheArtoftheDeal,Trumppromotedhimselfasakind ofbusinessrolemodel.NowhetoutshimselfasakindofpoliticalsaviorwhowillhelprescueAmerica.We sawearlierhowFloridagovernorRonDeSantissaidhecan’tthinkofabetterrolemodelforhisownchildren thanTrump.
RAPPORT AND TRUST-BUILDING TECHNIQUES: MIRRORING, MATCHING, PACING, AND LEADING
Mirroring isa relatively easy andcommon persuasive technique: copy the other person ’sbody language, speechpatterns,andmannerisms.Makethatpersonfeelcomfortablewithyouandtheywillletdowntheir guard.WhenIwasbeingtrainedinNLP,weweretaughttomirrorsomeone’sbodyposturebutnottoo overtly;otherwiseitcouldhavetheoppositeeffect.Armsfolded?Foldyours,butnottooobviously.Legs crossed,crossyours.Wewereeventrainedtomatchpeople’sbreathingrates.Thesebehaviorsoccurquite naturallywiththoseyoufeelcloseto.NLPpractitionersaretaughttospeeduptheget-to-know-youprocess bymirroringandmatchingsomeone’sspeechpatterns,accents,words,mannerisms,andbeliefs.
Trumphashisownstyle,tobesure,andheexploitsittofulleffect essentiallyannouncingthat“Iamnot like the restofWashington.”He isalwaysgesturing, striking power poses, and making facesto presshis points. Heplaystohisaudience’sexpectation thatheisnotlikeotherpoliticians an expectation thathe helpedtocultivateinthefirstplace.Atthesametime,heisextremelyresponsivetohisaudiences,insome waysencouragingthem tomatchhim in emotion andintensity. Hebobshisheadvigorouslywhen heis listening, which is a kind of positive reinforcing behavior. Perhaps most of all, he mirrors people’s
expectationsthathebeanauthorityfigure withhisdominancestance,hisfiercehandshake,hisstrutting, and on one memorable occasion, hisalmostthreatening posturing. Thiswasduring a 2016 debate with HillaryClinton,whenhestood orratherloomed directlybehindherwhileshewasspeaking.Theeffect formanyviewerswasbreathtakingandscary.
Trumphasalsousedthemirroringtechniqueontheinternationalstage.InJanuary2018,asNorthKorea was ramping up its nuclear program and threatening to unleash a missile on the United States, Trump threatenedbackverbally,sayingthathecoulddestroyKimandhiscountrywith“fireandfury.”Kimsaidhe hasanuclearbuttononhisdesk.TrumptoldKimthathisbuttonwasbiggerthanKim’sbutton,andthathis nucleararsenalactuallyworked.
He switched tacticsat a later point and flattered Kim and, some would say, “wooed”him into talks. Obviously,KimwastheonewiththemosttogainbyameetingwithTrump theleaderofasmallpariah nationmeetingwithanAmericanpresident.Trumpwalkedawayfromthemeetingwithnodeal,thoughhe didreceiveinternationalmediaattention.Diplomatssaiditwasasquandereddiplomaticopportunity.Butit gaveTrumptemporarybraggingrights:hecouldsayhehadavertedanuclearshowdown.Nevermindthat hisearlierrhetoric whichincludedgivingKimhisownnickname,RocketMan actuallyhelpedcreatethe crisisinthefirstplace.Braggadocioaside,themethodthatTrumpusedtoengagetheKoreandictatorwas effective.Narcissisticcultleaderscanoftenbemanipulatedbyflattery.Ittakesonetoknowone.
CONFUSION TECHNIQUES
Among the most effective persuasion techniques are those designed to create confusion. Our conscious mindscanonlyattendtoalimitedamountofinformationatanymoment theycangetoverwhelmedvery easily.Whenthereisincongruitybetweeninformationandhowitisdelivered forexample,someonetelling youbadnewswhilesmiling thesituationisexacerbated.Peopleoftengointoamildtrancetoresolvethe conflict.Inthattrancestate,theyaremoresusceptibletobeingprogrammedwithfalsebeliefs,phobias,and conspiracytheories.Confidentlylyingwhileyourfacialandbodylanguagesaysyouaretellingthetruthisan especially effective confusion technique. Con artists and pathological liars know that they need to occasionallysaysometruethings,whichcanreassurepeoplebutalsoconfusethem.Whatisthetruth?
Apatterninterruptionoccurswhenthereisaviolationofanormorsocialscript.Cursingandswearingis something that some Scientologists like to do to throw people off guard, especially when asked critical questions about their group.25 Trump does this frequently his presidency is defined by pattern interruptions.Whilemostpoliticiansshowsomemodicumofpoliticaldecorum,Trumpdoestheopposite heisboldanddisruptive.Heusespoliticallyincorrectwordsandactionstoreaffirminhisfollowersthatheis notapolitician.Heisanoutsider.Helies,aswehaveabundantlyseen,anddistracts.Histweetsdisruptthe normalmodeofpoliticalcommunicationandcancomeatanyhourofthedayornight(andTrumpsleeps only a few hours). His followers love him for it but it also creates a disconnect for those who expect a president to be honest, trustworthy, and respectful. Hisactionscall into question not just the executive branchbutthewholestructureofgovernment.
AnotherpatterninterruptTrumphasusedisthehandshake andinhypnosis,thereisatechniqueknown asahandshakeinduction.Thenormistoreachoutyourhand,grasptheotherperson’s nottootightlyor loosely andshakeandrelease.Trumpwouldfamouslynotletgo,evenpullingtheotherpersontoward him, inducing a moment of confusion and disorientation, demonstrating that he is in control until PortuguesepresidentMarceloRebelodeSousaturnedthetablesonhimashewasgreetedbyTrumpatthe WhiteHouse.DeSousayankedTrump’soutstretchedarmbeforeTrumpcouldasserthisdominance.26
Trump’s self-avowed grabbing of women ’ s genitals if true could be considered another pattern interruptiontechnique.Mostwomenwouldconsidersuchbehaviorinvasiveandhighlydisturbingandgo intoanimmediateconfusionstate especiallyifTrumpweretomakeeyecontact,smile,andsaysomething like“Youaresobeautiful.Iwanttogettoknowyou.”Hiscelebrity,power,andmoneywouldaddtothe confusion.Ofcourse,ifawomanhadbeenabusedpreviouslyorwastaughtaboutthisabusivebehavior,they mightgetangry,moveaway and,ideally,reporttheincident.
DOUBLE BINDS
Aswehaveseenearlier,adoublebindforcesapersontodowhatthecontrollerwantswhilegivinganillusion ofchoice.Ionceheardatapeofnow-deceasedcultleaderBhagwanShreeRajneesh(knownnowasOsho) hypnoticallysay,“ForthosepeoplewhoarehavingdoubtsaboutwhatIamtellingyou,youshouldknow thatIamtheoneputtingthosedoubtsinsideyourmindsothatyouwillseethetruth,thatIamthetrue teacher and come back to me. ” Whether the person believes or doubts the leader, they are usually left confusedandvulnerable unlesstheyunderstandwhatadoublebindis. Sometimesadoublebindcanbeusedforaperson’sbenefit.Forexample,thepsychiatristMiltonErickson is quoted as having said to a client, “I think your unconscious mind knows more about this than your consciousminddoes,andifyourunconsciousmindknowsmoreaboutthisthanyourconsciousminddoes, thenyouprobablyknowmoreaboutthisthanyouthinkyoudo.”Eitherway,thepersonissmarterthanthey believed!
Trump uses double binds to control situations to his own advantage. Charlie Houpert, founder of CharismaonCommandandaYouTubepersonality,citesseveralexamplesofTrumpusingdoublebinds duringtheRepublicanprimarydebates.Inoneofthedebates,TrumptauntedJebBushabouthavinglow
energy, saying, “I know you ’ re trying to build upyour energy, Jeb, but it’snot working.”AsHoupert astutelyobserved,“Withthis,JebBushhastwooptions:eitheruphisenergylevelorbringitbackdown.Ifhe choosestogoafterTrumpfull-throttle,he’lllookdefensiveand[likehe’s]puttingTrumpinthecontrolseat. Ifhetriestodiffuseit,heperpetuates[Trump’s]taunt.”27It’sacatch-22.Trump1,Jeb,0.
Trumpisamasterofprojection.Histwisteduseofthe“birther”lieisoneexample.Foryearsheclaimed thatPresidentObamawasnotbornintheUnitedStates,earningalotofpublicityintheprocess.Whenthe birthcertificatewasproduced,heaccusedSenatorHillaryClintonofspreadingtherumor.In September 2015,hetweeted,“ThebirthermovementwasstartedbyHillaryClintonin2008.Shewasallin!”28 Why would he do this? Projection is a powerful psychological defense mechanism, one that is a hallmark of malignantnarcissism.Butitisalsoanincrediblypowerfultechniqueofpsychologicalmanipulation.
ProjectionisTrump’sconsistentresponsetocriticism.2930Whenhewasaccusedofbeingmisogynistic,he immediately defended himself, claiming no one respects women more than him. He then deflected the accusation,accusingBillClintonofabusingwomen.“There’sneverbeenanybodyinthehistoryofpolitics inthisnationthat’sbeensoabusivetowomen.Soyoucansayanywayyouwanttosayit,butBillClinton wasabusivetowomen.HillaryClintonattackedthosesamewomenandattackedthemviciously,”Trump said.
Often Trump’s projections will entail an elaborate pattern of deflection. When he was accused of criticizingtheGoldStarcouple,KihzrandGhazalaKahn,heactuallytriedtoblamethedeathoftheirsonon HillaryClinton.“CaptainKhanisanAmericanhero,andifIwerepresidentatthattime,hewouldbealive today,becauseunlikeher,whovotedforthewarwithoutknowingwhatshewasdoing,Iwouldnothavehad ourpeopleinIraq.Iraqwasadisaster.Sohewouldhavebeenalivetoday.”31 Fromageneralpsychological perspective, people withundeveloped personalities, suchasoccursin narcissistic personality disorder, are unabletotoleratecriticism;theyneedtobeviewedasbrilliantandwonderful,andwillgotogreatlengthsto buryorprojectthecriticismandblameontosomeoneelse.
Social influence expert Anthony Pratkanis demonstrated in his 2000 study, “Projection as an Interpersonal Influence Tactic: The Effects of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black,” that projection is a surprisinglyeffectivepersuasiontool.Inthefirstexperiment,Pratkaniswasabletoverifythemostobvious case:thatprojection exoneratesthe accuser atthe expense ofthe accused. Later experimentsshowedthat projectioncontinuedtobeaneffectivetechniqueevenwhensuspicionswereraisedabouttheprojectionist. Participantsintheexperimentstillsawthe“accused”asguilty.“Thevastmajorityofparticipantsthoughtthat
projection wouldnotworkandwouldboomerang to increase the perceivedguiltofthe accuser, ”writes Pratkanis.Evenmoresurprising,beingskepticalofprojectionasapersuasiontechniquehadlittleeffecton howwellthetechniqueworkedandwasinfactnegativelycorrelated.
USE OF FEAR
In his1954 book, The True Believer,EricHoffer wrote aboutthe use offear the mostbasicofhuman emotions.Ithitsattheheartofourdriveforsurvival.AccordingtoHoffer,followersofmassmovements neednotbelieveinagod,buttheymustbelieveinadevil.Heactuallytalkedaboutthestrengthofamass movementbeingmeasuredbythevividnessandtangibilityofitsdevil.Hatredandfearalwaysunifybelievers againstacommonenemy.WehaveseenhowTrumpdoesthis:drummingupfearofthe“other”andofwhat willhappentothecountryifheisnotinpower.Trumpisnotalone.Manypoliticalcandidates,intheir speechesandnegativeads,createanimageofdireconsequencesiftheiropponentwins.Ifyouvoteforthe othercandidate,youandthecountrywillsuffer jobswillbelost,crimewillrise,familyvalueswillerode, andyourveryfreedomswillbestrippedaway.
YetfewcandidateshavestokedfearquitelikeTrumpdoes fearisthewayheholdsontopower.Itwasthe basisofhispresidentialcampaign,anditisthebasisofhisbidforreelection.Hefrequentlycitesthesameold castofenemiestomaintainhispositionandtokeephisfollowersstokedandreadytodefendhim.Evenwitha seeminglystrongeconomyheneedstofuelthedrama.Trumpisthe“candidateofcrisis,”asRichardWolffe colorfully writesin The Guardian. “For most politicians, this would be a frabjous day of well-nigh full employmentandfatterpaychecks.ButtherearenocalloohsorcallaysinthisTrumperwocky.Therearejust rock-wieldingcaravansofdisease-plaguedmurderersinvadingafragilenationatriskofimminentcollapse fromtheenemieswithin:notablythemediaandabunchofleftwingmobsincahootswithasuspiciously Semiticmannamed[George]Soros.”32
Ineverydaylife,toomuchrepetitionmaybackfire.AclassicstudybyJ.T.CacioppoandRichardPetty showedthatlowtomoderatelevelsofrepetitionoftencreategreateragreementwiththemessage,whiletoo much repetition can have an adverse effect.34 And yet the content of the message, as well as how it’s conveyed,andalsoitscontext,canaffecthowarepeatedmessageisreceived.Messagesthatresonatewitha person ’spriorbeliefsmaybemorelikelytobebelieved.Withcultmembers,itisakintoprogramming.
WhenIwasintheMoonies,wewouldhearthesamelecturesoverandover thegoalwastogetusnot just to remember and accept what we were hearing but to reinforce it and have it become part of our mindset.Itwaspartofourmindcontrolprogramming.Repetitionisstandardoperatingprocedureformany cults fromScientology,toAumShinrikyo,LyndonLaRouche’sorganization,theWorldMissionSociety ChurchofGod,NXIVM,andnumerousothers.Insomecults,memberswouldbeforcedtowatchendless videos.Aswesawinanearlierchapter,itispartofPratkanisandAronson’sformulaforbecomingacult leader:“Repeatyourmessageoverandoverandoveragain.Repetitionmakestheheartgrowfonderand fiction,ifheardfrequentlyenough,cancometosoundlikefact.”
Trumpalsorepeatsindividualwordsandphrases repetitionispartofhisidiosyncraticspeechpattern. Shortly after hewasinaugurated, hecomplainedabouthislegacy from former presidentObama. “Tobe honest,Iinheritedamess,”hesaid.“It’samess.Athomeandabroad,amess…Iinheritedamess.”35Doyou seethemess?EvenforObamalovers,whomightbeenragedbytheinsultsandbelievethemtobetotallyfalse, it’shardnottoseea“mess.”
feeling,isn’tit?Winningissuchagreatfeeling.Nothinglikewinning yougottowin.…Victory,winning beautifulwords,butthatiswhatitisallabout,”hesaidduringa2018addresstotheU.S.NavalAcademy. Beautifulwords,indeed theyhelpedgetTrumpelected.Repetitioniseffectiveatpersuadingpeopleof thecredibilityofastatementforseveralreasons.Itleadstherecipient,throughaprimarilyunconsciousand memory-based process, to “mistakenly believe that he/she has already heard the statement from another source, ”accordingtoresearchersNicoleErnst,RinaldoKuhne,andWernerWirth.Second,itmay“increase the ‘processing fluency,’ which is defined as the metacognitive experience of ease during information processing. The easier and more fluently that information can be processed, the more credible the information appears, regardlessofthe statement’scontent.”37 Trump’soften outrageousclaimsmay also causeconfusion crowdingoutanalyticalthinkingandcausingthemindtoretreatintoakindoftrance, especiallywhentherepeatedphraseisalie,falsehood,orotherwisecontradictswhatyoualreadyknow.
Thinkaboutit:ifsomeonelooksupatthesky,otherswilllookupaswell.DoyoucheckYelp.comfora restaurant’sratingsbefore making a reservation? That’s social proof. Today it is used in advertising and marketingcampaignsallthetime.Instagram“sponsorships”areimpossibletomiss.Inourinformation-laden, time-strapped world, we tend to be overwhelmed, making us even more likely to default to the herd’s opinion. The Moon cult was famous for having mass weddings in stadiums with tens of thousands of membersgettingmarriedtopeopleselectedbyMoon,astrikingtestamenttotheirfaith.TomCruise,John Travolta,anddozensofothercelebritiesareoftenusedbyScientologytopromotehowgreatthegroupis. NXIVMandAumShinrikyobothmadelargedonationsinorderforleaderstohaveameetingwithaswellas aphotoopportunitywiththeDalaiLama.
We remember from George Orwell’s 1984 that language can be manipulated and convoluted so that freedom becomes a synonym for slavery. Orwell called it doublespeak using language in a way that deliberatelyobscures,distorts,disguises,andevenreversesthemeaningofwords.Theresultwastopromote
The cult group NXIVM is an example of NLP used unethically. Its president, Nancy Salzman, was trainedinNLPbyTadJames,aprotegeofRichardBandler.Sheevidentlytrainedthegroup’sleader,Keith Raniere,tousehypnotictechniques,whichIbelievecreateddissociativestatesinhisfollowers.Hewouldtell stories with embedded commands in them, essentially programming members. The group used those techniquesto recruitandkeepmembersin line, andto lure women andgirlsto have sex withRaniere. FollowersofNXIVMdidnotrealizethathypnotictechniqueswerebeingusedonthemandthattheywere usingthemonothers.Thisisoftentrueindestructivegroups membersdonotrealizewhattheyaredoing orwhathasbeendonetothem.ItwascertainlythecaseformewhenIwasintheMoonies.
Inmyopinion,thiskindofuseofcoverthypnotictechniquesisamoralanddangerous.It’sonethingif you ’ re a trained mental health professional who abides by an ethical code to do no harm and has a professionalbodythatholdsthemaccountable.Butwhenhypnosisisusedbyunscrupulouspeopletomake money,solicitsex,wieldpower,orotherwisefurthertheirownends,withoutsupervisionorstrictethical guidelines,greatharmisoftendone.
Destructivecultsusehallucinationstotheiradvantageandcommonlyinducetrancesintheirmembers through lengthy indoctrination sessions. Repetition, boredom, and forced attention provide favorable conditionsforinducingatrance.Lookingatagroupinsuchasetting,itiseasy,asaleader,toseewhenthe trancehassetinwithmostpeople.Audiencemembersexhibitslowedblinkandswallowreflexes;theirfacial expressionsappearraptinattentionorrelaxedintoablank,neutralstate.Whentheyfallintosuchastate,itis possibleforunscrupulousleaderstoimplantirrationalbeliefs.Iknowmanyintelligent,strong-willedpeople whowerehypnotizedinsuchsettings,usuallywithoutknowingit,andmadetodothingstheywouldnever normallydo.39
Nefarioususeofcoverthypnosisisnotlimitedtocults.Hypnotictechniquesaretaughtas“go-totricks” formasteringhumanconnectioninamultitudeofareas frompersonaldevelopmentprogramstobusiness management seminars. Methods of NLP were taught in Neil Strauss’s 2005 bestselling book on pickup artists,TheGame. Thebookdescribeshow tomaster theartofseduction using hypnotictechniquesand triggers, whichraisesthequestion:arethesemerelytricksforpickingupwomen oraretheymethodsfor controllingtheirminds somethingaltogetherdarker?
Humanbeingsareincrediblysusceptibletowell-honedpowersofpersuasion sometimestoourbenefit. But with the internet and 24/7 streaming of images and messages from anonymous, often ill-meaning sources,theopportunityforharmhasgreatlyincreased.TheRussianswhomanipulatedsocialmediaduring the 2016 presidential elections clearly knew how to use hypnotic techniques and other methods of persuasion.AlmostallpoliticiansusepersuasiontechniquesbutTrumphasusedtheminawaythatisboth brazenandinsidious.Clearlytheyhavebeeneffective hewaselectedpresident.
Trump,ofcourse,didnotengineerhispresidentialvictoryallbyhimself.Hehadenormoushelp from advisers, wealthydonorsandcorporations, internetcompanies, religiousleaders, andavastandpowerful conservativemediabehemoththatfoundinTrumpawillingmouthpieceforitsownagenda.
Early on Easter Sunday morning in 2018, Donald Trump tweeted out a simple message: “HAPPY EASTER!”Theholidayspiritdidn’tlastlong.Overthecourseofthenextfewhours,hesentoutabarrageof tweetsrailingagainstU.S.immigrationpolicy.Inhistweets,whichbecameevermoreagitated,hewould blame “ridiculous (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release” and stoke fears of “ more dangerous caravans coming.”Hethreatenedtousethe“NuclearOption” thecongressionalprocedurethatallowsanissueto passby a simple majority vote to gettoughlawspassedandconcludedwitha familiar refrain: “NEED WALL.”
Though the volley bore Trump’strademark bluster, what wasstriking wasthe way he echoed words spokenearlierthatmorningontheTVshowFox&Friends.“Ourlegislatorsactuallyhavetostandup,and theRepublicanscontroltheHouseandtheSenate;theydonotneedtheDemocrats’supporttopassany laws,” said border patrol agent and frequent Fox News guest Brandon Judd. “They can go the nuclear option,justlikewhattheydidonthe[SupremeCourt]confirmation.Theyneedtopasslawstoendthe catch-and-releaseprogram.”1 Ofcourse,JuddwasreiteratingwhatTrumphadbeensaying.Hemighthave evensuspectedthatTrumpwouldbewatching.ItwasasthoughTrumpwerespeakingto andinflaming himself.
The New Yorker, Jane Mayer describes Fox News as a kind of state-run television.2 She quotes Nicole Hemmer,anassistantprofessorattheUniversityofVirginiaandauthorofMessengersoftheRight:“‘Foxis notjusttakingthetemperatureofthebase it’sraisingthetemperature,’[Hemmer]says.‘It’saradicalization model.’ForbothTrumpandFox,fearisabusinessstrategy itkeepspeoplewatching.”Mayergoesonto describehowthe“WhiteHouseandFoxinteractsoseamlesslythatitcanbehardtodetermine,duringa particularnewscycle,whichoneisfollowingtheother’slead.”FoxNewshostSeanHannityspeakstoTrump nearlyeveryweeknight,3andFoxownerRupertMurdochislikeamemberoftheadministration,according toMayer.FormercopresidentofFoxNewsBillShinewasappointeddirectorofcommunicationsanddeputy chief of staff at the White House, though he resigned to advise the 2020 Trump campaign. His job description tosellthepresident isnotthatdifferentfromhisjobatFoxNews.“[I]t’safact:[FoxNews]is theclosestwehavecometohavingstate-runmedia,”saidformerCBSanchorandjournalistDanRather,“a straightuppropagandaoutlet.”4
Trump is not the first president to exploit the power of the bully pulpit or to explore a new media platform,likeTwitter.Norishethefirsttohaveafavoritemediaorganization.AsMayerpointsout,“James MadisonandAndrewJacksonwereeachboostedbypartisannewspapers.”Butrarelyhasapresidentusedhis mediapartnershiptosuchpartisan ends. TeddyRoosevelt, WoodrowWilson, andFranklin D. Roosevelt werepresidentswhoexplorednewmediaplatformsbuttheydidsotoaddressandbenefitthewholenation ratherthantospeakdirectlytotheirownpartisanbase,ortofillthecoffersoftheirchosenmediapartner. Trumpisperpetuallycampaigning,kickinguppoliticaldust,creatingcrises.It’sallgoodbusiness andnot justforFox.AsLesMoonves,formerpresidentofCBS,famouslysaid,Trump’scandidacy“maynotbegood for America, but it’s damn good for CBS.”5 The same could be said of cable networks like CNN and MSNBC.
Trumpdidnotbringabouthispresidencysingle-handedly,asmuchashemightlikeustobelievehedid. He wasin the rightplace atthe righthistorical moment. To paraphrase Obama, he isthe symptom ofa celebrity-promotingmediaculturebasedoncorporategreed,manipulationofpublicopinionforpersonal gain,andmarketingbywealthycorporationsandelitesusingeveryinfluencetrickinthebooktogetwhat theywant tocutcorporatetaxes,boosttheuseoffossilfuels,andpromoteright-wingpoliticalandreligious views.TheriseoftheconservativemediaempirehasbeenmanydecadesinthemakingandsohasTrump’s Fox-inspired,Twitter-fueledbullypulpit.Initsbroadoutlines,theCultofTrumpwastakingshapelong beforeTrumpsteppedintotheshoesofleader.Togetafullerunderstandingofhowthathappened,wemust castabackwardglanceattheintertwininghistoryofthemediaandthepresidency.
LikeTrump,Rooseveltwasaconvention-defyingpresidentwhocametoWashingtonwiththegoalof shakingthingsup. Adynamicspeaker, hewouldoften castasidethemicrophoneatrallies‚projectinghis voicetoitslimitinordertospeaktotensofthousandsofpeople.Moreremarkablewasthewayheseemedto emotionallyconnectwiththem.Hecourtedpublicityaggressively.HefrequentlyinvitedtheWashington press corps to the White House, monitored the whereabouts of photographers at events, hired the first governmentpressofficers,andstagedpublicitystunts,likeridingninety-eightmilesonhorsebacktodefend newnavyregulationsthatofficersberequiredtotakeaninety-mileridingtest.“Itwasbully,”hewasreported tosayasheboundedintotheWhiteHouseafterfinishinghisride.Thoughhelovedtheattention,andmany wouldagreehehadastrongstreakofnarcissism,accordingtoDavidGreenbergwritinginTheAtlantic,most ofhisstuntsweredone“notsimplytoboosthisegobutalsotoeffecthisvigorousreform.”6Heunderstood thepowerofpublicityinfurtheringhisagenda.“Rooseveltusheredinanageinwhichpresidentswouldbe perpetuallyengagedintheworkofpublicityandopinionmanagement theworkofspin.”
Withthe rise ofradio in the 1920s, newscouldbe disseminatedmuchmore quickly indeed, almost immediately anditcouldbeconveyedinanewway,byanactualhumanvoice.Between1933and1944, PresidentFranklin DelanoRooseveltwouldmasterfully exploitthismoreintimatemedium in aseriesof thirty “fireside chats,” talking the country through the dark days of the Depression and World War II. Speakinginaconfidentandreassuringvoice,hetriedtocalmthefearsofananxiousnation,explaininghis policiesinanefforttopreventrumorsandfearmongeringfromdividingtheAmericanpeople.9 Roosevelt’s firesidechatsmayseemarelicofabygonetime,especiallyintheageoftheTrumpianTwitterstorm,butthey were “arevolutionaryexperimentwithanascentmediaplatform,”accordingtoAdrienneLaFrance,writing inTheAtlantic.“ImagineifRoosevelthadusedhisradioaccesstorelentlesslycriticizeindividualAmericans byname.”10
Yet,asRooseveltwastryingtosootheandunite,somewereusingradiotosowdiscordandfear.During the1920s,aRomanCatholicpriestnamedFatherCharlesCoughlintooktotheairwavestopreachdirectlyto hismillionsoffollowers.CoughlinhadbeenafanofFDRbuthadcometoseehimastoofriendlywith Jewish “money-changers” and capitalists. He would later use his radio show to broadcast anti-Semitic conspiracytheoriesandtopraisethefascistpoliciesofHitlerandMussoliniasanantidotetothegrowing threatofcommunism.Hewouldtoutisolationistviewswithslogans “Lesscareforinternationalismand moreconcernfornationalprosperity” thatsoundremarkablymodern.Coughlin’sviewsclearlyresonated withmanyAmericans.By1939,whenhewasforcedofftheair,hehadanaudienceof30millionpeople.
Coughlin’s show had especially disturbed the members of a new watchdog group, the Institute for Propaganda Analysis(IPA), who had been alarmed by the use ofwhatthey saw aswartime and foreign propagandaintheUnitedStates.TheyformedtheIPAtopromotefreethoughtandthespiritofdemocracy byeducatingthepublicaboutthedangersofpropaganda.Towardthatend,theycommissionedabook,The FineArtofPropaganda:AStudyofFatherCoughlin’sSpeeches,outliningsevenofhistechniques,manyof whicharebeingusedtodaybyTrumpandhisconservativemediasupporters:11
1. Name-calling:Attaching negative or derogatory labelsto aperson or ideacan make usrejectand condemn them withoutexamining the evidence. Trump, along withFox hostsSean Hannity andLaura Ingraham, make extensive use of this, turning words like “liberal” and “socialist” into insults; assigning
2.Glitteringgeneralities:Associatingpositivevirtuouswordswithapersonorideacanmakeusaccept and approve them without examining the evidence. Trump uses words like “smart,” “tough,” “great,” “amazing,”“terrific,”and“classy”todescribepeoplewhomhelikes includingdictators.
5.Plainfolks:Thisoccurswhenaspeakerattemptstopersuadehisaudiencethattheirideasaregoodby claiming thathe or she isjustlike them ofthe people, plain folk. Trumpisabrashbillionaire whohas nonetheless fostered a sense of identification with his audience by promoting an outsider, nonpolitician imageandbymirroringtheirissuesandemotions,takingtheirstruggles forexample,theclosingofcoal mines ashisowncause.
6.Cardstacking:Selectivelycitingfactsorfalsehoods,illustrationsordistractions,andlogicalorillogical statementsin order to give the bestor the worstpossible case for an idea, program, person, or product. Trump’s vilification of immigrants using faulty data and outright lies is a prime example, where the groupisblamedfortheactionsofasmallhandfulofrogueindividuals.
7.Bandwagon:Claiming thatall membersofagroupacceptapolicy, idea, or action in an effortto encourageotherstofollow essentially,tojumponthebandwagon.AccordingtoTrump,ifyou’renotwith himtryingto“makeAmericagreat,”thenyouarepartoftheproblem.
FAIRNESS DOCTRINE: BIRTH AND DEMISE
ThesizeofCoughlin’saudienceshowedtherewasamarketforavarietyoflistenerniches.Asradiogrewin popularity,adilemmaarose.Therewereonlysomanyfrequenciesdesignatedforwirelesscommunication and a lot of people were competing for airspace. In 1934, the U.S. government established the Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC)to regulate interstate communications. Broadcastershad to receive FCClicensesinordertobroadcast,whichisstillthecasetoday.Theadventoflicensingraisedaquestion:if radiowavesareapublicasset,shouldtheybeusedforthepublicgood?TheFCCthoughtsoandin1940 issued the Mayflower Doctrine, which stated clearly that the public interest is not served by partisan programming:“Radiocanserveasaninstrumentofdemocracyonlywhendevotedtothecommunicationof informationandtheexchangeofideasfairlyandobjectivelypresented.Atrulyfreeradiocannotbeusedto advocateforthecausesofthelicensee.Itcannotbeusedtosupportthecandidaciesofhisfriends.Itcannotbe devotedtothesupportofprincipleshehappenstoregardmostfavorably.Inbrief,thebroadcastercannotbe anadvocate.Freedomofspeechontheradiomustbebroadenoughtoprovidefullandequalopportunityfor thepresentationtothepublicofallsidesofpublicissues.”12
Thoughnobleinitsgoals,thisnear-totalbanonpartisanprogrammingprovedtobeunworkablybroad, and, after World War II, suffered multiple legal challenges. In June 1949, the Mayflower Doctrine was repealed.Afewmonthslater,theFCCestablishedtheFairnessDoctrine,13 whichallowedthatthepublic interest “ can only be satisfied by making available… varying and conflicting views held by responsible elementsofthecommunity.”14ThisdemandtoairalternativeviewsplacedbroadcastersandalsotheFCCin adifficultspot.Broadcasterswereexpectedtodeterminehowtoapportiontheirairtimewhendealingwith controversialissues,andhowtoarrangeforfairlypresentedopposingviews,whiletheFCCwasexpectedto determine whether any individual stationsran afoul ofthislegislation. Taking advantage ofthe ensuing confusion,preachersandministers,someofthemwealthyandlookingtobecomemoreso,rushedintobuy up slots previously reserved for more community-based religious programs. A new era of televangelism began.
Unsurprisingly,legalcasesaroseandwereprettymuchhandledonacase-by-casebasis.Itwasnotatidy system,anditwouldnotapplytocablenews.Butdespiteitsmanyissues,theFairnessDoctrinemaintaineda fragilebalance,helpingtosetthetonefora“fairandbalanced”medialandscape until1987,whenRonald ReaganusedhispresidentialvetotopreventCongressfromcodifyingthedoctrineintoactuallawandthen directed the FCCto abolishthe FairnessDoctrine altogether.15 AsJonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg observeinaNewYorkTimespiece,“PlanetFox:InsideRupertMurdoch’sEmpireofInfluence,”Reagan’s actions“spawnedanewgenerationofrightwingradiopersonalitieswhowerefreetoprovideadifferentsort of opinion programming to a large, latent conservative audience that was mistrustful of the media in general.”16CoughlinhadalreadyshownthatmanyAmericanswerehungryforthiskindofprogramming.
THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA COMPLEX
During the 1960s, FMradio broadcasting hadincreaseddramatically. FMradio’sability to better handle stereoaudiomadeitanobviouschoiceforhigh-fidelitymusicandthemarketrespondedaccordingly:bythe endofthe1970s,FM’slistenersoutnumberedAM’s.TheaudiolimitationsofAMradiomadeitanaturalfit fortalkandnewsprograms infact,theywereamongtheverysmallvarietyofprogramsthatremainedon AMfrequencies.Butinthelate1980s,withtheFairnessDoctrinerevoked,AMradiotookoff.Functioning now under wholly capitalist incentives, the AM radio stations suddenly had a new product: talk radio. Serving the public interest quickly transformed into interesting the public sometimes with salacious, shocking,andhighlyopinionatedcontent.
OnemanwhodidmorethananyoneelsetousherinthisnewerawasRushLimbaugh,amodern-day CharlesCoughlin.MovingfromhisSacramento,California,stationtoNewYorkCityin1988,hestarted TheRushLimbaughShow,anationallysyndicatedtalkradioprogramthatwouldsoonbecomeoneofthe most popular in radio history. Its mix of political commentary, news, and entertainment proved to be enormouslyinfluential,givingrisetoahostofimitatorswhoquicklyfilledtheairwaveswithconservative ideology.17 Limbaugh’s personal appeal is not to be discounted. David Foster Wallace, writing for The Atlantic, described Limbaugh as a “ a host of extraordinary, once-in-a-generation talent and charisma bright,loquacious,witty,complexlyauthoritative.”18Limbaugh’s“brilliantlyeffective”rhetoricalgeniuswas tolabeltherestofthemedia“biased,”thusfunctioningas“astandardaroundwhichRush’saudiencecould
By leveraging conservative dissatisfaction with mainstream media sources, Limbaugh created a loyal following and an audience hungry for supposedly “unbiased” media. The nascent conservative media complex grew, fueledbythe9/11 attacks, whichledtoabevyofnewradioshowshostedbyoutspoken, charismatic, and highly paid individuals like Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Glenn Beck. Like Limbaugh,theywouldcultivatetheiraudiencesusingmanyofthesameinfluencetechniquesthatCoughlin used,andthatareusedbycultleaders—sowingconfusion,distrust,andfearwhileprovidingaheavydoseof exaggerationalongwithblack-and-white,us-versus-themthinking.ItisinterestingtonotethatVicePresident MikePence,whointheearly1990shostedaconservativeradioshow,studiedLimbaugh’sradiopersonaand evenreferredtohimselfas“Limbaughondecaf.”19PenceremainsclosewithLimbaughanddoesinterviews withhim.20
They weren’t the only ones to use radio to captivate and influence conservative America. Christian televangelistshadbecomeextraordinarilysuccessfulaswell.In1973,theTrinityBroadcastingNetworkwas founded thefirstofanumberofevangelicalmediaoutlets.Muchinthesamewaythattalkradioservedas anincubatorforinfluentialvoices,sotoodidtheChristianmedianetwork FranklinGraham,JoelOsteen, Pat Robertson, and others became superstars. The Trinity Broadcasting Network would come under significant scrutiny for flagrant misuse of donated funds and would endure lurid scandals. Pastor John MacArthur, host of his own international radio show, would describe Trinity as a bunch of “religious quacks”21—a network “dominated by faith-healers, full-time fund-raisers, and self-proclaimed prophets” preachingtheprosperitygospel.Itappearstobeawinningformula.Trinityiscurrentlythecountry’sthirdlargestbroadcastgroupandtheworld’slargestreligioustelevisionnetwork,withmorethan18,000television and cable affiliatesand twenty-eightinternational networks, including the internet.22 They are currently estimatedtoreachsometwobillionviewers.Likeright-wingtalkradio,Trinityformsanimportantpillarof supportforDonaldTrump.
FOX NEWS
As depicted in the documentary The Brainwashing of My Dad, Frank Senko’s right-wing radicalization beganwhenhestartedlisteningtoBobGrantandRushLimbaugh’sradioshowsduringhisworkcommute, but the deal would be further sealed when he starting watching Fox News. Fox News would do for conservativetelevisionwhatLimbaughdidforradio cultivateanaudiencethatwouldthriveonthekindof anti-mainstream-media, antigovernment, racist, xenophobic, hate-filled, and fear-based messaging that Trumpwouldlaterserveup.Anditcanbesaidtohavebegunwithoneman thelateRogerAiles.
“It’sa shame a man hasto use gimmickslike thisto get elected.”23 Ailes shot back, “Television is not a gimmick.”AilesbecameNixon’smediaconsultant.
OneofAiles’sgreateststrengthswashisinsightintohumannature:heunderstoodthatpeopleliketothink theyarerational,buttheyareactuallydrivenbyemotions anger,fear,nostalgia,evendisgust.24Theroleof televisionwastoprovokeemotionalreactionsintheviewer.Healsoknewthattelevision—atleastprime-time TV wasashallowmedium:“Televisionrarelytellsthewholestory,”hefamouslysaid,inaspeechentitled “Candidate+Money+Media=Votes.”Butsuperficialstoriescouldbeeffectiveiftheytriggeredtheright emotions.HehelpedNixon,afamouslyuntelegenicpresence,appealtothepublicwithwhatcametobe knownasthesoundbite ashortphrasethatwouldstickinpeople’sheads.WithAiles’sconsiderablehelp, Nixonwonthepresidency,asdescribedinJoeMcGinnis’sbook,TheSellingofthePresident1968. 25(Asit turnsout,NixonwasalsoadvisedbyconsultantRogerStonewho,bythen,hadmetTrumpthroughlawyer Roy Cohn. Stone would remain friendswithTrumpfor decades, advising him on his2016 presidential campaign,andwaseventuallyindictedforperjuryandobstruction.)26
AileswouldlaterbecomeamediaconsultantforRonaldReagan.HealsohelpedGeorgeH.W.Bush comefrombehindin1988todefeathispresidentialopponentMichaelDukakis,usingwhathecalledhis “orchestrapittheory.”AshetoldTVhostJudyWoodruff:“Let’sfaceit,therearethreethingsthatthemedia areinterestedin:pictures,mistakes,andattacks…Youhavetwoguysonastageandoneguysays,‘Ihavea solutiontotheMiddleEastproblem,’andtheotherguyfallsintheorchestrapit;whodoyouthinkisgoingto beontheeveningnews?”27 It’satheoryweseeplayouteverydayintheTrumppresidency.Ailesrealized almost from the start that television would be the future of American presidential politics. As he told McGinnissshortlybeforeNixon’swin,“Thisisthewaythey’llbeelectedforevermore.Thenextguysupwill havetobeperformers.”28
In 1996, Ailesteamed upwithAustralian media mogul RupertMurdochto create a cable television network Fox News. Appealing to Limbaugh’s ideological audience, Fox News soon towered over the televisionlandscapeanditwoulddosobyusingandadaptingforavisualmediummanyofthetechniques thatLimbaughused. In her bookBrainwashing:TheScienceofThoughtControl,neuroscientistKathleen TayloroutlinethetacticsthatFoxandotherconservativemediausetoindoctrinateviewers:
1. lieandskew
2. confusionanddoubt
3. blameanddivide
4. brandandlabel
5. languageandframing
6. fearmongering
7. bullyingandshaming.
Aileswoulduseeverytrickinthebook,butmostlyhewouldusefear.Adie-hardRepublican,heflooded themedialandscapewithconservativemessagesandnarrativesdesignedtoconjureupfearandultimatelyto recruitfollowers pavingthewayforTrump.“Fear,infact,ispreciselywhatAilesisselling:Hisnetworkhas relentlessly hyped phantom menaces like the planned ‘terror mosque ’ near Ground Zero,” writes Tom
DickinsoninaRollingStonepiece,“HowRogerAilesBuilttheFoxNewsFearFactory.”“Towatchevena day of Fox News the anger, the bombast, the virulent paranoid streak, the unending appeals to white resentment,thereportingthat’sheldtothesamestandardofevidenceasalate-Octoberattackad istoseea refractionofitsfounder,oneofthemostskilledandfearsomeoperativesinthehistoryoftheRepublican Party.”29
Aileswouldalsoshapetheinternalcultureofthenetwork.“RogerAilesisnotontheair.RogerAilesdoes notevershowuponcamera.Andyeteverybodywhodoesisareflectionofhim,”writesDickinson.Asit turns out, the Fox culture would include misogyny and outright sexual harassment, costing millions of dollarsandleadingtotheresignationofAilesandpopularhostBillO’Reilly.
Meanwhile, RupertMurdochhadhisown agenda namely, extending hisglobal empire andmaking money.WhilehelefttherunningofFoxmostlytoAiles,withAiles’sdepartureMurdochwouldcontinue Fox’srightwardpush,indeedgivingitashovewiththecandidacyofDonaldTrump.Thoughheinitially consideredTrump’spresidentialaspirationstobeajoke,hewouldexploitTrump’scandidacyandelectionto further hisown goalofblurring thelinebetween hismediaempireandgovernmentsaroundtheworld. Indeed,hewouldbeamajorinfluencertohelpengineertheBrexitvoteandelevateTheresaMaytoprime minister.“ToseeFoxNewsasanarmoftheTrumpWhiteHouserisksmissingthelargerpicture,”write MahlerandRutenberg.“ItmaybemoreaccuratetosaythattheWhiteHouse justliketheprimeministers’ offices in Britain and Australia is just one tool among many that [the Murdoch] family uses to exert influenceoverworldevents.”
Today Fox’sinfluence continuesasLachlan Murdochtakesthe helm from hisaging father. In 2018, according to Adweek, “Fox News averaged its largest prime time audience in the 22-year history of the network,andforthethirdyearinarow,finishedasthemost-watchednetworkoncabletelevision.”30 This meansbillionsofdollarsinrevenueeachyear.
THE RIGHT-WING PROPAGANDA FEEDBACK LOOP
Moneymayhelptoexplaintherightwardpush,butaccordingtoHarvardscholarsYochaiBenkler,Robert Faris,andHalRoberts,thereissomethingelseatplay.TheyanalyzedmillionsofTVnewsstories,together withTwitterandFacebooksharesandYouTubevideos,andfoundthattheright-wingmediaweremuch morelikelytopromotethedisinformation,lies,andhalf-truthspeddledbytheRussianpropagandaeffortas wellasconspiracytheoriesandmisinformationcomingfromwhitesupremacistandextremistsourceslikethe neo-NazisiteTheDailyStormer.Intheir2018book,NetworkPropaganda:Manipulation,Disinformation, and Radicalization in American Politics, they argue that “the right-wing media ecosystem differs categorically from the rest ofthe media environment.”In mainstream left and centrist media, there isa commitmenttoobservingagreed-uponjournalisticstandardsofhonestreportage.Furthermore,thereisa mediaecosystemthathaswithinitanerrordetectionandcorrectionmechanisminwhichotherjournalists and media entities point out mistakes and errors made by others. These should be acknowledged and correctedpublicly.Retractionsandapologiesarethestandard.Thismechanismisabsentintheright-wing mediaecosystem,creatingakindofpropagandafeedbackloop,wherebyuncorrectedliesanddistortionsare circulated and promulgated from one media outlet to the next, for example from extreme sources, like
Oneofthebiggestsuppliersoferroneoushate-filledrhetoricisAlexJones.He’sapopularfigurewhohad morethan2.4millionsubscribersonhisYouTubechannel,32morethan6.7millionpeopleamonthonhis website, InfoWars, and two million listenerson hissyndicated radio show.33 In 2018, he waskicked off YouTube,Twitter,Facebook,Apple,andSpotifyforviolatingtheirrulesandbecausehewasincitinghis followerswithhatespeechtodoviolence,andtoharasspeopleliketheparentsofvictimsoftheSandyHook schoolshootings.34 AlongtimeconspiracytheoristoperatingoutofhisbasementinAustin,Texas,hehas arguedthatthe U.S. governmentwasinvolvedin the 1995 OklahomaCity bombing, that9/11 was “ an inside job,”thatno one wasactually killedatSandy Hook, andthatthe Apollo 11 moon landing never happened.Thesesoundlikefringeravings,akintothelunatictheoriesputforthbynotoriouscultleaderslike LyndonLaRouche,whoclaimedtherewasaglobalconspiracywiththequeenofEngland,theFreemasons, andtheJewishbankerstoruintheworld,andJimJones,whoclaimedthattheevilcapitalistswereouttokill himandhismembers.
AlexJoneshasmillionsoffollowersincluding,itappears,DonaldTrump.OnDecember2,2015,Trump appearedontheshow,praisingJonesandpromisingthat“Iwillnotletyoudown.”35Duringthecampaign, TrumpandJonessharedthesamealternativefacts liketheinfamousbirtherclaimthatPresidentObama wasborninKenya,notHawaii.Heisalsoresponsible,accordingtoNetworkPropaganda,fortakingand disseminating more than a thousand false propaganda stories from RT (the Russian state-run news organization),servingasthecriticalentrypointforthosefalsestoriesintotheAmericanmediaecosystem.In 2018,JoneswassuedbyparentsofchildrenmurderedintheshootingatSandyHook.Hewouldlateradmit thatthechildrenhadbeenkilled36andblamed“psychosis”forhisactions,thoughherefusedtoacknowledge thathisactionsaddedtothegriefanddistressofthefamilies.Addingsalttotheirwounds andtruetohis conspiracy-mongering leanings he claimedthatthe lawsuitswere retaliation for Hillary Clinton’sfailed presidentialbid.HisstatementcameonlyafewdaysafterprominentSandyHookparentJeremyRichman committedsuicide.37
NorisJonestheonlypeddlerofconspiracytheoriesintheright-wingmediafirmament.BreitbartNews beganasaconservativenewsandopinionwebsitein2007byAndrewBreitbart,aconservativecommentator whoalsocofoundedTheHuffingtonPost.WhenBreitbartdiedin2012,RobertandRebekahMercerbought thecompanyandinstalledStephenK.Bannon,aformerinvestmentbankerforGoldmanSachs,ashead. Underthenewleadership,BreitbartNewsmovedfurtherright,veeringintoconspiracy-theoryterritorywith outrageousheadlinesaboutDemocraticpoliticians,includingBarackObamaandBillandHillaryClinton.38 BreitbarthasalsobeeninstrumentalinradicalizingtheantiimmigrationwingoftheRepublicanParty andthechangehasbeendramatic.Itisworthrememberingthat Republican presidentsRonald Reagan and George H. W. Bush were strong supportersof immigration.
Duringthe1980GOPdebate,candidateReagansaidofMexico,“Ratherthantalkingaboutputtingupa fence, whydon’tweworkoutsomerecognition ofourmutualproblems?”39 ThatRepublicansare now talking aboutaWallinsteadofafenceisameasureofhow far they havecome, withhelpnotjustfrom BreitbartNewsbutalsofromFoxNewsandotherconservativemediaoutletswhohavetrumpedupfearof invaderstosellTrump andtheirownproducts.
CORPORATE INFLUENCE
Evenmainstreammediaisnotimmunetobiasedandmisleadingreporting.In1988,mediacriticandscholar EdwardS.HermanandlinguistandactivistNoamChomskywroteascathingcritiqueoftheideathatthe massmediaobjectivelyinformsthepublic.Astheylaidoutintheirbook,ManufacturingConsent,insteadof actingasacheckonthethreebranchesofgovernment—thefourthestate—massmediaiscarryingoutakind of state propaganda function by promoting the capitalist ideology of the media companies’ powerful owners.40Theyidentifiedfivefactorsthatmaycontributetodistortingthenews:
2. Advertising: Advertising creates perverse incentives for media companies, transforming their audience’sattentionintoaproduct.Asthemediacompaniesareultimatelybeholdentowhoeverpaysthem, theirpriorityistoholdtheaudience’sattention aboveallelse, withlittleregardfortheiraudience’swellbeing. Without regulations guiding ethical activities, people have little recourse against corporate malfeasance.
3. Sourcing: Journalism cannot be an effective check on power because the very system encourages complicitywithgovernments,corporations,andothernewsworthyinstitutions.Journalistsrelyonaccessto importantsources,whichmightbelimitedorrevokedifcriticalpiecesarepublished.Oftentheyareimplicitly encouragedtosimplyrepeattheinformationtheyreceive.
4.Flak:Powerfulinstitutionsmighttrytodivertattentionfromunfavorablestoriesbydiscreditingand demonizing their source. Flak a term thatderivesfrom the German word for anti-aircraftfire can be directedatjournalists,whistle-blowers,orsources,andisawayforpowerfulpeopleandorganizationsto managepublicinformation.
5. Common enemy: To manufacture consent, you need an enemy a target, a villain to fear: communism,terrorists,immigrants.Ithelpscorralpublicopinion.AccordingtoHermanandChomsky,this is done “partly to get rid of people you don’t like but partly to frighten the rest. Because if people are frightened,theywillacceptauthority.41
Todaythelargestcorporationsoperateinternationallyandnolongerfeelobligatedtoonecountry,like theUnitedStates. Theworldhasbecomeincreasinglyinterconnectedandcomplex. However, thosewho holdthekeytopowerareaneliteminority.Itissafetoassumethattheycanbecountedontomakedecisions thatwillperpetuatetheirpower.
MONEY TALKS
AsDavidFosterWallacewroteina2005Atlanticpiece,“Itisafallacythatpoliticaltalkradioismotivatedby ideology.Itisnot.Politicaltalkradioisabusiness,anditismotivatedbyrevenue.Theconservatismthat dominates today’s AM airwaves does so because it generates high Arbitron ratings, high ad rates, and maximumprofits.”42 Thesituationisexacerbatedbytheincreasinghomogeneityofthemedialandscapeas mediaconglomeratessolidifytheirhold.Today,morethan90percentofallmediaintheUnitedStatesis ownedbyjustsixcompanies.43ClearChannelCommunications44ownsmorethan1,000radiostations,and theSinclairBroadcastingGroup45ownsalmost500localchannels.Thisconsolidationwasmadepossibleby theTelecommunicationsActof1996,46whicheliminatedregulationsonownershipthathadbeeninplace since 1934, and which allowed for “ anyone to enter any communications business to let any communicationsbusinesscompeteinanymarketagainstanyother.”47
A blatant example of corporate influence is the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Among their hundreds of stationsaremanylocalABC,CBS,andFoxaffiliates.Inearly2018,thecompanyfacedharshcriticismwhen itrequiredlocalbroadcasterstoreadfromacompany-generatedscriptdecryingthedangerthatmainstream outletsand“falsenews”posedtodemocracy.TimothyBurke,avideodirectoratDeadspin,clippedtogether recordingsoftheannouncersreading,innearunison,themandatedscript,oftenwithoutatraceofirony. The video went viral and quickly led to widespread criticism.48 Former news anchor Dan Rather commented, “News anchors looking into the camera and reading a script handed down by a corporate overlord, words meant to obscure the truth not elucidate it, isn’t journalism.… It’s propaganda. It’s Orwellian.Aslipperyslopetohowdespotswrestpower,silencedissent,andoppressthemasses.”49 Trump, evidentlynotinghisownpositivecoveragebySinclair,respondedtothescandal:“SofunnytowatchFake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcastingforbeingbiased.SinclairisfarsuperiortoCNNandevenmoreFakeNBC,whichisatotal joke.”50
In March 2019, conservative Nexstar Media Group purchased Tribune Media in a $6.4 billion transaction,makingitthesinglelargesttelevisiongroupintheUnitedStates.Timewilltellhowmuchthis behemothwillinfluenceAmericanmindsbydominatinglocalprogramming.51
MOON: MEDIA MOGUL
Clearly, there is a lot at stake. After all, the average American household watches almost eight hours of televisionaday—andthat’sinadditiontoothertypesofscreentime.52That’salotoftimeforTVnetworksto gettheirmessagesacross whichiswhycultshavebeensokeentoenterthemediamarket.Ofcourse,the mediasurroundingtheCultofTrumpisvasterandmorecomplexthanthatsurroundingmostcults.The onecultgroupthatcomesanywherecloseismyformergroup,theMoonorganization,whichhasownedand operatedhundredsofbusinesses,includingmediacompanies.TheMooniesfoundedTheWashingtonTimes newspaper in 1982, but they have also owned dozens of other media entities, such as United Press International,purchasedin2000.53Inthe1990s,theyownedTVbroadcastfacilitiesinWashington,D.C., thatwereusedbymostofthemajornetworksincludingABCandNBC.Theorganizationhasbeenheavily
Andyetthere have been notable critics. The newspaper ’sfounding editor, JamesWhelan, resignedin 1984toprotestwhatheclaimedwereattemptsbythepublishertoalterthenews.Laterthatyear,inatalkat theNationalPressClub,WhelancalledtheTimesa“Moonienewspaper.”Thepapertrashedhimandinsisted that it was not controlled by Moon. Another editor, William Cheshire, resigned in 1987 claiming that UnificationChurchexecutiveswerecontrollingthepaper’seditorialpolicy.Moonsaidina1991speechthat bythen,nearlyabilliondollarshadbeenspenttoruntheTimes.Atleastanotherbillionhasbeenspentsince thenthough,accordingtoTheWashingtonPost,thetotalamountiscloserto$2billion.Whyspendthiskind ofmoneyonapaperthathasnotshownaprofit?Wheredoesthemoneycomefrom?Howcouldaconvicted felon Moon bepermittedtoownanewspaperinAmerican’scapitalinthefirstplace?Presumably,for Moon,thebenefitswentbeyondfinancialprofit.TheyincludedpoliticalinfluenceintheUnitedStatesand othercountriesandtheabilitytogatherinformationandintelligenceundertheguiseofjournalism.
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
InaNewRepublicarticletitled“FoxNewsIsOfficiallyTrumpTV,”AlexShepharddescribeshowfarFox NewshasslippedinjournalisticprinciplessinceAilesresignedin2016.“Backin2010,thenetworkcanceled a[Sean]HannityappearanceataTeaPartyrally,fearingthatitwoulddamagetheinstitution’sjournalistic integrity. That integrity is long gone, at least for the network’s late-night stars.”54 In November 2018, HannityappearedonstageataTrumprally,alongwithFoxNewshostJeaninePirro.FoxNewshadonce promoteditselfas“fairandbalanced”butstoppedusingthatmottoin2016.55 “FoxNewshasalwaysbeen moreofaRepublicanpropagandaoutletthananewsorganization.It’sfinallyadmittingit.”56
TrumphasfillednumerouspositionsinhisadministrationwithpeoplewhoonceworkedonFox Bill Shine,JohnBolton,andHeatherNauert.Trump’stiestoFoxhavestrengthenedinwaysthatare,according toformerFCCchairmanReedHundt,“extremelyunusual,andtheonlywaytoexplainthemisthatthey’re
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat has observed that television played a much bigger role in creatingTrumpthantheinternetdid,eventakingintoaccountRussianandalt-rightonlineinterference.“It wastelevisionthatconvincedmillionsofAmericansthatTrumpwasabusinessgeniusdespitehisrecordof bankruptcy, andwhichgiftedhim countlesshoursoffree advertising throughuncheckedcoverage ofhis campaign rallies and Twitter feed.”59 Mark Burnett took a gamble when he asked Trump to do The Apprentice.Itpaidoffhugely forbothofthem.Thesamecouldbesaidoftheconservativemediamachine, whichprovidedTrumpwithaready-madecultfollowing,aswellasaplatform,andgainedmoneyandpower inreturn.ButtheyarenottheonlyonestobeinvolvedinakindofquidproquowithTrump.Ascandidate andpresident,Trumphasbeenbackedbyanarrayofreligiousorganizationsforwhomthestakesareeven greater and include nothing less than turning our country into a nation run by and for Christians a kingdomofheavenonearth.
The Influencers
In early January 2017, as word was filtering out about Trump’s choices for cabinet posts, the British newspapertheGuardianobservedthatTrump’slistofpicksrevealed“apenchantformilitarybrass,political outsiders,andWallStreettitans,”and“noparticularfaithinthevalueofpriorgovernmentexperience.”1As theyreviewedthelistofcandidates,amorebizarrepatternstartedtoemerge.AtthetopwasRexTillersonfor secretary ofstate, aman withnogovernmentalexperienceandclosebusinesstiestoVladimir Putin. For secretary ofthe Treasury there wasSteven Mnuchin, a hedge funder andHollywoodproducer who was knownasa“foreclosureking.”BetsyDeVos,acriticofpubliceducation,wasTrump’snomineeforsecretary ofeducation.ForenergysecretarytherewasRickPerry,whohadclaimedduringhisown2011presidential primaryrunthathewouldeliminatetheDepartmentofEnergy.Andfinally,ScottPruitt,aclimatechange denier and longtime critic of efforts to protect the environment, was Trump’s pick to head the EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA).
Inthoseearlydays,somemighthavemistakentheoutlandisharrayforascriptforSaturdayNightLive,or maybeTrumpthumbinghisnoseattheestablishment.Othersmighthaveseenthemasthechaoticchoicesof a president-electwho never expected to win. Butitwasalso possible to see in Trump’sroster a kind of strategy,onefirstarticulatedbytheChristianright,todelegitimizetheverystructureofgovernmentand destabilizeAmericancitizens’faithinfacts,science,experts,andevendemocracy.
A STRATEGY OF DELEGITIMIZATION
Trumphadquestionedthe legitimacy ofgovernmentthroughouthiscampaign. In speeches, tweets, and rallies,hedescribedtheWashingtonestablishmentaspartofarapacious“globalpowerstructure”withHillary Clintonatthecenter.HewoulduseClinton’suseofaprivateemailservertounderminehercandidacy, famouslyaskforRussia’shelptofurtherexposeher,andclaimthatshewasafelonwhoshouldbelockedup. Oneofhismostsubversivemomentscameduringthefinalpresidentialdebatewhenhesaidthathemightnot accepttheresultsofthegeneralelectionifhelost.Hewasnotsimplyattackinghisopponent,hewasattacking thelegitimacyofafundamentalaspectofdemocracy theelectoralsystem.
Itwasanunprecedented andbreathtaking moment.SomemighthaveseenitasTrumpathismost outrageously provocative. And yet he was taking a page out of a book written by two Christian right strategists,PaulWeyrichandWilliamS.Lind,calledTheNewConservatism. Thoughitwaspublishedin 2009, largely to mobilize a right-wing movement against Barack Obama, Weyrich and Lind had been developingandwritingabouttheirapproachfordecades.Lindwasamemberofateamofanalystswho,in the late 1980s, had written about a military approach that sought to collapse enemies from within by
disrupting their mental, emotional, and moral foundations, an approach they called fourth-generation warfare(4GW).2 Weyrich,aChristianrightactivistandcofounderoftheconservativethinktanksHeritage FoundationandFreeCongressFoundation,believedtheChristianrightwasengagedinanepochalstruggle for dominance with an array ofenemies the left, secularists, gays, government, Jews, and anyone who opposedtheirvisionofChristianity.Theydevelopedanapproachtotakingdownperceivedfoes,onethat usedpropaganda,confusion,aconstantbarrageofcriticism,fearmongering,disruption,andotherinfluence techniques,allaimedatundermining“thelegitimacyofthedominantregime.”3
Under their guidance, the Christian Right launched multiple propaganda campaigns, often through television,radio,movies,anddocumentaries mediathatappealtoemotionsratherthanlogic.Interestingly, Weyrich met Roger Ailes in 1973, and, according to independent writer and retired senior civilian intelligence analyst James Scaminaci III, would help lay the groundwork for Fox News. Of course, the internetopenedupawholenewfrontforfourth-generationwarfare onethathasbeenexploitednotjustby the Christian right but also by white supremacist and other alt-right groups, libertarian followers of the novelistAynRand,theRussiangovernment,andothers.Theyhaveallbeenengagedinamassiveeffortto weaken, divide, disrupt, and delegitimize the U.S. government and install their own version of reality. Fourth-generationwarfareisemployedwidelyaroundtheworld.Whatisremarkableisthatthissophisticated approachtomodernwarfarehasbeensosystematicallydeployedbyapowerfulAmericanreligiousfaction againstourowncountry.
JustasFoxandtheconservativemediapavedthewayforTrump,sotootheChristianright alongwith thealt-rightandlibertariangroups hasprovidedTrumpwithmessagingaswellasaready-madefollowing. InthecaseoftheChristianright,wearetalkingaboutmillionsoffollowersbelongingtomegachurchesas well as small ministries‚ some of them quite authoritarian. Their followers are politically trained and ideologicallyeducatedtospreadout,oftenwithcultlikezeal,andcampaignforTrump,whomtheyseeas helpingthemfulfilltheirownmissionofestablishingakingdomofheavenonearth.4
All presidents come into office surrounded by a web of influence donors, party officials, religious groups, political action committees, and lobbyists. But never has a president been enmeshed with such antigovernment and antidemocratic interests. Notable among Trump’sdonorsin thisregard are Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah Mercer, who, like many wealthy elites, tend to put business before country, and who rescued Trump’s campaign in the eleventh hour by installing the norm-bashing, destabilizing,disruptive ifnotoutrightantidemocratic figureofSteveBannonascampaignmanager.As partownersofBreitbart,theyalsoplayedasignificantroleinshapingtheright-wingmediathatcontributed toTrump’srise.Afullerdiscussionoftheroleplayedbywealthybillionairesandcorporationsisbeyondthe scopeofthisbook.ButasJaneMayerobservedinherauthoritativebook,DarkMoney,theyhadahugehand ingettingTrumpelected.5
PUTIN AND RUSSIA
FewdelegitimizationeffortshavehadthescopeanddepthofthecampaignwagedbyRussia,whichistobe expectedfrom a country withsuchantidemocraticleanings andsucha robustandlong-standing mind control apparatus. In his book The Plot to Destroy Democracy, counterterrorism expert Malcolm Nance
describeshowRussiadeployedthousandsofcyberterrorismagentstofindwaystohackintotheAmerican psyche,systematicallytargetingindividualAmericanswithlies,misinformation,andfalsenarrativestailored totheirinterestsandframedinwaysthatwereintendedtoconfuse,divide,andpitAmericansagainstone another.RussiapurchasedFacebookadsforphonygroupslike“African-AmericansforHillary”thaturged voterstotweetinsteadofgoingtothepolls,inordertoavoidthelines.6TheycreatedFacebookaccountsin thenamesofnonexistentindividuals,like“MelvinRedick,”thatdirectedpeopletolinksthatprovidedfalse informationaboutHillaryClinton,GeorgeSoros,andotherTrump“enemies.”7Theyusedmanypersuasion andmindcontroltacticsthatcultsuse lyinganddeceiving(infact,thewholeenterprisewasbasedona granddeception,namelythattheaccountswerereal);confusingandspreadingdoubtwithalternativefacts and narratives; blaming and dividing; branding and labeling; distracting and reframing; using loaded language;andmostofallspreadingfearbyconstructingfalseenemies.8AsNancedescribes,theRussianplan wasto“destroyademocracybyusingthedemocracy.”Monthsbeforethe2016election,membersofthe intelligence community including the FBI, the CIA, and the National Security Agency began investigatingandconcludedthatRussianmeddlingtookplaceduringthe2016elections.Theypresented theirresultsonJanuary6,2017.
Inher2018bookCyberwar:HowRussianHackersandTrollsHelpedElectaPresident,theUniversityof Pennsylvania’s Kathleen Hall Jamieson9 used statistical data to argue that, through their social media campaign, Russiainfluencedenoughvotersin key statestotiptheelection toTrump.10 In addition, the Russianshacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee(DCCC),andtheClintoncampaign.11ThereisevidencethattheyinfiltratedactualU.S.voting systems.12SomepeoplepointedtootherfactorsthatmayhaveplayedaroleinClinton’sloss,includingthe wayshewagedhergroundgame,neglectingtocampaigneffectivelyinMichiganandWisconsin.1314
THE MUELLER PROBE
InJuly2016,thenFBIdirectorJamesComeylaunchedacounterintelligenceinvestigationintopossibleties betweenRussiaandtheTrumpelectioncampaign.TrumpfiredComeyonMay9ofthefollowingyear. Aboutaweeklater,formerFBIdirectorRobertMuellerwasappointedtoleadtheinvestigationandalsoto takeoverexistingFBIinvestigationsthatComeyhadbeenconductingbeforehewasfired,includingthose looking into Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security advisor Michael Flynn’stiestoRussia.
OnApril18,2019,aredactedversionofMueller’sreportwasreleasedtothepublic.(Thiscameseveral weeks after Trump-appointed Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary that would make the report appear far less damning for the president than it actually was.) Any doubts about the effectiveness of the Russian interference campaign were laid to rest by the report, which laid out in unprecedenteddetail, acrossnearly 200 pagesofthe 448-page document, the stepsRussiatooktospread disinformation,dividethenation,andunderminethe2016electioninanattempttogetTrumpelected.It confirmed andexpandedupon whattheintelligencecommunityhaddiscoveredaboutfakesocialmedia accountsandhackedemails,andfoundevidencethatatleastonecountyinFloridahadbeenhackedbythe
ThoughMuellercouldnotfindconclusiveevidenceof“criminalconspiracy”betweenTrump’scampaign andRussia,hefound“numerouslinks”betweenTrumpcampaignofficialsandtheRussians.Heexamined teninstancesofpossibleobstructionofjusticebyTrumpandthoughhewasunabletoconvict,hisreport madeitclearthatTrump’sobstructionoftheFBIandspecialcounselinvestigation“crossedconstitutional boundaries and could have merited criminal prosecution if not for a Justice Department policy against indicting sitting presidents,” wrote Noah Bookbinder in The New York Times. 15 Even some in the conservativemediaagreed.“Dependingonhowyoulookatthem,itmightbeenoughtoprosecute,”saidFox NewsjudgeAndrewNapolitano.“Butitdidshowavenal,amoral,deceptiveDonaldTrump,instructinghis aides to lie and willing to help them do so. ”16 In May 2019, over 980 federal prosecutors, including RepublicansandDemocrats,hadsignedastatementpostedonMediumthatTrump’sconductasdescribed intheMuellerreport“would,inthecaseofanyotherpersonnotcoveredbytheOfficeofLegalCounsel policyagainstindictingasittingPresident,resultinmultiplefelonychargesforobstructionofjustice.”17
Though Trump may not have criminally conspired, he has appeared, on occasion, to undermine AmericaninterestsandinstitutionsinfavorofRussia.InJuly2016,atanewsconferenceinFlorida,Trump madehisfamousrequest.“Russia,ifyou’relistening,Ihopeyou’llbeabletofindthe30,000emailsthatare missing,”hesaid,referringtodeletedemailsfromtheprivateaccountHillaryClintonusedwhenshewas secretaryofstate.Later,aspresident,hewouldholdaprivatemeetingwithVladimirPutininHelsinkiduring whichhewouldconfiscatehistranslator’snotesandtakePutin’swordoverthatoftheCIA,FBI,andNSA regardingRussianinterference.HewouldalsocomplimentPutin’sstrengthasaleader.Manyhaveobserved that Trump seems to be in Putin’s thrall. It is worth asking the question, Why? Through much of his campaign,TrumpwaspursuingalucrativedealtobuildahotelinMoscow,ashisformerlawyerMichael CohenrevealedintestimonybeforeCongress.Intruth,Trump’stiestoRussiagobackdecades.
TRUMP VISITS MOSCOW
When TrumpfirstvisitedRussia, Putin wasalow-level KGB agentin Germany, trying torecruitassets. AccordingtoauthorLukeHarding,Trump’sfirstvisittoRussiain1987wastheresultofjustsucha“fishing expedition.”19TrumpwasinvitedtoMoscowbytheSovietambassadortotheUnitedStates,YuriDubinin, atatimewhen theKGBwasactivelyseekingrecruits.Itwouldbethefirstofseveralvisitsduringwhich Trumpwaswinedanddined oftenundertwenty-four-hoursurveillance.
Trump’stiestoRussiaappeartohavestrengthenedintheearly1990s.Twoofhisbusinesses,theTrump TajMahalcasinoandthePlazaHotel,hadgonebankruptandtheTrumpShuttlefolded.Hewasmassivelyin debtwhenRussianoligarchs,flushwithcash,rescuedhim.“HecouldnotgetanybodyintheUnitedStatesto lend him anything. It wasall coming out of Russia. Hisinvolvement with Russia wasdeeper than he’s acknowledged,”writesMichaelHirshinhisarticle“HowRussianMoneyHelpedSaveTrump’sBusiness”in ForeignPolicy. 22
InitiallythebailoutcameintheformofrealestatepartnershipsandthepurchaseofTrumpcondos.Inthe early2000s,TrumpbeganworkingwithtwoRussianswhowouldhelphimmakehistransformation“from buildertobrander.”AsHirshobserves, by2015, when heannouncedhiscandidacy, Trumpwasalready “enmeshedinthismysteriousoverseasflowofcapital.”23
A CLOSER LOOK
SomeofTrump’spolicydecisionssincebecomingpresidentappeartosupportoradvanceRussianobjectives, including weakening NATO, slashing the State Department budget, loosening ties with our allies, and ultimatelyweakeningAmerica’spowerandprestige.WithdrawingfromtheIrannucleardealwasyetanother TrumpmovethatappearedtoserveIsraelandSaudiArabiamorethanitdidourownorNATO’sinterests.
TrumphasyettotakeastandagainstRussianaggressionuponforeignterritories,suchasUkraine,aswell asRussia’scontinuedsupportofAssad’sregimeinSyria.Hehasignored,downplayed,oroutrightrejected the findings from the American intelligence community about how Russia infiltrated social media to influence the election. At the 2018 Russian–United States summit in Helsinki, he stood before the internationalpressandsidedwithPutin,sayingthattheRussianleader“wasextremelystrongandpowerful in hisdenial today,”a stinging rebuke to the American intelligence community. He praisedthe Russian president as “ very, very, strong” and pinned the tensions between the two countries on “ years of U.S. foolishnessandstupidity.”ItwasatthissameconferencethatPutinacknowledgedthathehadwantedTrump elected.FormerGeorgeW.BushspeechwriterDavidFrumlatercommentedinTheAtlantic,“Westilldonot knowwhatholdVladimirPutinhasonDonaldTrump,butthewholeworldhasnowwitnessedthepowerof itsgrip.”24
influence and mind control techniques on his own people as prime minister, Putin has the ability and knowledgetobecreativeabouthowtogetit,includingsupportingthepresidencyofDonaldTrump.
THE CULT OF PUTIN
Putin came to power in 1999, a relative unknown. One of the first things he did was stage a series of apartmentblockbombingsandblamethemonChechenrebels,whichcreatedasenseofcrisisandfear and helpedgethimelectedpresident.Thesecondwastobeefuphispublicpersona.Backin1992,whileworking forthemayorofSt.Petersburg,hehadcommissionedafilmabouthimselfcalledVlast,theRussianwordfor power.Aspresident,hecontinuedhispersonalmythmaking,releasingvideosandphotosofhimselfscuba divingandhorsebackriding andevenshirtlessonvacation.
HewoulduseothertricksinPratkanisandAronson’swould-becultleader’splaybooktogettheRussians tosupport,admire,andembracehim.ThoughPutin’sruggedcharismaandnationalistviews hepromised toreturnRussiatoitspastglory,essentiallytomakeRussiagreatagain initiallywonoverthepublic,itled toanauthoritarianstyleofgoverning,onethatcontrolledmanyaspectsofcitizens’lives theirbehavior, information, thoughts, and emotions. This included a crackdown on the press, the persecution (and poisoning)ofpoliticalopponents,thesuppressionofpersonalfreedomsandminorityrights,andasurgeof predatoryforeignaggression.
YetTrumpappearstobesmitten.Putin’stoughnessseemstoplayintoTrump’svisionofatrueleader. AccordingtoNance,PutinprovidesablueprintforTrump.“DJTappearstoliterallyhavethechecklistby Putin in how to solidify a nation into autocracy.” It begins with information control a “ war on law enforcementintelligenceandmedia.[Itis]real,andwillundermineourconstitution.”25
Like Trump, Putin is a malignant narcissist. He is charming but ruthless. He exaggerates his accomplishments,lies,andsteals(heisabillionairemanytimesover).HealsoexhibitsaseeminglyKGB-bred paranoiaandappearstolackempathy,judgingbythewayhetreatsdissenters,likeSergeiandYuliaSkripal, the Russian father anddaughter who were poisonedin Britain. Suchattackssendapowerful message to anyonewhodarestocrossPutin,andareapowerfulmechanismforcontrollingpeople,eveniftheydon’t liveinRussia.
When Fox NewshostBillO’Reilly askedTrumpwhathethoughtaboutPutin being akiller, Trump responded,“We’vegotalotofkillers.Whatdoyouthink?Ourcountry’ssoinnocent?”26Again,wedonot know what, exactly, accountsfor Putin’sgripon Trump, butitisoften the case thatcultleadersmodel themselvesonothercultleaders.SunMyungMoonwasinaKoreancultbeforehestartedhisown,andL. RonHubbardwasinvolvedwithAleisterCrowley theself-proclaimedBeast666 andhisoccultgroup, Thelema,whichwassupposedtoguidehumanitytoanewera,theAeonofHorus.
Cultleadersoftenlieabouttheirpast.Theyembellish,distort,exaggerate,andinventtoenlargethemselvesin theirowneyesandtheeyesoftheirfollowers.WhileTrumpdoeshisfairshareofself-mythologizing,the biggestmythsofallarebeingtoldbyothers.Nowhereisthathappeningwithgreatergusto,flair,andaudacity thanontheChristianright.Theyhaveappropriated,reworked,andmanipulatedTrump’stale,usingtheir own loaded language and imagery, for their own purposes. According to many Christian right leaders, TrumpwaschosenbyGodtoleadAmerica.Hemaybeasinner,butGodhasraisedhimuptoturnAmerica into a Christian nation. Theocratic theorist Lance Wallnau, in his 2016 book, God’s Chaos Candidate: DonaldJ.TrumpandtheAmerican Unraveling, comparedTrumpto the idol-worshipping Persian king Cyrus,whohelpedreturntheJewstoJerusalem.LikeCyrus,Trumpisseenasafigureofdeliverance,an unwittingconduit, an unlikelyvessel. Anddeliver hehas notjusttotheChristian rightbutalsotothe Jewish right. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thanking Trump for moving the American embassytoJerusalem,comparedhimto“KingCyrustheGreat.”28
Asoutrageousassuchclaimsmay seem, they are taken seriously by millionsof conservative religious believers.Whenagroup’sleaderisexaltedandimbuedwithdivinity,itisashortsteptoonewhodemands completeloyalty,devotion,andobedience.Whatisespeciallyconcerningisthatsuchviewsarebeingtouted notjustbypillowmakersandproselytizers,butbyaformerWhiteHousepresssecretary.“IthinkGodcalls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president, andthat’swhy he’sthere,”saidSarahHuckabee Sandersduring an interview on the Christian BroadcastingNetwork.30
To thinkofthe Christian rightasa monolithic, Bible-thumping, churchgoing blocisa mistake. It’sa dynamicmovementfueledby conservative factionsandministries primarily Protestantevangelicalsand Catholics. What unites them is a strong desire to see their conservative positions anti-abortion, antihomosexuality,antiscience(includingstemcellresearchandevolution) becomethelawofthelanden routetoachievingtheirgrandtheocraticvision.Theirrallyingcryis“religiousfreedom,”definednotasthe FirstAmendmentrighttobelievedifferentlyfromtherichandpowerful,freefromtheundueinfluenceof governmentandreligiousinstitutions,butinsteadastherighttodenyconstitutionalrightstoothersbasedon one ’sownreligiousbeliefs.
BeneaththesurfaceoftheseChristianrightchurchesarepowerful,sometimessecretivenetworks,whose goalistoexertinfluenceonpowerfulpeople businessmen,celebrities,politicians,andevenpresidentslike Trump in order tobring abouttheir vision ofaChristian nation. Oneofthese, known publiclyasthe Fellowship and privately as the Family, operates numerous front groups that keep its activities hidden. Another isthe New ApostolicReformation (NAR), whichgrowsoutofthe Pentecostal andcharismatic wing of evangelicalism and includes a wide range of large and small ministries. A third is the Catholic organization,OpusDei.Allarewell-connectedandambitious.TheybelievethatChristianityisundersiege andmustberestoredtoitsrightful,centralplacebyatheocratictakeoverofAmericanpoliticalandcultural institutions. AsNARleader DutchSheetssaid atCPACin 2019, “We will expose the enemiesofGod, disrupttheirplans,enforceHeaven’srule,andreformAmerica.”32
More mainstream Christian groups may evangelize and otherwise seek to influence politics and government. What distinguishes the modern Christian right is the idea that their theocratic takeover is ordainedbyGodand, somebelieve, mayleadtothereturn ofJesus. AccordingtoFrederickClarkson, a seniorresearchanalystatPoliticalResearchAssociatesandalongtimeresearcheroftheChristianright,they believethat“regardlessoftheologicalcamp,means,ortimetable,GodhascalledconservativeChristiansto exercise dominion over society by taking control ofpolitical and cultural institutions.”33 Thistheocratic doctrine,knownasDominionism,is“theideologicalengineoftheChristianRight”andhasbeendriving Christianrightministriesacrossthecountry and,inthecaseoftheFamily,rightintheheartofWashington, D.C.
THE FAMILY
NoonehasdonemoretoshinealightonthisgroupthanJeffreySharlet.InhisbookTheFamily,Sharlet, whoisassociateprofessorofliteraryjournalismatDartmouthCollege,tracesthehistoryofthegroupbackto 1935. Abraham (Abram) Vereide, a Norwegian-born Methodist minister and founder of Goodwill Industriesin Seattle, hadavision. “Godspoke tohim andtoldhim thatChristianity hadbeen getting it wrongfor2,000yearsbyfocusingonthepoorandtheweakandthedownandout,”saidSharlet.34“Onlythe bigmanwascapableofmendingtheworld.Butwhowouldhelpthebigman?”Vereideorganizedaseriesof breakfastprayermeetingswithcivicandbusinessleadersinSeattle oneofthemwouldbeelectedmayorin 1938 andthenacrosstheNorthwestandeventuallyacrossthecountry.By1942,Vereidehadsixtyregular meeting groups. That same year, Vereide living now in Washington, D.C. held hisfirst joint SenateHouseprayerbreakfastmeeting.In1953,heconvenedhisfirstNationalPrayerBreakfast,whichcontinuesto thisday, attractingthewealthyandpowerfulWashington elite andeverypresidentsinceEisenhower. It wouldbecome,asTheNewYorkTimesreports,“aninternationalinfluence-peddlingbazaar,whereforeign dignitaries, religiousleaders, diplomatsandlobbyistsjockey for accessto the highestreachesofAmerican power ”35 including Marina Butina, a Russian graduate student and gun rights activist. In 2017 she attendedthebreakfast,whereTrumpwasgivingthekeynotespeech,inhopesofestablishingabackchannel ofcommunicationwithAmericanpoliticians.ShewaslaterconvictedofspyingforRussia.36
Vereidewouldexpandhisvisionovertheyears.HehadwhathecalledtheIdea,writesSharlet,“themost ambitioustheocraticprojectoftheAmericancentury,‘everyChristianaleader,everyleaderaChristian.’” WiththeonsetoftheColdWar,amidclaimsthat“godlesscommunists”wantedtotakeovertheworld,he envisioneda“rulingclassofChrist-committedmenboundinafellowshipoftheanointed,thechosen,key men in avoluntary dictatorshipofthedivine.”37 Thoughhe wouldposition the Family as, among other things,aJesusyouthmovement,mostoftheirdealingswouldbediscreet.Todaytheylobby,recruit,and conductprivatemeetingsandspiritualretreatsinaredbricktownhouse,CStreetHouse,onCapitolHilland inotherbuildings,includingagraycolonialbuildinginArlington,calledIvanwald.
SharletlivedatIvanwaldamongyoungrecruits “highpriestsintraining” followingadailyregimen thatwouldsoundfamiliartomanycultmembers:“noswearing,nodrinking,nosex,noself.Watchoutfor magazinesand don’t waste time on newspapersand never watch TV. Eat meat, study the Gospels, play basketball:Godlovesamanwhocansinkathree-pointer.”38Hewastoldhewasthere“tolearnhowtorule theworld.”
Family member and Watergate felon Charles Colson called the Family “ a veritable underground of Christ’s men all through the U.S. government.”39 Though secretive about their membership, the list is thoughttoincludeJeffSessions,BetsyDeVos,SenatorsChuckGrassley,PeteDomenici,andJohnEnsign, alongwithVicePresidentMikePence.NotallmembersareRepublican.TheFamily’sstrategyistocultivate peoplewithmoney,power,orspecialskillsbyinvitingthemtotheirNationalPrayerBreakfasts theyhave invitedMuslims,Jews,foreignnationals,andevendictatorsofothercountries,aswellasDemocrats.The FamilythoughtHillaryClintonmightsomedaybecomepresidentandbegancultivatingheryearsago.She wasreportedlyanactiveparticipantintheFamily(althoughnot,apparently,amember)duringheryearsin Washington,anddescribedDougCoe,theleaderatthattime,as“agenuinelylovingspiritandmentor.”40
YetcompassiondoesnotseemtooccupyacentralplaceintheFamily’sphilosophy.OneofVereide’smost significantmoveswastoreimagineJesusasakindofstrongman,onecastinthemoldofauthoritarianleaders like Adolf Hitler. “The bottom-line of Christ’s message wasn’t really about love or mercy or justice or forgiveness.Itwasaboutpower,”saidSharlet.41ThoughVereidedenouncedHitler,accordingtoSharlet“he admiredfascism’scultivationofelites,crucialtowhathesawasaGod-ordainedcoming‘ageofminority control.’”42 DougCoewouldlateraddStalin,PolPot,andMaoZedongtothelist.“[Coeis]quicktosay theseareevilmen,buttheyunderstoodpower.”43
It’s not clear if the Family actively supported the authority-loving Trump, since they mostly operate behindthescenes.ButinMikePence whoaccordingtoSharletwasrecruitedintotheFamilybyCharles Colsonin2009 theyappeartohaveoneoftheirownintheWhiteHouse.ThoughPencewasbroughtup CatholicandDemocratic,heunderwentaconversionasa“bornagain”Christianincollege.Bythemid1990shewouldfamouslydescribehimselfas“aChristian,aconservative,andaRepublican,inthatorder.”
TheFamily,intentionallyornot,tookahugeleaptowardfulfillingtheircentralmissionofcreating,in Vereide’s words, a “ruling class of Christ-committed men ” when Pence took over as head of Trump’s transitionteam.Bythetimehewasfinished,Trump’scabinetwasfilledwithnofewerthannineevangelicals, including in addition to JeffSessions RickPerry, Sonny Perdue (Agriculture), Ryan Zinke (Interior), Tom Price(HealthandHuman Services), Ben Carson (Housing andUrban Development), ElaineChao (Transportation),andBetsyDeVos,whowouldsoonbeginpushingforcharterschoolsandbringingprayer backintotheclassroom.
ZinkeandPricewereforcedtoresignamidscandal.TrumpalsoreplacedsecretaryofstateRexTillerson withconservativeevangelicalMikePompeo,whohascastMuslim-Christianrelationsasaholywar,andwho inhispreviouspostasdirectoroftheCIAmadespeechesloadedwithexplicitlyreligiouslanguage.Trump wouldreplaceJeffSessionswithWilliamBarr.Thoughnotanevangelical,Barrhascloselinks asweshall soon see to the secretive conservative Catholicorder OpusDei, which, like the Family, hasa theocratic mission.AboutamonthafterassuminghisJusticeDepartmentpostin2019,Barrwouldwriteafour-page summary of the Mueller report that, according to many, whitewashed and cherry-picked the Mueller findings.
“What’s interesting about Trump is that he’s not really a believer, yet he’s put together the most fundamentalist Cabinet in U.S. history,” said Sharlet. “There never has been one like this. It’s the most Family-friendly.”46
THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION
On December 7, 2018, an unusual prayer wasoffered upin one ofthe grand ballroomsin the Trump InternationalHotelinWashingtonD.C.“InJesus’name,wedeclaretheDeepStatewillnotprevail!”said Jon Hamill, headofLamplighter Ministries, asdozensofworshippersheldtheir handsaloft, engaging in glossolalia, referred to as “speaking in tongues.” “We have governmental leaders throughout the Trump administrationwholoveJesuswithalloftheirheart,andtheyaregivingtheirallforthisnationandforGod’s dream for thisnation.”47 Hamill described how he and a groupofreligiousleadershad been invited by former Kansas Republican senator Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom andaFamily member, into hisoffice to pray for evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson, who was imprisonedbyTurkey’sgovernment.Brunsonwaslater“miraculously”released.
Prayercanbepowerful,accordingtomanyinthemovementknownastheNewApostolicReformation (NAR). A contemporary movement of networks of ministries each of which is led by modern-day “prophets” or “apostles” such as Hamill and his wife, Jolene the NAR is united in their belief that intercessoryprayercanworkmiracles.NARoriginatedinPentecostalandcharismaticmovementsandhas roots in the so-called discipling and shepherding movements, which claim to model themselves on firstcentury apostolicChristianity. Throughrobustnetworking, savvy use ofcomputers, aggressive grassroots tactics, andamasteryofinfluencetechniquesrightoutofthecultplaybook, theNARhasgrown intoa
ManyoftheministriesandgroupsoftheNAR includingtheInternationalHouseofPrayer, Bethel Church, and Morningstar Church fulfill criteria of the BITE model, such as deceptive recruitment, restricting accessto critical information andpeople, andinstilling phobiasin members, aswe will see in chapter8.(TheAustralia-basedHillsongChurchanditsNewYorkleader,CarlLentz,recruitedpopsinger JustinBieberandothercelebrities.)
Followers are taught that God is working through their divinely appointed leaders, who receive revelations,speakintongues,exorcisedemons,anddofaithhealings.Theybelievethatthroughprayer,they can perform miracles: in addition to freeing Andrew Brunson, they believe their prayers helped Brett KavanaughbecomeaSupremeCourtjusticeandputTrumpintheWhiteHouse.IntheCultofTrump, NARfollowersareamongthemostferventbelieversintheDominionistvisionandtheideathatTrumpwas chosenbyGodtoleadthem.
OnceTrumparrivedintheWhiteHouse,hesettoworkmakinggoodonpromisestotheNARandthe broader Christian right. During their meeting with Trump, Christian right leaders had discussed their concernsaboutwhattheyperceivedtobethegovernment’sassaultonreligiousfreedom,definedastheright topracticetheirownbrandofChristianity,evenifitmeantrefusingtoperformmedicalprocedures,bake cakes, or perform services for people they might deem un-Christian. Trump delivered, signing religious freedomexecutiveordersandmakingjudicialappointments.Meanwhile,theNARandotherfactionsofthe Christianrightweremakinghistoricinroadsatthestateandlocallevel.SeveralChristianrightgroupshad organizedalegislativecampaign,calledProjectBlitz,providingstatelegislatorswithamanualoutlininghow towritelawsthatwouldfurthertheirgoaloftheocraticChristiandominion.49Includedinthemanualwerea setof“modelbills.”In2018,atleastseventy-fivebillswereintroducedinmorethantwentystates,manyof whichresemblethesemodelbills.Infivestatesbillswerepassedallowing,andsometimesrequiring,thatthe phrase“InGodWeTrust”bepostedinpublicbuildings,schools,andvehicles,includingpolicecars.Theyare onlythetipoftheiceberg.Thegoalistointroducelegislationgoverningissuesfromschoolprayertogay marriagetoawoman’srighttochooseandinthiswayadvancetheirtheocraticvision.
ThatvisionwasframedbyWeyrichandLindasastrugglebetweenatheocraticinsurgencyagainstwhat they perceived to be an increasingly secular anti-Christian culture and government. In promoting their Dominionist vision, and their retooled concept of freedom of religion, the ministries of the NAR pit themselvesagainsttheDemocrats, theestablishmentRepublicans, andgovernmentin general. Theyeven claimedthattheFBIandDepartmentofJusticeweretryingtodestroyTrump’spresidency.Inablogpost, “Apostle”DutchSheetsdescribedhowtheNARwouldusetheir“kingdomauthority”tobreak“thebackof this attempt to render President Trump ineffective. We will release favor over him, enabling him to
RalphDrollingerisabigman,oversevenfeettall,withasweepingreach.Heisfounderanddirectorofthe international Capitol Ministries, which hasasitsstated mission “to make disciplesof JesusChrist in the politicalarenathroughouttheworld.”51Onceaweek,Drollingerventuresfromhisofficetoasecretlocation whereheconductsaBiblestudymeetingwithmembersoftheTrumpCabinet.52
Atthesemeetings,CabinetmemberslikeRickPerry,MikePompeo,SonnyPerdue,andMikePencestudy the Bible, verse by verse, andreceive alesson thatDrollinger writesandputsonline eachweek. Though Trumpdoesnotattend,hereceivestranscriptsoftheteachingsand,accordingtoDrollinger,oftenreturns themwithscrawledcomments.“He’sgotthisleakySharpiefelt-tippenthathewritesallcapitalletterswith. ‘WaytogoRalph,reallylikethisstudy,keepitup.’Stufflikethat,”Drollingersaid.53
It’s extraordinary access and Drollinger also hosts Bible studies in the U.S. Senate and House of Representativesofficebuildingsandinmanystatecapitolbuildings.Yethisteachingsareoftenmisleadingor outrightincorrectandoutoftouchwithbasicbiblicalscholarshipstandards,accordingtoAndréGagné,a formerevangelicalpastorturnedcriticandassociateprofessorintheDepartmentofTheologicalStudiesat ConcordiaUniversityinMontreal.54
There are other reasons for concern. In his 2013 book, Rebuilding America: The Biblical Blueprint, Drollingerclaimsthatitisthestate’s“God-givenresponsibilitytomoralizeafallenworldthroughtheuseof force.”Inanop-edfortheNewYorkTimes,KatherineStewartdescribesDrollingerasbelievingthat“social welfareprograms‘havenobasisinScripture,’thatChristiansingovernmenthaveanobligationtohireonly Christians,andthatwomenshouldnotbeallowedtoteachgrownmen.”55AnearlysupporterofTrump,he once called on him to create a “benevolentdictatorship.”56 According to the Capitol Ministrieswebsite, “Drollinger’s comments were made in passing reference to a divided Congress that fails to accomplish business.Hewasspeakingofthenation’sneedforastrongleaderwithgiftsofpersuasion.”57Itmaybeworth notingthatDrollingerhasalsobeenquotedassayingthatCatholicismisthe“world’slargestfalsereligion,”58 thathomosexualityisan“abomination,”andthatitis“asin”for“womenwithchildren”to“serveinpublic office[orbe]employed.”59
OPUS DEI AND THE CATHOLIC RIGHT
CatholicsandProtestantshavebeenatodds,sometimesevenopenwarfare,forhundredsofyears.Evennow therelationshipcanturnbitter,asDrollinger’scommentsuggests.Ahistoricshiftoccurredin2009 one yearintotheObamapresidency whenCatholicandEvangelicalChristianRightleaders,alongwithafew leadersoftheEasternOrthodoxChurch,pledgedto“joinacrosshistoriclinesofecclesialdifferences”and affirmtheircommitmenttodefendthree“truths” “thesanctityofhumanlife,thedignityofmarriageasa union of husband and wife, and the freedom of conscience and religion.” Contained in the manifesto, known as the Manhattan Declaration which was signed by 150 leaders including fifty sitting bishops,
archbishops,andcardinals wasavowtodefendthevisionatallcosts.“Throughthecenturies,Christianity hastaughtusthatcivildisobedienceisnotonlypermitted,butsometimesrequired,”itdeclares.60According to FrederickClarkson, the Declaration’sthree-part formula would serve asa kind ofrallying cry for the Christianright.Its“integratedapproachtoabortion,marriage,andreligiousliberty,isdesignedtounitekey leadersofmajorfactionsaroundcommonargumentsandtofunctionasacatalystforpoliticalrenewal,”61he writes.
AprincipaldrafteroftheDeclaration whichatlastcounthadover550,000signatures wasPrinceton jurisprudenceprofessorRobertP.George,aleadinglightamongCatholicneo-Conservativeswithdeepties toanetworkofconservativepoliticalandreligiousgroupsacrossthecountry.“Iftherereallyisavast,rightwingconspiracy,itsleadersprobablymeetinGeorge’sbasement,”writesAnneMorse,inanarticleforthe conservativeCatholicmagazineCrisis. 62 Amongthoserelationships thoughGeorgedownplaysit isthe secretiveorganization,OpusDei.TheorganizationhassupportedseveralofGeorge’sprojects,mostnotably the JamesMadison Program in American IdealsandInstitutionsatPrinceton, which, according to Max Blumenthal writing in The Nation, “ serves as a testing ground for the right’s effort to politicize college campuses.”AccordingtoBlumenthal,“George’sprogramisfundedbyastableofright-wingfoundations andashadowyweboffrontgroupsfortheCatholiccultknownasOpusDei.”63(Accordingtoa2005article inThe DailyPrincetonian, the organization hasfunneledhundredsofthousandsofdollarsto Princeton campusprojects thereisevenanOpusDeiresidenceoncampus manyofwhichincludedontheirboards amannamedLuisTellez,whoservedforyearsasthedirectorofOpusDeiinPrinceton.)64
Translated as“The WorkofGod,”OpusDei came to widespread popular attention in Dan Brown’s bestsellingnovelTheDaVinciCode,whichdepictsaself-flagellating,murderousalbinoOpusDeimonkwho carriesouttheordersofhiscultlikeandpower-hungryorganization.WhileBrown’sdepictionwasfictional (Opus Dei does not have monks) and sensationalized, the organization is, by many accounts, highly demanding andambitious. “Itisaclosed, disciplinedgroupguidedby an authoritarian ideology,”writes RobertHutchisonina1997Guardianpiece,“TheVatican’sOwnCult” onethat“labourssilentlyand stealthily”toaligngovernmentwithitsownpolicies.“ItsprimarygoalistoreturntheCatholicChurchtothe centerofsociety,asinmedievaltimes,”writesHutchison,whoisalsoauthorofabookaboutOpusDei,Their KingdomCome. 65
Amongthedefiningfeaturesofthegroup whichwasfoundedin1928bytheSpanishpriestJosemaria EscrivadeBalaguerandelevatedin1982byPopeJohnPaulIItoa“personalprelature”thatanswersdirectly tothepope areaneedforsecrecyandobedience,whichoftenentails“puttingawayone’sscruples”toserve theorganization.Membersandassociatesareorganizedinaninternalhierarchymadeupofnumeraries,who areunmarried,celibate,andoftenlivingwiththegroup;supernumeraries,whomaybemarriedandwork outside the group but turn over a portion of their earnings; and cooperators, who are sympathetic nonmembers.Numeraries,andevensomesupernumeraries,liveunderhigh-demandcircumstances often cutofffromfamilymembers,aswasthecasewiththedaughterofDianneDiNicola,aprominentcriticofthe groupandfounderoftheOpusDeiAwarenessNetwork(ODAN),66andwithanumberofformermembers whomIhavecounseled.Theyparticipateinsecretinitiationrites,swearobedience,andsubmitto“formative norms, ”whichHutchinson describesasa form of“mind-conditioning,”including reporting weekly to a
InWashington,D.C.,OpusDeioperatesoutoftheCatholicInformationCenter(CIC),ina buildinglocatedtwoblocksfromtheWhiteHousethathousesoffices,abookstore,andachapel,wheredaily massisheld(andwhereRobertGeorgebloggedthatheattendedtheCatholicconversion ceremony ofa formerlyJewishcolleague68).Foryears,thecenterwasunderthedirectionofReverendC.JohnMcCloskey abrashandcharismaticleaderwhoin2002wasaccusedofgropingayoungwomanandwasrelocatedthe following year. (Opus Dei later settled the suit for $977,000.)69 During his heyday at the Catholic InformationCenter,McCloskeyattractedawho’swhoofWashingtonluminariestoCatholicism,including then-Senators Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback70 (who converted from mainline Protestant Presbyterianism);LawrenceKudlow,afinancialanalystand,since2018,directoroftheNationalEconomic Council;andformerSpeakeroftheHouseNewtGingrich.71
ThoughMcCloskeyislonggone,theCatholicInformationCenter72stillmaintainsastrongpresencein Washington,D.C.Thecenter’sboardcontinuestoincludeLeonardLeo,conservativelegalactivistandvice presidentoftheFederalistSociety,whichhasworkedfordecadestoorganizetherightwingtakeoverofthe SupremeCourt.73 LeohelpedtoblockObama’snomination ofMerrickGarlandandcampaignedtoput conservative (Catholic) judges Samuel Alito, John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh on the SupremeCourt theverysamejusticeswho,alongwithfellowCatholicClarenceThomas,areconsidered mostlylikelytooverturnthelandmarkSupremeCourtrulingRoev.Wade,whichdeclaredthatrestricting accesstoabortionisunconstitutional.AidingthosejudicialcampaignswasanonprofitorganizationthatLeo helpedtofound,theJudicialCrisisNetwork,whichaccordingtoTheGuardian,spent$17milliontoquash theGarlandnomination andelevateGorsuch74 andwhichwasoriginally run outofthe home ofAnn Corkery,anavowedmemberofOpusDei.
AccordingtoTheWashingtonPost,OpusDei’ssmallWashingtoncentercontinuestohave“anoutsize impactonpolicyandpolitics.”75ItisnotclearifLeo whohasTrump’sear76 playedaroleinnominating William Barr for the position of attorney general. But Pat Cipollone who also served as a Catholic Information Center board member probably did. He was brought on as White House Counsel77 two months before Barr’s nomination in December 2019. (Cipollone was an assistant to Barr when he was attorney general to George H. W. Bush.)Itturnsout, Barr washimselfa member ofthe eight-member Catholic Information Center board of directors. As part of his confirmation process before the Senate JudiciaryCommittee,Barrcompletedaquestionnairewhichrevealsthatbetween2014and2017,heserved asadirectoroftheCatholicInformationCenter aperiodoverlappingthetenuresofLeoandCipollone, accordingtotheCatholicInformationCenterwebsite.78 Barr’sconnectiontoOpusDeigoesbackfurther. From1992to1993,anOpusDeinumerary,JohnWauck,wholaterbecameapriest,servedasBarr’sspeech writer.79
81 BarrletTrumpoffthehookwith regardtotheMuellerReport,despitetheweightofevidenceshowingthatthepresidentattemptedtoobstruct justice by trying to interfere withthe Mueller investigation. Thoughmany have speculated aboutBarr’s motives,itispossiblethatheholdsTrumpabovethelawbecausehebelievesthatthepresidentcouldservea higherpurpose.Certainly,forOpusDei,thedesiredpayoffwouldbenotjustoverturningRoev.Wade,but overturningseculardemocracyitselfbyelevatingconservativeCatholicstokeypositionsingovernmentand publiclife,includingandespeciallythejudiciary.ByreplacingtwoconservativeCatholicSupremeCourt justices, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, with two new ones, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh and by placingconservativejudgesinfederalcourtsacrossthecountry Trumpisalreadydelivering.
HEART OF DARKNESS: THE ALT-RIGHT82
Trumphasencouragedallkindsoferroneousandperniciousthinking,nowheremoredangerouslythanin hisdealingswiththe“alt-right.”Shortfor“alternativeright,”thetermreferstoasetofideologies,groups,and individuals that, according to the Anti-Defamation League, “reject mainstream conservatism in favor of formsofconservatismthatembraceimplicitracismorwhitesupremacy.”83Theseincludewhitenationalists, Confederateapologists, Klansmen, neo-Nazis, John Birchers, anti-Semites, isolationists, andantiglobalists. WhitesupremacistleaderRichardSpencerclaimstohavecoinedthetermalt-right,whichhasbeendescribed asaeuphemismforracist,neo-fascist,andneo-Nazibeliefs.Attheheartofthemindsetistheideathat“white identity”isbeingattacked byJews,BlacksMuslims,gays,Communists,andothermulticulturalforces underthebannerof“politicalcorrectness”and“socialjustice.”84 “TheAlt-rightisapushbackagainstour ethnic dispossession,” wrote an alt-right Reddit user, quoted in a Medium article. “It’s an attempt to jumpstart white people into fighting for their ethnic interests the same way other races do, because our currentpoliciesareanetdetrimenttowhites.”85
Peoplecometotheirhate-filledviewsinvariousways throughtheirupbringingandlifeexperiencesand, increasingly, by immersing themselves in the more shadowy precincts of the internet. University of PittsburghsociologistKathleen M. Bleefoundthatmiddle-andupper-middle-classmen arebeing drawn fromthemainstreamintodeeperanddarkercornersoftheinternet,wheretheyarebeingradicalizedthrough fearmongeringandotherinfluencetactics.90 Their onlinerecruitmentisactivelypavednotjustbywhite supremacistmedialikethealt-rightwebsiteTheDailyStormerandBreitbartbutalsobyoutsideforceslike Russia,whichisseekingtodivideAmericathroughpsychologicalmanipulation.Theycouldnothavepicked a better flashpoint. “The cynical brilliance of Vladimir Putin’s propaganda campaign is that it exploited America’sfoundationalcommitmenttowhitesupremacy,”writesSpencerAckermaninTheDailyBeast. “Thetermitselfissorawandsohideousthatitinspiresanallergytoitsusagewithinmainstreampolitical discourse.Butnootherterm racism,whiteprivilege,etc. bettercapturesthedynamicatissue.”91
AtlasShrugged,promotedaruggedlyindividualistic,survival-of-the-fittest,elitistideology theyhaveaclear agenda:toshrinkgovernment,cuttaxesandregulations,anddoawaywithsocialsafetynets.Theyinclude billionairesliketheKochbrothersandPayPalfounderPeterThiel,whohavecontributedheavilytoTrump’s campaign and whose influence may be felt in Trump’s corporate tax cuts, judicial appointments, deregulationofbusiness,anddefenseofthefossilfuelindustry.
TheChristianright,Russia,andthealt-rightsharethegoalofdestabilizingdemocraticinstitutionstoachieve theirownends.Yetthisattackupondemocracy usinganger,fear,andpanictodestabilizeanddisrupt has beenhappeningfromwithinourinstitutions.JamesScaminaciIIIseesitsearlypoliticalapplicationsinthe late1980s,whenNewtGingrichbecameSpeakeroftheHouseandbeganactivelysowingdivisionbetween thepoliticalpartiesthroughhisuseofinflammatoryrhetoric,usheringinakindofusversusthem,good versusevil style ofpolitical discourse.93 According to Scaminaci, the rise ofthe Tea Party, whichgained powerbymobilizingpopulisthatredofgovernment,canbetracedbacktoGingrich.
Thissubversiveapproachtopoliticsisalltoofamiliartome.WhenIwasintheMoonies,Iwastoldthat democracy like communism was satanic, yet Moon spent much of his time worming his way into democratic institutions, cultivating senators, congressmen, presidents, religious leaders, businessmen anyonewhohadinfluenceandpower.HesharedmanyofthesametheocraticgoalsastheChristianright to take over the American government and colluded with them for decades.94 Moon recruited members under theguiseofbeing amessiah, theleader ofareligiousorganization thatwantedtobring aboutthe kingdomofheavenonearth,buthewasinfacttheleaderofacomplexorganizationwithahighlypolitical agenda.ThoughMoonstartedthegroupinthe1950s,theSouthKoreanCIA(KCIA)wouldlaterturnit intoafrontgrouptocombatwhattheyclaimedwastherisingtideofcommunism.OfcourseIdidnotknow thiswhenIjoinedthegroup.NordidIknowthatMoonhadforgedlinkswithJapaneseorganizedcrime.
WhenMooncametotheUnitedStatesinthe1960s,itwaswiththeexpressaimofforginglinkswith influentialpeople.95HeattendedAbramVereide’sNationalPrayerBreakfastseveraltimes.Intheearly1970s hewouldthrowthesupportoftheMoonorganizationbehindthereelectionofRichardNixon,amanI’d previouslydespised.AsMoonies,weweretaughtthatGodwasusingNixon hewasGod’schoice.Iwould joinmyfellowmembersinafastonthestepsoftheCapitoltoshowsupportforNixonduringtheWatergate scandal. We looked like young, idealistic, and enthusiastic Americanswho under the leadership of our
Donald Trump took the stage in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on November 5, 2018, greeting the cheering throngs with waving arms, the occasional pumped fist, and many mouthed thank-yous. He opened by pointing to the “thousands and thousands” who were still outside, wishing they could get in. “You got lucky,”hetoldtheaudience,whohadfilledthe13,000seatsofthearenaandwerespillingontothestadium floor. If they hadn’t already felt blessed to be in his presence, they most likely did as he reeled off his accomplishments.“Jobsaresoaring,wagesarerising,optimismisskyrocketing,”hesaid.Wehavecreated“the singlebesteconomyinthehistoryofourgreatcountry”and“thehottestjobmarketontheplanetearth.” Andthenheloweredtheboom.But abigbut “everythingwehaveachievedisatstaketomorrow.”It couldallcomecrashingdownatthehandsofthe“radicalDemocrats” “theycantakeitapartjustasfastas webuiltit.”
Thereisalwaysavillain andahero ataTrumprally,andthat’sexactlywhathisaudienceexpects alongwithhisinsults,boasts,andtakedownsofliberalsandotherenemies.Hemakesthemfeelheroicby association,andtheyadorehimforit.“Trumpsupportersremainasenthusiasticasever,standingforhoursin hotsunordrivingrain,”wroteJillColvin,reportingonthe2018midtermsforBusinessInsider. 1Linestoget into these rallies would wind around buildings and twist through alleys. “Look at this,” said Brenda MacDonaldofWoodbury,Minnesota,gesturingatthethousandswaitingwithheronalinethatreached morethanamile.“Ithinkit’samazingwhathe’sdoing,Ireallydo,”saidTamiGusching,attheFortWayne rally.“Ilovetheaggressionthathehasandthepowerbehindhim.”2 “Ithinkthefacthe’sstillturningout these crowds of people, two years in, it’s absolutely amazing,” said Richard Eichhorn, seventy-two, of Stockholm,Wisconsin.“Ithinkit’shuge.”3“I’mjusttotally,madlyinlovewithhim,”saidPeggySaar,sixtyfour,ofRochester,Minnesota.4
MillionsofTrumpsupportersechoPeggy’ssentiments totheastonishmentofTrump’scritics.Whoare thesepeople,theywonder,andwhydotheysupportandevenadoreTrumpafterhehaslied,cheated,bullied, and betrayed the country by believing the Russian president rather than his own intelligence agencies? Clearly,thereisnosimpleanswer.Trumpsupporters 63millionstrong areapatchworkofdiverseyet distinctgroups,eachwithvaryinglevelsofallegiance.5 TheyrangefromferventfollowersontheChristian andalt-right,whoseeTrumpasachangeagentwhocanforwardtheiragenda,totraditionalRepublicans whovotethepartyline,topro-lifers,NRAmembers,andthepoorandoutofwork.Theyincludeolder, white Americanswho were persuaded, in part, by Trump’sangry andfearful rhetoric. Finally, there are independentswhovotedforTrumpsimplybecausehewasnotHillaryClinton.
Somehadtheirownagendas,motivations,andallegiances,aswehaveseen.ButTrump’scampaignwasan aggressiverecruitingmachine,usingmanyoftheblack-and-white,us-versus-themtechniquesusedbycults alongwithrousingfourth-generationwarfare“governmentversusthepeople”rhetoric.“Ourmovementis aboutreplacingafailedandcorruptedpoliticalestablishment,withanewgovernmentcontrolledbyyou,the American people,”began a 2016 Trumpcampaign ad. “The only people brave enoughto vote outthis corruptestablishmentisyou,theAmericanpeople.Iamdoingthisforthepeopleandforthemovement,and wewilltakebackthiscountryforyou,andwewillmakeAmericagreatagain.”6
Thatsaid,itisimportanttounderscorethatnoteveryTrumpsupporterisaferventfollower.Andnot everyferventfollowerisnecessarilyamemberoftheCultofTrump.IfwethinkofTrump’sfollowersas comprising a pyramid structure, with circles radiating from its base, most would occupy the outermost circles.Formingthebottomofthepyramid literally,thebase wouldbeTrump’smostloyal followers, includingmembersoftheChristianright,alt-right,listenersofFoxNewsandright-wingmedia,dyed-in-thewoolRepublicans,andothers.Abovethebase,inascendingtiers,wouldbebusiness,political,andreligious leaderswhosupportandpromoteTrump,oftentosatisfytheirownagendas.ClosesttoTrump andatop thepyramid wouldbehisfamilyandstaff.
chapterwewilltakeacloserlookatthetopandbottomtiers thepeoplewhoareclosesttoTrump,hisinner circle,aswellasthesupportersthatconstitutehisbase.Manyinthisbottomtieraremembersofothergroups, someofthemhigh-demandandcultlike.Ingeneral,thosemostatriskforbeingdrawnintoaculthaveoften had prior experience withother high-demand relationshipsor groups, especially those withauthoritarian figures who promote a similar message. Some of Trump’s most zealous followers are members of highdemand groups on the Christian right whose leaders have helped shape Trump’s message of religious freedom.Membersofsuchgroupswereready indeed,primed foraleaderlikeTrump.
THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID: TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE
TheTrumpWhiteHouseisaporousplace peoplecomeandgowiththeirvariouspolitical,religious,and economic agendas, asthey do atTrump’sFlorida resort, Mar-a-Lago. MembersofCongressand cabinet secretariesmayputonsycophanticdisplays aswehaveseeninanearlierchapter buttheytypicallyspend onlyafewhoursinTrump’spresence.ThereisacoregroupofWhiteHousestaffers,someofwhomare familymembers,whoareinregularcontactwithTrump.Thisistypicallytrueofcults thereisacoterieof aideswhoareloyalandsubservienttotheleader,carryingoutdirectivesanddoctrine.SunMyungMoon’s innercirclecomprisedKorean andJapaneseaideswhowouldthen directotherMooniestocarryouthis commands.WhenTrumparrivedattheWhiteHouse,hewassurroundedbypeoplewhowerenotentirely ofhisownchoosing.SteveBannon,whowasWhiteHousechiefstrategist,hadessentiallybeenassignedto himbybillionaireRobertMercer.ThoughTrumpeventuallybondedwithhim,Bannonlastedonlyseven months.Trump’schiefofstaffwasReincePriebus,whohadpubliclycriticizedTrumpearlyinhiscampaign and,astheimmediatepastchairmanofthenationalRepublicanParty,wasseenbysomeasapartyplant.He lastedaboutsixmonths.Hissuccessor,retiredU.S.MarineCorpsgeneralJohnKelly,whowasviewedasa disciplining influence and reportedly called Trump an “idiot,” was fired nearly a year and a half later. Trump’scurrentchiefofstaffisNickMulvaney,whoiswidelyseenasa“yesman,”andwholetsTrumpbe Trump.
Trumphaslongbeenobsessedwithloyalty.Hehasalwaystriedtosurroundhimselfwithaninnercircle ofloyalistsanddevotedstaff andfamily.Trump’soldestson,DonJr.,anddaughter,Ivanka,workedclosely withtheirfatherattheTrumpOrganization.Ivankaandherhusband,JaredKushner,weregivenimportant White House roles and security clearances despite a complete lack of governmental and political experience.Interestingly,L.RonHubbardJr.helpedrunScientology,butdefectedbecausehecouldn’tfeed hisfamily.Moonsawhissonsasdirectheirstohisdivinelineage.Whenhedied,aninternecinestrugglebroke out,witheachofthemcompetingforpower,andrebellingagainstMoon’ssurvivingwife,knownas“True Mother.”
Duringhistestimony,CohendescribedhowhewouldhavetakenabulletforTrump,despitethefactthat Trumpoftentreatedhimpoorly praisinghimasagreatlawyeronemoment,thenhumiliatinghimthe next. Alternating praise and criticism is a common technique in cults. Trump would also control his employees’behaviormoredirectly,makingthemeatthesamething mostlyfastfoodlikeMcDonald’s and disturbingtheirsleepwithconstantlate-nightemergencies.Duringhiscampaign,hewouldinsistthatallthe womendressthesame.Whentheywentonvacation,itwasalwaystoMar-a-LagoorTrump’sBedminster, NewJersey,golfresort,“whereweknewwe’dbesafeandnotcondemnedorcriticized,”ManigaultNewman said.
ForherandforCohen,leavingTrump’sorbitfeltlikeescapingacult “thecultofTrumpworld,”asshe putit. One person who appearsstill to be in Trump’sthrall isformer White House presssecretary Sean Spicer.Knownforhiscombativeandblusterydefenseofhisboss,hewouldcoverupandobfuscatehisway throughdailypressbriefings,repeatingordefendingdemonstrablyfalseassertions mostnotoriouslyabout thecrowdsizeattheinauguration.Thoughheresignedafteronlysixmonths,inhis2018book,TheBriefing: Politics,thePress,andthePresident,Spicershowershisformerbosswithpraise:“Idon’tthinkwewillever againseeacandidatelikeDonaldTrump.Hishigh-wireactisonethatfewcouldeverfollow.Heisaunicorn, ridingaunicornoverarainbow.Hisverbalbluntnessinvolvesrisksthatfewcandidateswoulddaretake.His abilitytopivotfromaseeminglycareer-endingmomenttoafuriousassaultonhisopponentsisatalentfew politicianscanmuster.”
OneofTrump’smosttrustedaideswasformerWhiteHousecommunicationsdirectorHopeHicks,who was plucked from a Trump Organization PR firm. The former model, who became a gatekeeper of informationflowtoandfromTrump,seemedtohaveasixthsenseabouthowandwhentobreaknewsto him. She resigned in March 2018 after her subpoenaed appearance before the House Intelligence Committee,wheresheadmittedtotelling“whitelies”onTrump’sbehalf.10Shewasmadeanexecutivevice presidentandchiefcommunicationsdirector atFox News.11 While Trumphassurroundedhimselfwith loyalists,someWhiteHouseaideshaveapparentlyfeltagreaterallegiancetothecountry.Indeed,muchto thepresident’sfrustrationanddistress,Trump’sWhiteHouseisoneoftheleakiestinAmericanhistory.Yet hisaidesmayhavehelpedTrump’spresidency.TheMuellerReportfoundthatTrump’seffortstoobstruct thespecialcounsel“weremostlyunsuccessful,butthatislargelybecausethepersonswhosurroundedthe Presidentdeclinedtocarryoutordersoraccedetohisrequests.”12
TRUMP’S BASE
The Christian Right
Morethan80percentofwhiteevangelicalsvotedforTrumpandyetit’simportantnottopaintthemwith too broad a brush. In 2018, as migrant children were being separated from their parents, the National AssociationofEvangelicals,representingmostofthemajorevangelicaldenominations,wroteaprotestletter toTrump:“TheBiblesaysthatfamiliescamefirst,andgovernmentlater.”13 OfTrump’sfollowers,those who attend church are generally more favorable to minorities than nonchurchgoing Trump supporters, according to Emily Ekins, director ofpolling andresearchfellow atthe Cato Institute. “Itseemschurch teachingscan curbtribalisticimpulsesbyregularlyremindingworshipersthatweareallGod’schildren,” Ekinswrites,thoughsuchgoodwilldoesnotnecessarilyextendtotheLGBTQcommunity.14
And yet those tribalistic impulses have been fanned by some churches, especially those of the New Apostolic Reformation, who want to turn America into a Christian nation, and who claim a religiousfreedomjustificationtodenyconstitutionalrightstocustomers,clients,orpatients.Wehavealreadyseen howleadersoftheNARappropriatedTrump,castinghimasafigureofdeliverance.Theyarenottheonly onestodoso.AccordingtoaFoxNewspoll,nearlyhalfofRepublicansbelieveTrumpwaschosenbyGodto bepresident.15ButtheNARisespeciallyeffectiveatturningtheirmembersintotrueandactivebelieversof Trump.
New Apostolic Reformation
Withitsnetworkof“apostles”and“prophets,”eachofwhomclaimstoreceivedirectrevelationsfromGod, the NARisa sophisticatedmovementusing businessstrategiesandcomplex systemsapproaches.16 NAR ministerstendtooperateinatop-down,authoritarian,cultlikefashion,buttheyalsocommunicatewithone
Theirfollowersnumberover10millioninAmerica,and300millionaroundtheworld.17 Manyhave beenrecruitedthroughhigh-energymegachurches,aswellassmallministries,Biblestudygroups,spiritual retreats,andanactiveonlineeffort.Theirmeetingsarecarriedoutinahighlyemotional,immersive,and experientialway.Onemightseedemonpossession,spiritualdeliverance,faithhealing,peopleacting“drunk in the Spirit,”and speaking in tongues, or glossolalia, in whichbelieversthinkthey are speaking ancient languages.Linguistswhohaveanalyzedtheutterancessaytheyaresimplycombiningphonemesinafluid way. In addition, therewouldbeintense, emotion-driven chanting, singing, andpraying, andtheuseof hypnoticvisualizations.“It’sallaboutadrenaline.Musicandpreachingthatisveryemotivelybased it’sall about getting people to experience what issaid to be the Spirit,” said John Weaver, author of The New
ThespiritworldandsupernaturalbeingsplayabigroleintheNAR.AccordingtoRachelTabachnick,a former fellow at Political Research Associates, NAR is “ an aggressively political movement within Christianity,[that]blamesliteraldemonicbeingsfortheworld’sillsandstresses.”Tocombatthesedemons, andtodelivertheworldfromdarkness,followersarecommandedtoundertakeakindofspiritualwarfare tobecomespiritualwarriors.Inreality,theyarebeingusedto“advancearight-wingsocialandeconomic agenda,”Tabachnikwrites.19
Inspiredbytheirapostolicleaders,someofwhommetwithTrumpatTrumpTower,followersofNAR would direct their energy toward getting Trump elected. They would spend hours doing intercessory prayers,makingcalls,electioneering,donatingmoney,tellingfriends,andrecruitingthemtohiscause.One follower,MaryColbert,claimedtohaveheardfromherhusbandaboutafirefighter,MarkTaylor,whohada visionin2011thatGodhadchosenTrumptobepresident.Tomaketheprophecycometrue,sheorganized aprayerchainthatgrewintoaworldwidemovement,givingrisetoabookandafilm,TheTrumpProphecy, produced by Liberty University, an evangelical school founded by televangelistand early Christian right leaderJerryFalwell.20ItisnowthelargestChristianuniversityintheworld.(Falwell’sson,JerryFalwell,Jr., isamajorfigureintheCultofTrump.)21PromotionalmaterialsforTheTrumpProphecydescribehowGod usedthis“teamofpassionateindividualstoleadthenationintoaferventprayerchainthatwouldaccomplish oneofthemostincrediblemiraclesourcountryhaseverseen.”22
InmuchofNAR,asinmostcults,complexrealitiesarereducedtobinaryopposites:blackversuswhite; goodversusevil;spiritworldversusphysicalworld.Satananddemonsareeverywhere,temptingandtrying toinfluenceus.Demonsarethoughttopossessoutsidersoranyonewhoiscriticalofthegroup parents, friends,ex-members,andreporters.Parishionersandfollowersaretoldtheyare“chosen”byGodtocarryout amission. They are the special elite corpsofhumankindwho will be rewardedby Godfor their efforts. SupportingandrecruitingfollowersofDonaldTrumpisnowacentralfeatureofthatmission.
Thismission issharedbetween parentandchild andtheNARmovementiscarefulabouthowthey educatetheirchildren.Homeschoolingispreferred.Infact,childrenfromChristianbackgroundsaccount forabout75percentofAmericanhomeschooledchildren.23From2003to2007,thepercentageofstudents homeschooled to “provide religiousor moral instruction” rose from 72 percent to 83 percent.24 In this isolatedenvironment,childrenaretaughttobetruebelievers,asshowninthedocumentaryJesus Camp. They are taughtthathomosexuality isabhorrenttoGod, science andsecular history are illegitimate, and climatechangeisahoax.Asthefilmfurthershows,childrenarealsooftentrainedinpoliticalaction,suchas militantantiabortionactivism,asadirectoutgrowthoftheirreligiousteachings.25
The NARmission isalsosharedbetween members, throughdiscipling essentially learning from one anotherbysharingexperienceswithGod,tellingoneanotherwhatChristhasdoneforthempersonally.They basicallyindoctrinateoneanother.Theyaretoldthathappinesscomesthroughdiscipleshipandthatifthey dowhattheyaretold, theywillbeloved—byJesusandbyeveryonein thegroup. Members’ behavior is additionallycontrolledthroughasystemofpunishmentsandrewards.Competitionsareusedtoinspireand shamememberstobemoreproductive.Ifthingsaren’tgoingwellforthegroup ifrecruitmentisdown,or peoplehaveleft,orthereisunfavorablemediacoverage itisalwaysindividualmembers’fault.Theyhaven’t workedorprayedhardenough.Oritisduetotheirdemons.ToNARbelievers,demonsarereal theyliein wait,candrivepeopleinsane,orcanevenkillthem.Ifabelieverdoesbecome“possessed,”anexorcismis performed.
NAR followers come to live within a narrow corridor of fear, guilt, and shame. Unlike healthy organizations,whichrecognizeaperson’srighttochoosetoleave,thisgrouptellsmembersthatpeoplewho leaveareweak,sinful,gaveintotemptation,orthedevilgottothem.Phobiaprogrammingisamajormind controltechniqueofanydestructivecult,andNARmembersareespeciallyvulnerable.Theyaretoldthatif theyeverleave,terriblethingswillhappentothem,theirfamily,andhumanity.Iftheydoleave,theyare shunned.Othermemberswillbetoldthatthepersonwaspossessedbythedevilandtostayawayfromthem. Forthosewhogrewupinoneoftheseextremegroups,thismeansthatalltheirfamilyandfriendswillno longerspeakorinteractwiththem.Asonemightimagine,thataloneisstrongincentivetostayinthegroup.
Riddledwithdemons,doubt,andfear,NARmembersareespeciallysusceptibletoTrump,acandidate whohimselfpracticedaform ofshunning, ejectingprotestersandreportersfrom rallies; whoemphasizes power and authority; who shamesand bulliesnonbelievers; and who usesfear and seesenemieslurking everywhere.
The Working Class
J. D. Vance grew up in the rust belt city of Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky areaswheretheeconomy,andthechanceforupwardmobility,felloffinthe1970sandnever fullyrecovered.Inhisbook,HillbillyElegy,hewritessimplyandeloquentlyabouttheforgottenAmerican working class. It is a class that includes people who have been marginalized by automation and other technologicalchangeandboxedinbysystemicpoverty.Theyareconcernedaboutkeepingtheirjobs,getting a paycheck, putting foodon the table. They don’thave the luxury ofthinking aboutsecondmortgages, collegefunds,or401(k)s.Vancetalksaboutthelackofagencyfeltbyhisneighbors “afeelingthatyouhave littlecontroloveryourlifeandawillingnesstoblameeveryonebutyourself.”26
Trump cultivated such disengaged, disenfranchised Americans while Hillary Clinton largely ignored them.Theywouldbekeytohiswinin2016.Someoneelsewithsomuchwealth,say,MittRomneyorJohn Kerry,mighthavebeenseenasoutoftouch.Trumpflauntedhiswealthinawaythatendearedhimtothem, claiming to have made his fortune with hard work, savvy negotiating skills, and by beating the “establishment”atitsowngame.Duringthefirstpresidentialdebate,Trumpbraggedthatavoidingfederal taxesmade him smart.27 He casthimselfasan outsider, an underdog who understood the working-class malaiseandwould“draintheswamp”ofpoliticalelitesandbringchangeforthecommonman.
Trump read his audience and learned to speak their language. He saw their vulnerabilities their alienationanddistrustofgovernment andplayedtothem.Atralliesandinads,hewouldutilizeakindof fourth-generationwarfarestrategy,blamingtheirsituationon“globalelites”whohave“robbedourworking class and stripped our country of its wealth and put that money into the pockets of a handful of large corporationsand political entities.”28 Trumpspoke about saving the coal industry, using itsdecline asa metaphorforadyingwayoflifeandpromisedtorestoreit,ratherthanhelppeoplemoveintotwenty-firstcenturyoccupations. Hespokeaboutrolling backclimatechangeinitiativesandstopping manufacturing jobsfrombeingoutsourced.Hewasgoingtolowertheirtaxes,repealObamacare whichactuallybenefited many working-classpeople and build a wall to keep migrantsfrom stealing their jobs. He used all the influencetechniquesinhisarsenal inflamingresentmentsandanger,drummingupfear,exaggeratinghis accomplishments,insultinganddemonizingthe“other.”Healsogavethemagoodstory avisionofanew Americathatlookedalotliketheoldoneandprovidingassurancethathewould“fixit.”Healsoputona goodshow.Theywouldcometolovehimforit.
The Republican Party
WhenTrumpdefeatedalonglistofRepublicanprimarycontenders,includingSenatorsMarcoRubioand TedCruz, towin the nomination for president, mostofthe Republican Party fellin line. Even Senator LindseyGraham whocalledTrumpa“kook,”a“jackass,”and“unfitforoffice”beforetheelection would becomeoneofhisstaunchestsupporters.29
Thoughmanywonderedifhewastherightmanforthejob,Trump whohadearlierstakedoutamore liberalplatform,sayinghewouldpreserveanddefendsocialsecurity,renegotiateNAFTA,pullbackonIraq and Afghanistan, and support LGBTQ rights would reverse himself, pushing a pro-life, pro-gun, antiimmigration,anti-globalist,andanti-climate-changeagenda.Hewasalsoboastful,self-confident,attention-
TheRepublicanPartyisnowwidelyseenasthepartyofTrump,toalargeextentduetothesamewebof influence—spun by the media, religious, and populist groups—that helped Trump win the presidency. Trump’sapprovalratingwithRepublicanshasnevergonebelow77percent,accordingtoGallup.30Atthe endofFebruary2019,itwas87percent.31
Someofthiscanbeexplainedbypartyloyalty.Accordingtosocialscienceresearch,whenitcomesto voting, party affiliation matters greatly. Most people stay with their party.32 This tends to be truer of RepublicansthanDemocrats.Whenacandidateorelectedofficialdisappointsthem,peoplewilladjusttheir viewsofthecandidate,orrationalizeorjustifytheiractions,ratherthanquestionthedecision.Cultleader Lyndon LaRouche went from the extreme left, politically, to the extreme right, and yet most members remainedloyaltohim,believingthatonlyhecouldsavetheworldfromruin.It’sconfirmationbiasatwork, andithasbeenworkingovertimeforsomeRepublicans.Trump’scoresupporters numberingabouttwoin fiveofallvoters,pollssuggest havestayedwithhim,despitehiscampaignviolations,revelationsoffinancial and sexual impropriety, disappointing midterm elections, and the longest government shutdown in history.33
In2016,42percentofwomenvotedforTrump.College-educatedwhitewomengaveTrump45percent of their vote, and non-college-educated white women gave him 64 percent of their vote.34 Many have wonderedhowanywoman,educatedornot,couldvoteforamanwhohadcheatedonallthreeofhiswives andclaimedtograbwomen’sgenitals especiallyinthe#MeTooera.Intheirbook,NastyWomenandBad Hombres:GenderandRaceinthe2016USPresidentialElection,ChristineA.Kray,HindaMandell,and TamarCarrollsetouttoanswerthisquestion.“Republicanwomenwillmainlystandfirmintheirparty affiliation.Theyareloyaltotheparty,evenifpoliticalmoderatesandthosewhoidentifyastheprogressive LefthaveconcludedthattheGOPdoesnotrespectwomen’svoicesandbodies,”theywrite.35 Theyfound that while “Republicanism encompasses different visions of womenhood” and Republicans like Iowa SenatorJoniErnstandNewYorkRepresentativeClaudiaTenneyareprovidingnewimagesofwomenwho asserttheirpowerwhilestayingtruetotheparty ingeneralmarriedwomentendtovoteinconcertwith theirhusbands.
They are also loyal to their sons a pointthatTrumpplayed upon during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmationhearingsofBrettKavanaughwhenheofferedan“out”toRepublicanwomenwhomayhave worriedaboutbeingseenasbetrayingfemalesurvivorsofsexualassault.Trumpreframedthedilemmaby constructing an “imaginary choice, urging Americans to protect their sons against ‘false accusations’ by women.Pretendingtobeawronglyaccusedsonabouttolosehisjob,[Trump]said,plaintively,‘Mom,what doIdo?WhatdoIdo?’”
Then therearethoseRepublican women who, for onereason or another, admire andeven adore Trump.AmyKremer,aTeaPartyactivistandco-founderofWomenforTrump,saidsheandtheother women in her Atlanta-areasocial circle “love”Trump, adding, “We like when somebody promisestodo somethingandtheyfollowthroughonit.”
The Jewish Right
Jewsmakeupafractionofthiscountry’spopulation about1.8percentor5to6millionpeople.Whilethe vastmajority nearlyeightintenAmericans disapproveofTrump,thereisapowerfulminorityofmostly Orthodoxorultra-OrthodoxvoterswhosupportTrump.MostofthemarealliedwithIsrael’sright-wing LikudpartyofBenjaminNetanyahu,andalsowiththeOrthodoxandultra-OrthodoxcommunitiesinIsrael. TheOrthodoxandultra-Orthodoxtendtobeclosedgroupswholiveinaccordancewithwhattheybelieveto betraditionalJewishvalues.Theypracticearigoroustradition-orientedandhighlyproscriptivewayoflife. Therabbiislikeaguru,interpretingthetraditionalongwiththebeliefs,attitudes,andpractices.Insome groups,womenareencouragednottowork,haveasmanychildrenastheycan,runthehousehold,andcare fortheirhusbandsandfamily.Childrenaresometimeshomeschooledorsenttoyeshivaswheretheyreceive bothsecularaswellasreligiouseducation.Insomeultra-OrthodoxgroupstheyaremostlytaughttheTorah, asopposedtoAmericanorworldhistory,science,andliterature.ManydonotspeakEnglishinthehome. Theytendtobeintolerantofhomosexuality,areagainstabortion,anddonotquestionwhattheyaretoldto believeordo.Someoftheinsulargroupspracticeshunningagainstthosewhoquestionorwhodonotabide with the strict code of behavior. Shunning is a common feature of high-demand groups and cults. OrganizationslikeFootstepshavesprunguptohelpthosewhowishtoleave.
36
Somecommunities,especiallythoseinIsrael,havetriedtodefinewhatisconsideredtrueandlegitimate Judaism,justassomeChristiangroupsprofesstospeakforallChristianity.Theyclaimthatpeoplepracticing reform,conservative,reconstructionist,humanistic,andrenewalformsofJudaismarenot“real”Jews.These distinctionshavegeneratedriftsbothinIsraelandamongAmericanJewslikemyself,whosupportIsraelbut seetheultra-Orthodoxy’srejectionofanybuttheirownversionofJudaismasakindofanti-Semitism.While manyinthesetraditionalistcommunitieswanttoseeapeaceful,workablesolutiontotheconflictbetween IsraelandthePalestinians,theyoftentakeamoreauthoritarianperspective,suchastheone-statesolution proposedbyPrimeMinisterNetanyahu.TheyarecomfortablethattheChiefRabbinateandOrthodoxJews intheKnessetseemtoprevailinmostdisputes.(TheIsraelilegalsystemissometimesmorepowerful,suchas with its decision that all Israelis must serve in the military. Ultra-Orthodox Jews are fighting this recent ruling.)
ThoughNetanyahu(likeTrump)hasfacedchargesofcorruptionandscandal,hewasreelectedin2019 infact,hehasbeensupportedbyTrump,whosoonafterbecomingpresident,movedtheU.S.embassyto Jerusalem.ManyontheJewishright andevenontheleft joinedNetanyahuintoutingitasaCyrus-like actofdeliverance.ThoughTrumpdoesnotappeartohavestrongsympathieswithJews,andhasmadeantiSemitic statementssince coming to office, he appearsto be influenced by powerful donorslike Sheldon Adelson,abillionairewithstrongtiestoIsrael.
Trumpisalsoundoubtedlyinfluencedbyhisfamily.Hisson-in-lawJaredKushneranddaughterIvanka areactivemembersoftheOrthodoxJewishorganizationChabad(alsocalledLubavitch),whichisasectof Hasidism.Oftenreferredtoas“aspiritualrevivalistmovement,”37HasidismaroseinEasternEuropeduring the eighteenthcentury and drawsheavily on Jewishmystical tradition, seeking directexperience ofGod throughecstaticprayerandotherrituals,conductedunderthespiritualdirectionofthecharismaticfigureof the rebbe, or rabbi.38 In these andother respects, the movementmirrorspracticesofthe New Apostolic Reformation.ChabadgrewtobeoneofthemostwidespreadHasidicmovementsundertheleadershipof RabbiMenachemMendelSchneerson,historicallytheseventhleaderofthissect,whowasreveredasaJewish messiah39 by many members. Ivanka Trump and Kushner visited Schneerson’sgrave in Brooklyn, New York,threedaysbeforethe2016presidentialelection,presumablytoprayforTrumptowin.40Chabadhas outpostsacrosstheUnitedStatesandtheworld,includingRussia.Infact,PutinwelcomedChabadrabbi BerelLazartopracticeinRussia.Lazar,whoisnowthechiefrabbiofRussia,isconsideredtobeaclosefriend oftheRussianleaderandissometimesreferredtoas“Putin’srabbi.”41PutinhasotherconnectionstoIsrael throughthelargenetworkofRussianemigreswhonowmakeupabout10percentofthepopulationand whooccupypowerfulpositionsinbusinessandgovernment.42
ChabadaggressivelyseekstoconvertJewstotheirform oforthodoxy theydonotrecruitChristians, Muslims,orothernon-Jews.TheyusewhatIconsidertobehigh-pressuretactics,thoughtheyoftenappear deceptively friendly and accepting, both in their recruitment and indoctrination campaigns. The organization isviewed by many Jewsasmessianic, elitist, and cultish. In fact, it currently appearsto be formingallianceswithmessianicgroupsontheChristianright.InanarticleinTheForward,JayMichaelson describeshowthecodirectoroftheUtahChabadwasscheduledtogivetheinvocationattheWorldCongress of Families, an annual convention of evangelical, Catholic, Mormon, and other religious factions and interestgroups includingan“extremefringethatopposeshumanrightsandinsomecases,thefoundations of secular democracy itself,” Michaelson writes. “Indeed, some of them Christian Reconstructionists, Dominionistsandothers seektodoawaywiththesecular law altogether, onedayreplacing theUnited StatesasweknowitwithanexplicitlyChristiannation.”
43
When prominent evangelical Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech at the Israeli Knesset, on the occasionoftheopeningoftheU.S.embassyinJerusalem,heappearedtobeofferingsupportandsolidarity withIsrael. Yet, likemanyon theChristian right, PencedoesnotbelievethatJewscan besavedwithout accepting Jesus. The Christian right agenda is to make the world safe for Christianity and for some evangelicals,topreparetheworldforthecomingofChrist nottorecognizeJudaismasalegitimatereligion or to make Israel safe for the Jewishpeople. In histalk, Pence citeda passage from Torahin a way that appearedtoappropriatethebiblicalfigureofAbrahamasthefatherofChristians,notJews,andtomake Jewishhistoryappearasamerestepping-stonetothemainevent,thecomingofChrist.44AsAmitGvaryahu wroteinHaaretz,he“usedtextsthatinsinuatedthatanyredemption wouldcometotheJewswasbuta harbinger of final and real redemption for the world under Christ as king and messiah.”45 Few in the audienceappearedtonoticethediscrepancy,exceptperhapstheevangelicals.BymovingtheU.S.embassyto Jerusalem,Trumpwaskillingtwobirdswithonestone.HewassatisfyinghisJewishrightbasewhileplaying tothemuchlargeraudience,theChristianright.
White Power: Alt-Right
OfallthefactionsinTrump’sbase,thealt-rightmaybethemostdangerous.Theyareresponsibleforthe tragedies in Charleston, Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and Christchurch, New Zealand. Though the perpetrators appear to have acted alone, they are increasingly connected to one another through online websites,oftenonthedarkweb,accordingtoareportinTheNewYorkTimes. In amanifestopublished online,theperpetratoroftheNewZealandattackontwomosques,whichkilledfiftypeople,saidthathe drewinspirationfromwhiteextremistterrorismattacksintheUnitedStates,Sweden,Norway,Italy,andthe United Kingdom. “His references to those attacks placed him in an informal global network of white extremistswhose violentattacksare occurring withgreater frequency in the West,”write Weiyi Cai and SimoneLandoninTheNewYorkTimes. 46Theyfoundthat,since2011,athirdofextremistswereinspired byotherswhocarriedoutsimilarattacks.
ArnoMichaeliswasafoundingmemberoftheracistskinheadbandtheCenturion.Heisnowanactivist andanoutspokencriticofwhitenationalism.48Hetoldmethatwhitesupremacists,“acrosstheboard,were delighted to vote for Donald Trump.” He described how hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan actively campaignedforhim,organizingandpayingforrobocallsforTrumpandotherright-wingpoliticians.“As muchas[Trump]maydenyanaffiliationwiththeideology,orasmuchashemaygrudginglycondemnit, thefactisthathisrhetoricandhispolicyisexactlywhattheseguyswanttohear,”Michaelissaid.“Hisrhetoric ofbuildingwalls,ofmonitoringMuslims,ofcastingpeopleofcolorasinherentlydangeroussayingthat, ‘Mexicansarerapists’ DonaldTrumpisusingthelanguageofgenocide.It’salanguagethatdehumanizes people.”MichaeliscomparesittotherhetoricusedinNaziGermany,whereJewswerecomparedtorats,and during the genocide of the Tutsi people by the Hutus in Rwanda in 1994, where Tutsis were labeled cockroachesandsnakes.DavidNeiwert’sbookTheEliminationistsgoesintothehistoryofthiskindofhate influenceandhowrightwingtalkradiohascarriedthisforward.49
“Today,wehaveasittingpresidentoftheUnitedStateswhoreferstopeoplecrossingtheborderasan infestationofourcountry.Hehascalledthemanimals.Ofcourse,thisgenocidallanguagestrikesachord withhate groupsbecause it’sthe language they’re familiar with. That’show they talkaboutpeople who they’reafraidof,peoplethataredifferentthanthem.TheyhearthepresidentoftheUnitedStatesusingthat languagefromapositionofpower,that’sreallyunparalleled,it’sanincredibleconcern,”saidMichaelis.“It’s alsoanincrediblekindofuplifttopeopleinhategroups,whofeltforaverylongtimethattheywereonthe marginsofsociety,andnow,here’sthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesspeakingtheirlanguage.”50
QAnon
During the summer of 2018, people wearing the letter Q emblazoned on T-shirts and signs made an attention-getting appearanceataTrumprallyin Florida. Itwasasurprising, even shocking, display. The
symbolisassociatedwitharight-wingconspiracycult,calledQAnon,whichstartedin2016,soonafterthe Pizzagatehoax,whichpromotedtheoutrageousideathatHillaryClintonwasrunningapedophiliaringout ofthebasementofapizzaparlor.Ayearlater,moreconspiracyravingsaboutClintonappearedonawebsite called4chan.Theyweresignedbyapersonwhoidentifiedhimselfas“QClearancePatriot,”“QClearance” being a designation for top-secret security access to materials concerning nuclear weapons. Over the followingmonths,themysteryposterwouldofferupaseriesofevermorecrypticposts forexample,“Your presidentneedsyourhelp” whichlookedlikecluestoagrandconspiracybythedeepstateandglobalelites toremoveTrumpfromoffice.Theywouldgainalifeoftheirowninalt-rightandothergroups,aspeople assembledandinterpretedtheclues,knownas“crumbs,”and“baked”themintoexplanatorydiagramsand wordcollagesthatwouldbecirculatedonline.
ThoughsomespeculatedthattheoriginalQwasamilitaryintelligenceofficerandevenTrumphimself, whatcametobeknownasQAnonturnedouttobethebrainchildofthreemen aYouTubevideocreator andtwomoderatorsof4chan.Theydevelopedandusedthewholeconspiracymythologyasawaytomake money by selling T-shirtsand other QAnon paraphernalia. Trump did nothing to dispel the conspiracy theoryandevenhadhisphototakenintheOvalOfficewithMichael“Lionel”Lebron,aTVandradiohost andactivepromoteroftheQAnonconspiracytheory.Insomeways,thetheoryisjustanextensionofthe fourth-generationwarfarescenariosTrumpspunonthecampaigntrail ofaglobaleliteheadedbyHillary ClintonandtheradicalDemocrats.
Though fringe at first, the QAnon movement has gained ground through its circulation on alt-right websitesandReddit,YouTube,51 andothersites. CelebritieslikeRoseanneBarrreferredtoit, givingita biggerplatform.QAnonbelieversarenotjustshowingupatrallies;somearebecomingdangerous.InJune 2018,aQAnonsupporternamedMatthewWrightdrovehisarmoredvehicleontoabridgenearHoover Dam,blockingtrafficforhours,andengaginginastandoffwithpolice.Hehadarifleandahandgunwhen hewastakenintocustody.Hismotivewasnotclear,buthehadsentletterstoTrumpandotherofficialsthat includedthephrase“Forwherewegoone,wegoall” alinepopularamongfollowersofQAnon.52 While onthebridge,heheldasignthatsaid“ReleasetheOIGReport,”whichapparentlyreferredtotheJustice Department’sOffice ofInspector General’sinternal reporton the department’shandling ofthe Clinton emailprobe.53Itisnotclearwhathispsychologicalstatewas anditisthecasethatsomeofthewhiteterrorist tragediesthathavetakenplaceoverthepasttwoyearswerecarriedoutbypsychologicallydisturbedmen, armedwithangryrhetoricandguns.
DilbertcartoonistScottAdamshastriedtodebunkQAnonusinglogicandsocialpsychology.54 Logic rarely worksto disarm aconspiracy movementwithpassionate followers. Meanwhile, people are making money.InMarch2019,abookwrittenbytwelve“citizenjournalists,”calledQAnon:AnInvitationtothe GreatAwakening,reachedbestsellingstatusonAmazon.55 Thatsamemonth,ataTrumprallyin Grand Rapids,Michigan,thousandsofQsupportersfilledtheaudience.56
NRA Members and Gun Owners
In a 2017 Gallup poll, 42 percent of American households reported owning guns that’s 50 million householdswith393millionguns.57 NRAAmericanstaketheSecondAmendmentseriously.
claimsfivemillionmembers.58Theyoperateanonlinevideonetwork,whosehomepagefeaturesstorieslike “TheLeftisUnrelentinginPaintingaPictureofHowHorribleGunOwnersAre,”andhowRepresentative EricSwalwell(D-CA)“WantstoRobYouofYourGuns,”and“ImprisonallPro-GunAmericans.”59 Ina banneratthetop,itannouncesTrump’sappearanceattheupcomingannualNRAmeetingsinIndianapolis. Trumpcampaignedonabroadpro-gunagenda,whichhemaintainedevenafterthemassshootingatthe MarjoryStonemanDouglasHighSchoolinParkland,Florida,whereseventeenstudentsandteacherswere killed,andthemassacreinLasVegas,whichkilledfifty-eightpeopleandwoundedhundredsmore notto mention the several white-supremacist-inspired massacres. In the spring of2018, Trumpspoke to a rapt audienceattheannualNRAconventioninDallas:“Thankstoyouractivismanddedication,youhavean administrationfightingtoprotectyourSecondAmendmentandwewillprotectyourSecondAmendment. YourSecondAmendmentrightsareundersiege,buttheywillnevereverbeundersiegeaslongasIamyour President.”
Trumpwouldbothsootheandincitehisaudience’sfearswithhisrepetitionoftheword“siege” it’sall partofhisinfluenceformula:repetition,usversusthem,andfearmongering.NotthattheNRAneedsany help.NotallgunownersareRepublicans.Noraretheyallinfavorofmilitaryassaultrifles,machineguns,or bumpstocks,whichcanbeusedtokillmanypeopleveryquickly.Manythinktheyshouldbebanned.60But thegunindustry,andtheirmainlobbyingorganization,theNRA,feedthefearsofmanyAmericanswhodo notfeelsafeintheirownhomesandalsoofmembersofconspiracygroupswhobelieveanarmedrevolution is coming. Gun culture is deeply ingrained in American society and the liberal “Hollywood elite” that TrumpandotherRepublicansrailagainsthasdonelittletodampenit,producinggun-glamorizingmovies, videogames,andTVshows.
Trump fans their fears and they love him for it. “He says what I’m thinking,” many followers said. Pilkingtondescribedhowtherallieswereaplacewheretheycouldcommune,akindoflovefestofhate.They
Michael Cohen Trump’sformer personal attorney and back-room fixer appeared before the House OversightandReformCommitteeonFebruary27,2019,lookingtired,chastened,andbewildered.Hehad lied,cheated,threatened,andbullied;hehadcommittedfraudandperjury allonbehalfofhisformerboss. Nowhewasgoingtoprison.“Sittingheretoday,itseemsunbelievablethatIwassomesmerizedbyDonald TrumpthatIwaswillingtodothingsforhimthatIknewwereabsolutelywrong,”Cohensaid.Though some questionedCohen’smotivesin coming clean, arguing thathe wasspilling dirton Trump, or even makingupstories,tosavehisownskin,Isawitdifferently.HeremindedmeofmyselfafterIlefttheMoonies andofcountlessotherformermembersofhigh-demandgroupsandrelationshipswhohadtograpplewith therealityoftheirinvolvement.CohenwouldlaterrefertohisrelationshipwithTrumpas“somethingakin toacult.”1
Itisadevastatingmomenttorealizethatyouhavegivenyourlifetoafalseleader,prophet,ormessiah.For me,thatmomentcameonthefifthdayofmydeprogramming,whenIwasshownaspeechthatMoonhad delivered to a room of politicians in 1974. The media at the time had been filled with reports that the Mooniesbrainwashedpeople. In the speech, Moon talkedabouthow muchhe respectedAmericansand thoughttheyweremuchtoosmarttobebrainwashed.Andyet,whileIwasinthecult,IhadheardMoontalk endlesslyabouthowAmericans’brainsweredirtyandneeded“heavenlybrainwashing,”andhowhehadno respectforAmericans.KoreanswereGod’schosenpeople.Ihadmyfirstconsciousnegativethoughtinmore thantwoyears:Moonwasaliar.Ifhehadlied,thenhecouldnotpossiblybetrustworthy,letalonebethe messiah.MyMooniemindsetsplitopen Ihadasnapping(suddenawakening)experienceandmymind floodedwithsuppresseddoubts.Irealizedthatmydeprogrammers,whotoldmeIhadbeenbrainwashedby Moon,wereright.IrealizedthatIhadbeenmind-controlledbyaright-wingauthoritariancultthatwanted totakeovertheworld,andthatImyselfhadbecomeafascistwhowouldhaveobeyedanyorderfrommy superiors,includingbreakingthelaw.
GiventhecontoursofTrump’sworld wherescientificevidenceisoftendiscountedandalternativefacts aretakenseriously thequestionarises:HowcananyonewakeupfromtheCultofTrump?Thesituation might seem hopeless at first that is often the reaction when it comes to the prospect of freeing a cult member.Ihaveworkedwithhundredsoffamiliesseekingtorescuealovedonefromagroup.Noneofthem areeasy manyareincrediblydifficult.Therearealwayshugechallengestohelpingapersonwakeup.Witha political leader like Trump, who has the support of a huge web of powerful organizations, people, and resources,thatisespeciallytrue.
Oneofthefirststepsinhelpingsomeonebreakfreeistoseparatethemfromtheabusivegrouporperson.I had a broken leg, which allowed my parents to sequester me; Michael Cohen was in New York City, separatedfromTrumpandspendingtimewithhisfamily,includinghisfather,aHolocaustsurvivorandan importantinfluence.FrankSenko,thesubjectofthedocumentaryTheBrainwashingofMyDad,wasbedridden,whichallowedhisfamilytoremovehisaccesstoright-wingTVandradio.Inmypractice,I’vehelped tocreativelyengineerallkindsofphysicalseparations bringingacultmemberhomeforaholiday,family celebration,orevenafuneral.Itmightseemmanipulative,butitisacriticalfirststeptohelpingapersonfree themselvesfromtheclutchesofacult onethathasbecomeincreasinglydifficultwith24/7accesstothe internetthroughsmartphones.InthecaseofTrump,therearealsothecontinualtweetsandright-wingand Christianrightprogrammingthroughradioandtelevision.Therelentlessprogrammingstreamingfromboth endsofthepoliticalspectrumispushingsupporterseverdeeperintoTrumpcountry.
Thisbringsmetoanimportantpointandakeyaspectofmyapproach.ByattackingorbelittlingTrump’s followers,politicalopponentsandtraditionalmediamaybehelpingTrumptomaintainhisinfluenceover hisbase.Inmyexperience,tellingapersonthattheyarebrainwashed,thattheyareinacult,orthattheyare followingafalsegod,isdoomedtofail.Itputsthemimmediatelyonthedefensive,confirmsyouareathreat, possiblyanenemy,andreinforcestheirindoctrination.Itclosestheirmindtootherperspectives.I’veseenthis happenoverandoveragain.IthappenedtomewhenIwasintheMoongroup.Itimmediatelytriggersa person ’smindcontrolprogramming includingthoughtstoppingandus-versus-themthinking,withyou beingthe“them.”
Icannotoverstatetheimpactofthedigitalworldonthewholeareaofundueinfluenceandmindcontrol. Peoplenolongerneedtobephysicallyisolatedtobeindoctrinatedbydestructivecults.Digitaltechnology hasprovidedaccessandapowerfulsetoftoolsfordestructivegroupsandindividualstoindoctrinate,control, andmonitorbelieversdayandnight.Whencultmembersgohomeforfamilyvisits,theyareoftenreceiving multipletextseveryhourtokeepthemconnectedandfaithful.SocialmediaandtechplatformslikeGoogle, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple are collecting massive amounts of data on people. Much of this data is vulnerabletohackingorsellingonthedarkweb includingtocults.LibertarianTrumpsupporterPeter ThielownsacompanynamedPalantirthathaslucrativegovernmentintelligencecontractstododeepdata miningonpeople.Lawenforcementalsousestheirprogramstodigupvaluableinformationaboutprivate citizenswhoareofinterest.2
My approachto helping people hashad to evolve along withthese new developments. Over the past decades,Ihavedevelopedacustomized,step-by-stepethicalcounterinfluencemethodthatfamilyorfriends canusetohelpalovedone includingamemberoftheCultofTrump.HereIwillsaythatifapersonis involvedwithNARoranalt-rightgroup,Iwouldfirstfocusonthemindcontroltechniquesusedbythat group before addressing the Cult of Trump. Here I might discuss Chinese thought reform programs currentlyoperatingtoensureloyaltytothedominantHanChineseideology.
The candidacy and election of Trump have deeply affected and even divided families and friends. Relationshipswithsiblings,parents,children,aunts,uncles,bestfriends,andcolleagueshavebeenaffected. Thecountryasawholehasrarelybeenmorepolarized.Ifwearetohealtheserelationships,perhapsthebest placetobeginiswithourselves.
HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF YOU WERE UNDER MIND CONTROL?
Cultmembersbelievethattheyarecompletelyincontroloftheirownthoughts,feelings,andactions.That’s trueofmost,ifnotall,ofus webelievethatweareinpossessionofourfaculties,thatwemakeourown decisionsandchooseourownpath.Yet,aswehaveseen,weareallcontinuallybeinginfluencedbyour parents,friends,bosses,colleagues,government,andthemedia,bothtraditionalandonline.Weallhavean illusion of control. It’s part of being human. This raises the question: how would any of us Trump supportersorcritics knowifwewerebeingundulyinfluenced?Hereisafive-stepformulaforanswering thatquestion,onethatrequiresaninvestmentoftimeandenergy,butthatisquitepowerful.Ihavegeared thisfive-stepexperimenttoaTrumpsupporterbutanyonecouldbenefitfromit,nomattertheirpolitical affiliationorgroupinvolvement.
Reality test: The first step is to take a break from your situation disconnect from all sources of influencethatcouldreinforceyourcurrentpointofview.Itmightmeanturningoffyourcellphoneand laptopandunpluggingfromsocialmedia,television,andradio.Peopleareoftenaddictedtotheirphonesand socialmedia,sothisisnotaneasythingtosuggest.Ifyouareinaquestionablegrouporrelationship,you mighttakeseveraldaysawayfrompeopleinthegroup.Ifyouarenotinaformalgroup,takeatime-outfrom thosewhoshareyourideologyaswellasfromideology-promotingtexts,tapes,andvideos.Youneedtomake sureyou aregettingenoughsleep seven toninehours, soyou wakeuprefreshedandenergized. (Some peopleneedlesssleep,othersmore—thepointiswakingupenergized.)Exercisedaily,includingactivitiesthat increaseyourheartrateandflexibility,andeathealthily.Goforlongwalksinnatureandfindotherwaysto reset,restore,andrebalanceyourself,independentofexternalinfluence.Thegoalistobeintouchwithyour authenticselfbybeinginyourbodyandconnectingtoaninternallocusofcontrol.Listentoyourown thoughts,feelings,hopes,anddreamsaboutwhatisimportanttoyouandwhatyouwanttodowithyour life.
Self-reflect: Once you have taken a time-out, learned about mind control, and exposed yourself to opposingpointsofview,itistimetohonestlyself-reflect.Gobackintimetobeforeyoucametoadoptyour currentbeliefsystem.WhenwasthefirsttimeyoueverheardofTrump?Wasitthroughtabloidsorhisreality TVshowTheApprentice?Whatdidyouthinkofhimthen?Howlongdidyouwatch wasitmorethanone season? Did you come to believe the persona portrayed on that show that Trump was a successful billionairebusinessman,anauthorityfigurethatpeopleshouldlearnfromandemulate?Haveyoulistenedto formerinsiderswhoworkedontheshowwhohavetalkedabouthowtheyweretold throughtheiracting,
directing, and especially editing to make Trump look good? Consider what they report. Were you influencedbyareligiousfigureyourespectwhotoldyouGodwantsTrumptobepresident?Areyouon socialmediathatpromotesthenotionthatGodisworkingwithTrump?
Wouldyouknowinglygiveupyourpowertochooseandblindlyfollowsomeonewho demonstrablyliesnumeroustimesaday?Ifyoucouldgobackintimeknowingwhatyounowknow,would yousupportapersonwithadocumentedhistoryoffalseandexaggeratedclaims,lies,andscandals?Didyou supportTrumpbecauseyoudislikedHillaryClinton?Wasitbecauseshewasn’taRepublican?Werethere people who were persuasive or were there movies or ads that made you decide Clinton was unworthy, corrupt,unqualified,orevenevil?EvenifyouknowthatyouwouldneverhavevotedforClinton,knowing whatyouknownow,wouldyoustillvoteforTrump?DoyoufeelempoweredtodisagreewithTrumpin your own mind? With others in person? Online? Do you believe Trump’s claims that America will be overrunbyterroristsandcriminalsifawallisnotbuilt?Areyourfearsrational?
InapieceforTheForward,armyveteranandformerTrumpsupporterDavidWeissmandescribeshowhe wasinfluenced to hate Clinton and supportTrump. “I did noteven thinkto researchany ofClinton’s accomplishmentsasFirstLady,Senator,orSecretaryofState likemostconservatives,Ijustfocusedonher seemingly never ending ‘scandals.’ I was part of the ‘LOCK HER UP’ chorus, even though she was thoroughly investigated and cleared by the FBI. I did, and perhapsstill do, feel Clinton’sleadershipwas lacking during and after the [2012] Benghazi attack, but many among the MAGA crowd blamed her personallyfortheresultantdeaths,andIjoinedin,”Weissmanwrites.“Trump,ontheotherhand,washailed as a friend of Israel and the Jewish people. Yet, unlike with Clinton, I looked only at Trump’s accomplishments,ignoredhisfailures,anddefendedorevencelebratedhisbadbehavior.Consequently,Iput allmyeffortsintohelpingelecthim.”4
brainwashedby the liberal media. A recentstudy showedthat42 percentofpeople regardtheir political opponents as “downright evil.” Twenty percent believe that they “lack the traits to be considered fully human.”5
LabelinglargegroupsofpeopleoneithersideoftheTrumpdivideisamistake.Ittendstoinflameand inciteothers,aswehaveseen,wideninganddeepeningalreadyseeminglyirreconcilabledivisions.Itisalsoa psychologicalerror.Inchapter4,welookedatthefundamentalattributionerror,whichdescribeshowwe tend to attribute another person ’ s actions to inherent personality characteristics or qualities: if they do somethingbad,theymustbebad.Yetweexplainandexcuseourownmistakesasafunctionofcircumstance orenvironment.
Wealsolookedatconfirmationbias howourmindsfilterandselectinformationthatconfirmsourown pointofview,anddismissinformationthatdoesnotfitinornegatesit.Andconfirmationbiasiscertainly notlimitedtocults.Webasicallyseeandhearwhatwewantto,whetherwerealizeitornot,andrationalize awaywhatdoesnotfitourpreconceptionsandpredictions.Wefindithardtoacceptoragreewithevenwellarguedorsupportedviewswhentheyareexpressedbyamemberoftheotherside.Wespeakto andfind affirmationfrom thoseofourownpoliticalpersuasion,butthelevelofpassionissohighthatoftenwedo not,orcannot,talktothoseacrossthedivide.Whenallofone’sactionsareseeninlightoftheirsupportor antipathyforTrump,itcanbehardtounderstandanother’spointofviewandhowtheyaremakingsenseof information. We may find community and comfort on social media or TV, which can keep us in an ideologicalsiloandfurtherinflameinterpersonaltensions.
Atthosemoments,it’simportanttorememberthatitwasaprocessofinfluencethatpushedpeopleinto theirseparatesilosandit’saprocessofinfluence onebasedonrapportandtrust-building thatwillget them out. My step-by-step approach, which I call the Strategic Interactive Approach, is based on a fundamentalpresupposition thatrespect,trust-building,andlovearestrongerthanfear,hate,andmind control.It’shardtohatesomeonewhoisgenuinelywarm,friendly,andnice atleastthat’sthecaseforall butthepsychopathsamongus.
HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR FRIEND OR LOVED ONE?
The first step is knowledge. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in 1960, “It is not only important but mentally invigoratingtodiscusspoliticalmatterswithpeoplewhoseopinionsdifferradicallyfromone’sown.…Find outwhatpeoplearesaying,whattheyarethinking,whattheybelieve.Thisisaninvaluablechecktoyour ownideas.Areyourightinwhatyouthinkoristhereadifferentapproach…?”6ATrumpcriticmaywatch MSNBC’sRachelMaddowandCNN’sAndersonCooperregularlywhiletheirpro-Trumpfamilymember is glued to Fox News, Breitbart, or Trinity Broadcasting. Step into the other person ’ s media world as painful as that may be. Find out what they are listening to or watching. Do it little by little. I do not recommendspendingmanyhoursatatime.Takebreaks.Writedownnotes.WhenIresearchacontrolling group,IlimitmyexposuresoIcanremainmoreobjective.Theymayusepowerfulinfluencetechniquesand Idon’twantinanywaytobesusceptible.Justshowingyoucareenoughtowatchcanbeabigstep.Youwill learnalotandbetterunderstandhowyourlovedonebelieveswhattheydo.Also,youwillbeabletotalk withthemaboutwhattheyarelisteningtoorwatching thoughit’sbestnottocomeontoostrong.
Cults use a whole array of techniques to recruit and indoctrinate members they control behavior, information,thoughts,andemotions.ThesameistruefortheCultofTrump.Inaddition,theyuseloaded language and play upon other psychological mechanisms the fundamental attribution error, cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias to render people dependent and obedient. If the person demonstrated a radicalpersonalitychange,assumetherealidentityisstillthere,justsubmerged.It’simportanttoremember thatwhilemindcontrolcreatesacultself,theauthenticselfisstillthere,suppressedbythecultidentity.The goalistoreachandreconnectwiththeauthenticselftohelpempowerpeopletothinkcriticallyanddoa realitytest.
Ishouldsayattheoutset, donotevergofor awin-losescenariowhereyou thinkyou willbeableto rationally argue a Trump follower out of their worldview. Facts matter, but respect, context, and your communicationdeliveryarekey.Yourmostpotentweaponisagood,thoughtfulquestion:Tellme how didyoucometofeelsostronglyaboutDonaldTrump?Whatwasitthatattractedyou?Whatisitabouthim thatmakesyouthinkheisfittobepresident?Bepatientandlistenforananswer.WhenIhaveaskedpeople thisquestion,IhavefrequentlybeentoldhowmuchtheyhatedHillaryClinton,howtheydistrustedher, howcorruptsheis.HowshewouldbeacontinuationofObamapolicies.Isaytothem,“Ihearyou.Icansee howemotionalyouareaboutthis.Butshelosttheelectionandthatwasyearsago.Whatabouttoday?And goingforward?”
It’s about building rapport and trust, finding common ground, having positive experiences and not gettingintoarguments.Avoidawin-lose,all-or-nothing,I’m-right-you’re-wrongframeofmind.Definitely rejectnamecalling,eventhoughTrumpdoesit.Learntoidentifyadhominemattackswhenevertheyoccur. Theseareattacksonthepersonratherthanfocusingonthesubstanceoftheissue.Trumpandhissupporters usethislogicalfallacyallthetime,butsodoTrumpcritics.Itjustdoesn’tworkifwewanttobuildbridges andhealourcountry.
HELP PEOPLE GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF
Deepdown, people wantto know the truth. They do notlike to be liedto, exploited, abused, or taken advantageof,especiallybynarcissistswhoareincapableofempathyandlove,orwhoappeartocare,butonly ifyoudoastheysay.Cultleaderspracticeconditionallove theyexpressloveonlytothosewhodowhatis askedandneverquestiontheleader,doctrine,orpolicy.WhenTrumpcriesoutathisrallies “Iloveyou, Indiana!” itisclearthat,evenaspresident,heisreservinghis“love”onlyforthosewhosupporthim.Inmy experience,peoplewanttoknowthattheloveandacceptancetheyreceiveisauthentic,andnotconditionally offered.
With true believers, whose very personalities seem to have altered since supporting Trump or since joiningoneofthecultswithintheCultofTrump itmayhelptoremindthemofwhotheywerebefore theirinvolvement.Reminiscing,goingthroughphotosandoldvideos,remindingapersonoflovingfamily andfriendships,canbeapowerfulwaytoreactivateaperson’sauthenticself.Onceyouhaveestablishedthat rapport,thekeyistobuilduponit,andtoeducate.Attackingaperson’sbeliefs,group,orleader,inthiscase, Trump,doesnotwork,asIhavesaid.Instead,myapproachistotalkwiththepersonaboutothergroupsor
leaders who have lied, cheated, or covered up improprieties and have manipulated their followers for example,Moon,Hubbard,orLaRouche.Iaskthemwhattheythinkaboutthesepeople.
In helping thisperson return to their authentic self, it’seasy to make mistakes. Ifyou respond in an emotionallybalancedway,thechancesaremuchbetterthatyouwillsucceed.Focusonareasthatyoucan agreeon. You wanttoopen yourselfupbysaying, “Teachme sharewithmewhyIshouldchangemy beliefstobemorelikeyours.”Oncethepersonhasrevealedtheirpointofview,youmightaskthemtolisten toyours.Youmightsay,“Iwanttogetyourfeedbackandshareanotherperspective.”
Youarebasicallywalkingpeoplethroughapsycho-educationalsetofexperiencesbasedonyourrespecting them, being thoughtful and kind, listening to them, and looking for, and sharing, things you have in common.Thegoalistoletthemtellyouwhatelseneedstohappenforthemtowakeup.Thatmightinclude talkingwithpeople formerTrumpsupporters whooncebelievedastheydoandcantellthemwhythey left.
Thebestwaytocounteractresistanceaswellasoutrightthoughtstopping andinthecaseofsomeNAR groups,singing,praying,andspeakingintongues istoavoidtriggeringtheminthefirstplace.Thought stopping is a defense mechanism that is triggered in direct response to what are perceived as negative comments.Again,becarefulnottomakeremarksthatarecriticaloftheleader,thegroup,orthedoctrine, suchas“Trumpiscrazy”or“Trumpsupportersarestupid.”Developstrategies,suchastakingdeepbreathsif youfeellikeyouaregettingtriggeredandbecomingangry.Self-controlisvital.
InhisForwardpiece,DavidWeissmandescribeshowhewasaself-proclaimedtrollfor Trumpuntila conversationstarted,inaseriesoftweets,withcomedianSarahSilverman.7Inhistweets,Weissmanaccused Silvermanandallliberalsofcaringmoreaboutundocumentedimmigrantsthanaboutmilitaryveterans.To his surprise, Silverman responded and in a way that was respectful and inviting. What followed was a months-longdialogueaboutissuessuchasimmigration,gunreform,andabortion.“NotonlydidIlearn from her, butI learnedfrom her followerswho showedme why they fightfor these rights. I discovered sourceswithjournalisticintegrity,whichdebunkedtheliesandgeneralizationsthatconservativemediaoften report. I slowly began reevaluating my principles,”Weissman said.8 He no longer identifiesasa Trump supporter.Weissmandescribedleavingthefoldasakindofwakingup thewholeexperiencewaslikebeing inatrance.Whenhestartedpubliclyquestioningandresearchingtheissues,hewashackedandshunnedby Trump’ssupporters.9 Thisisoftenthecaseforex-members theyareoftentreatedlikeatraitororenemy. Butitusuallyjustconfirmstothemthattheirinvolvementwascultlike.10
Silvermanhasdoneevenmoretohealthedivisivenessofthiscountry.SheinvitedTrumpsupporterson herHuluTVshow,ILoveYouAmerica,tohaveanopendialogue nofighting,nonamecalling.“When you ’reone-on-onewithsomeonewhodoesn’tagreewithyou, orwhoseideologyisdifferentthan yours, whenyou’refacetoface,yourporcupineneedlesgodown,”Silvermanwouldlatersayinaninterviewwith
Thegoalistotalkinawaythathelpscastdoubtontheirinvolvementwithoutberatingthemormaking themfeelstupid.Peoplehatetoadmittheyarewrong;letthemcometotheirownrealizations.12 A2011 studybytheRANDCorporationconcludedthat“factorsassociatedwithleavingstreetgangs,religiouscults, right-wing extremist groups, and organized crime groups ” include positive social ties and an organic disillusionmentwiththegroup’sbeliefsorideology.Closerelationshipsarecriticalinhelpingpeoplegetout ofgroupsandstayout.
ActressLeahRemini leftScientology after being a dedicated and high-profile member for more than thirty-fiveyears.ShehassinceproducedandstarredwithMikeRinder,aformerforty-six-yearScientology memberandleader,inanEmmyAward–winningseriesonA&EcalledScientologyanditsAftermath.(Iwas pleasedtobeonanepisode.)Shedecidedtoleavethegroupafterexperiencingtroublingthingswhenshe spokeoutaboutherfriendShellyMiscavige,wifeofScientologyleaderDavidMiscavige.ShellyMiscavigehas notengagedin normalsocialcontactforalongperiod.“Ibelievethatpeopleshouldbeabletoquestion things.Ibelievethatpeopleshouldvaluefamily,andvaluefriendships,andholdthosethingssacrosanct,” Reminisaidinaninterviewin2013,soonaftersheleftthegroup.“Thatforme,that’swhatI’mabout.It wouldn’tmatterwhatitwas,simplybecausenooneisgoingtotellmehowIneedtothink,nooneisgoing totellmewhoIcan,andcannot,talkto.”13
HELP THEM SEE FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
Oneremedyforblindfaithistoseetheworldfromdifferentperspectives.Ifyourlovedoneisstuckintheir beliefs aboutTrumpor anything concerning try arole-switching exercise withthem. Begin by asking them to teach you how to see Trump or his policies through their eyes. Tell them you really want to understandthem.Askthemtoteachyou sowellthatyou couldstepintotheirshoesandtalkfromtheir perspective.Doitandhavethemcritiqueyourperformance.Keeprefiningituntiltheysayyouhaveitright. Theninvitethemtoreciprocateanddothesameexercise.Askthemiftheyarewillingtostepintoyour shoesandtalkfromyourperspective.Bepreparedforalongsilence.Longsilencesareveryimportantto empoweringpeopletothinkforthemselves.Youdonotwanttorushpeopleyouareinteractingwith.You wantthemtothinkandreflect.Ifyoumakeabigefforttounderstandthem,theywillbemorelikelyto reciprocate,providingagreatopportunity.Makesureyouhaveyourpointswellformulatedaheadoftime. ThisbookisfilledwithspecificpointsaboutTrump’suseofinfluencetactics.ShowthemTrumpthrough youreyesandthenletthemmirroryourperspective.Steppingoutofourownshoesandseeingthingsfrom another’sperspectiveisincrediblypowerful.
Myfatherdidaversionofthistechniquewithmeearlyinmydeprogrammingin1976.Theintervention startedoutinvoluntarily hetookawaythecrutchesIwasusingaftermyvanaccidentandwouldnotletme call the group. “How wouldyou feel ifitwasyour son who metacontroversial group, droppedoutof college,quithisjob,donatedhisbankaccount,andyoudidn’tseehimforoverayear?Howwouldyou feel?”heaskedme,withtearsinhiseyes.Ihadneverseenhimcrybefore.Itforcedmetoputmyselfinhis shoes,asaparent.Afterreflectingonit,ItoldhimthatIwouldprobablybedoingexactlywhathewasdoing. Ithenaskedhimwhathewantedfromme.Heaskedmetocommittolistening,withanopenmind,towhat theex-memberswantedtoshareforfivedays.ImadehimpromisetoletmegobacktothegroupifIwanted to,fullyintendingtodoexactlythat.Fortunately,onthefinaldayIhadmywake-upmomentaboutMoon beingaliar.Butitbeganwithmyfather’sgenuinecaring andastrategicswitch-perspectiveintervention.
HELP UNDO THEIR PHOBIAS
TheworldisascaryplaceforTrump’struebelievers filledwithmigrantinvaders,Muslimterrorists,the deepstate,andacabalofglobalelites,nottomentionradicalDemocrats,liberalsocialists,andpeoplelike HillaryClintonandthephilanthropistGeorgeSoroswhowanttotakedownourcountry.Fearmongering andphobia indoctrination are among Trump’smain toolsfor recruiting andrallying hisbase. He issues threateningmessagesatralliesandinhistweets.OnApril12,2019,hetweetedoutavideoofMinnesota Democratic representative Ilhan Omar speaking to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) about how Muslims had been losing access to civil liberties since 9/11. In the Trump tweet, Omar’s commentswereintercutwithimagesofthetwintowersfallingandthecaption“WeWillNeverForget.” Trump’stweetwasalmosttamecomparedtosomeoftheimagesandvideosattackingOmarputoutbyaltrightandChristianrightwebsites.Inhisphobia-andfearmongering,Trumphasagreatdealofhelp from FoxNews,ChristianrightgroupslikeNAR,andtheRussianpropagandamachine,whoareallspinningout theirownfrighteningimageryandrhetoric.
Legitimatefearswarnusofrealdangers.Phobiasoccurwhenfearspersistinaconditionedandirrational way,detachedfromanyrealdanger.Theycanbetriggeredbyacuethatinitiatesacycleoffearfulimages, thoughts,andfeelings.Thecuecanbeaninternalorexternalstimulus,suchasathought,image,word,smell, taste,feeling,orbehavior.Fearofpublicspeaking,heights,snakes,andairplanetravelarecommonphobias. Anestimated19millionAmericanssufferfromphobias.Thoughmanyarisespontaneously,cultleadersuse themintentionally,implantingphobiasthatoftentargettheirmembers’underlyinganxieties inthecaseof Trump, fear of jobs being taken away by immigrants or the supposed white Christian way of life disappearing.
In a destructive cult, phobia indoctrination isthe single mostpowerful technique for keeping people dependentandobedient.Ihaveencounteredmanypeoplewhohadlongagostoppedbelievingintheleader butarepsychologicallyparalyzedwithdeliberatelyimplantedphobias,whichareoftensubconscious.
Phobiasare so integral to the cult mindset that I consider undoing them to be a high priority when working withacultmember. Fortunately, phobiascan be treated. You can helpothersby following my three-step approach.14 If you have a phobia yourself, you first cure yourself, or fix the problem with professionalhelp.Thenyoucanuseyourselfasakindofsuccessstory,sharingwhatyoulearnedwiththecult member.Itmakestheinterventionmorepersonalandeffective.Ifyoudonothaveaphobia,usesomeone youknowwhohasone.Ifyoudonotknowanyone,youcanuseexamplesprovidedhere.
Typically,aphobiahasastructuretoit.First,thereisanegativeimageormovieinone’shead,alongwith negativeself-talkorhearingtheleader’svoicereinforcingthephobia.Itprovokesaphysiologicalresponse, suchasholdingone’sbreathorbreathingquicklyandshallowly.Thethreethingscreateachainreactionthat resultsinextremefear.Inthecaseofanelevatorphobia,peoplemayseethemselvesplummetingandcrashing (theymighthaveseenthisinamovie),orbeingtrappedbetweenfloorsforeternity.Theynotonlyvisualize it; they hear themselvesscreaming. Their heartracesand either they hold their breathor their breathing quickens.
Millions of Trump’s true believers are convinced that he has been chosen by God to build a Christian kingdomonearth –aprophecythathemustcomplete,otherwiseterriblethingswillhappentoourcountry andourplanet.
Sometimesthemostintelligentandwell-educatedpeoplecangetlockedintoideologicallyrigidmindsetsthat prevent them from changing their views, despite overwhelming evidence. How can we avoid blinkered thinkingandbias notjustwithregardtoaspecificpoliticalfigureorparty,butingeneral?
Bediscriminatingaboutyoursourcesofinformationandhowmuchyouconsumeintwenty-fourhours. DoyoutuneintoonlyoneTVchannelortalkradioshow,ordoyouexposeyourselftootherperspectives? It’sgoodto getnewsfrom multiple placesacrossthe political spectrum. Give yourselftime to digestthe information.Figureoutwhoiscredibleandwhoisnot.Theinternetandsocialmediahavemadeitsoeasyto clickandshare.Readthefullarticleandcheckoutthesourcesbeforeyoupassiton.Ifsomeoneelseshares something,doyourduediligenceandseeifyoucancorroboratethestorywithanothersource.
Remember to checkyourselfon confirmation bias people unconsciously filter outinformation that doesnotconfirmtheirpreexistingviewpoint.Everyoneissubjecttothis it’smucheasiertosustainafalse beliefthan to admita mistake. I described earlier a switching process, whichiscalled counter-attitudinal argumentation.Thisinvolvestakingtheoppositeposition,learningitthoroughly,andarguingitasifitwere yourown.Doingthishelpsgiveyouasocialperspectivecompletelyoppositetoyourown.Ithelpsyousee thatothershaveprofoundlydifferentandperhapsevenlegitimatebeliefs.WhenIwasintheMooncult,Iwas 100percentsurethatIwasrightandthateveryonewhowasacriticdwelledinthedarknessofSatan.After mywake-upmoment,IrealizedthatIwastheonewhowasinthedark andinneedofhelp.
Bewaryofpeople,organizations,orcompaniesthatuseundueinfluencetopromotetheirowninterests often financial. Oil and gas companies often suppress information about climate change. It’s not uncommonforcorporations eventhosewemighthaveonceviewedasethicallysound,likeFacebookand Google toseekoutandhireso-calledexpertswhowillsupportandpromotetheirviewssotheyremain profitable.Manyalsohirelobbyiststogettheircauseschampionedbypoliticalofficialsandgainevenmore supportbymakingdonationstopoliticalcandidates.
Anotherwaytostaywell-roundedistolookattheworldfrommanyperspectives.Somepeopleworrythat taking another point of view especially one we find reprehensible will compromise their integrity. Perhaps they are irrationally concerned that they might become convinced and switch perspectives. If somethingistrue,itwillstanduptoscrutiny.Bewillingtoconsiderhowyoumightalteryourpointofview iftheevidenceisconvincing,testable,andreliable.Afactdoesnotbecomeanylesstruebecauseweassume otherviewpoints.Byexaminingwhattheoppositionhastosay,webetterunderstandtheissues,andwhywe believewhatwebelieve.Notonlydowebecomebetterinformed,wearebetterabletoexplainwhywehold
Allowyourselftheflexibilitytochangeyourbeliefswhenpresentedwithnewevidenceandperspectives. Therearelargegapsinourknowledge.Acknowledgingwherethosegapsaredoesnotmakeusweak.Itmakes usintelligentconsumersofinformation.Wedon’tusuallyknowwhatwedon’tknow.Yetweliveinaworld whereit’smoreimportantthanevertobeaninformedcitizen.Thebeliefsthatweformaffectnotonlyhow weliveourlives,butalsowhichcausesandpublicfigureswesupport.Inordertokeepourfreedomofmind, we all needtocontinually examine our beliefs, carefully consider the information we are presented, and engagewithaworldthatislargerthanourselves.Wealsoneedtolistentopeoplewhohaveleftmindcontrol cultsandarespeakingoutabouttheirexperiences.Theyarecourageousandhaveimportantstoriestoshare.I believetheycanplayacriticalpartinhelpingtohealourfracturedcountry.Theyarerolemodelswhoshow ushowtomoveon afterlifeinsideacultordestructiverelationship,whetheritbepersonal,political,or religious orallwrappedupinone.Somanyformermembershavegoneontobecomehighlysuccessful people,onmanydifferentlevels.Theirpersonalstories,combinedwithourknowledgeabouthowundue influenceandmindcontrolworks,canhelpothers.Therearemanydifferenttypesofmindcontrolgroups, andwhileacultmembermightbereluctant,ifnotunwilling,tohearstoriesabouttheirowngroup,theywill likelybewillingtohearanddiscusspeople’sexperienceswithothergroups.Especiallynow,whenhuman trafficking, terrorist, and other extremist groupshave become so prevalent, we need to pay attention to formermemberswhohavelifesavingstoriestotell.Let’sseekthemoutandheartheirstories.
The Future
Jim Jones’s voice came across the loudspeaker, summoning his followers to the central pavilion of Jonestown,asprawlingoutpostinthejunglesofGuyana,onanovercastafternooninNovember1978.As hesatonstage,hisvoicestillbellowingoverthePAsystem,Jonesexhortedhisfollowerstopourcyanide-laced fruitpunchdowntheirchildren’sthroats,andthendrinkthefatalpotionthemselves.WhentheGuyanese authoritiesarrivedhourslater,theyfound912bodieslyingmostlyfacedown.Morethan300werechildren. Jonesdiedbyabullettohishead,notself-inflicted.Acourageouscongressman,LeoJ.Ryan,whohadbeen visiting Jonestown with his aides to investigate allegations of people being held against their will, was assassinatedonanearbyairstrip,alongwithfourothers.
I’vepuzzledoverthemeaningofthosewords.ThephraseisattributedtotheSpanish-bornphilosopher GeorgeSantayana,butwhydidJoneshangitthere?Wasitaself-fulfillingprophecy?Amalignantnarcissist, Jonessawhimselfasamodern-dayJesusandoftentalkedaboutthegovernmentcomingto“crucify”himfor preachingthetruth.Inhislastravings,hewoulddescribethemassacreas“anactofrevolutionarysuicideto protestthe conditionsofan inhumane world.”Maybe he saw the sign aslinking him toJesusandother prophetswho,throughtheages,wouldbekilledforpreachingthe“truth.”
Butthesignholdsanothermeaning,almostataunt:forgetwhathappenedhereatJonestownandyou mayfindithappeningagain.Jones’sfollowerswerediversebutmostofthemweregood,idealisticAmericans whofellundertheswayofapathologicalauthoritarianleaderwhousedthreats,intimidation,andblack-andwhite, us versus them thinking as well as phobias and other mind control techniques to recruit and indoctrinatethem.
ItmayseemtobealeaptomentionJonestownwhenwritingabouttheCultofTrump.Aswehaveseen, cultsdifferintheiridentityandtheconsequencesoftheiractivities.Butthetakeawayisthis mindcontrol existsanditisapotentthreattoourlives ourfamilies,communities,institutions,andnation.Weliveinan ageofdigitalinfluence,wherepeoplehaveaccesstooneanotheranytimeandanywhere,andwherepeople canbedeeplyinfluencedandradicalizedasneverbefore.InanessayforThe Washington Post, Terrence McCoydescribesayoungman whounderwentaradicalpersonalitychangeafterspendinghoursonline, visiting white nationalistwebsitesandviewing white supremacistrallies. He hadone persona online and anotherwithhisfamily.“Idon’tknowhowyougotthisway,”saidhisliberalmother,afterhefinallycame
outtoherasaneo-Nazi.1
Thisyoungmanwastwenty-one,butchildrenofthirteen,fourteen,andfifteen years of age are becoming radicalized through video games, websites, and online communities. Young gunmencanbroadcasthatecrimesinrealtime,ashappenedwiththetwenty-eight-year-oldNewZealand shooter, and gain a platform, aswell asa following. AsB. J. Fogg of the Stanford Persuasive Tech Lab observed, the overlap between our digital experiences and persuasion is growing. “Persuasion is part of humanexistence,butnowthatcomputerscanpersuade,thelandscapehaschanged,”hesaid.2
EventuallyTrumpwillbegone,buthispresidencywillhaveleftusadeeplydividednation.Howdowe restoreasenseoftrustandcivilitytogovernmentandsociety?Howdoweencouragethemediatodampen rather than inflame internal divisions? How do we protect ourselves from future authoritarian-leaning leaderswhomaydrawusevenfurtherintoaworldofconflictingloyalties,allegiances,andideologies?
Thesearehugeanddifficultquestions.Inthelastchapter,Idescribedtheimportanceoflisteningtoand benefitingfromtheexperiencesofformercultmembers.Weneedtohearfromotherswhohavelivedunder authoritarianregimes peoplelikeMadeleineAlbright,formersecretaryofstate,whoasachildfledHitler’s Germany andlater communistCzechoslovakia. In her bookFascism, published shortly after Trumpwas elected,shedescribeshowAmericanisolationismledtotheriseoffascismintheearlytwentiethcentury,and mightdosoagain.“Ifearareturntotheinternationalclimatethatprevailedinthe1920sand’30s,whenthe UnitedStateswithdrewfromtheglobalstageandcountrieseverywherepursuedwhattheyperceivedtobe theirowninterestswithoutregardtolargerandmoreenduringgoals,”shewrites.3
ThelateItalianwriterandHolocaustsurvivorPrimoLevidescribedhowfascismarisesnotjustbymilitary forceorpoliceintimidationbutby“denyinganddistortinginformation,byunderminingsystemsofjustice, byparalyzingtheeducationsystem,andbyspreadinginamyriadsubtlewaysnostalgiaforaworldwhere order reigned.”4 Levi wrote those words in 1974, but they sound all too prophetic in this era of Make AmericaGreatAgain.
“History doesnotrepeat, butitdoesinstruct,”writesYale professor Timothy Snyder in hisbookOn Tyranny. He shows how the framers of the constitution turned to the ancient Greeks Aristotle, who warnedthatinequalitybringsinstability;andPlato,whowarnedthatdemagogueswouldexploitfreespeech toinstallthemselvesastyrants.“AmericanstodayarenowiserthantheEuropeanswhosawdemocracyyield tofascism,Nazism,orcommunisminthetwentiethcentury.Ouroneadvantageisthatwemightlearnfrom theirexperience,”hewrites.5
KahnemanandAmosTverskyshowedthatthoughweoftenrationalize,weareoftennotrationalcreatures andthattheunconsciousmindworksoffheuristics,whicharesubjecttoerrorandbias.Neuroscientistsand psychologistssincethenhavemadegreatheadwayinthescientificstudyofthemind.Influenceisinevitable it’spartofthehumancondition butwecandistinguishbetweenethicalandunethicalforms.Themorewe understandhowinfluenceworks,thebetterablewewillbetoinoculateourselves aswellasourfamilies, communities, institutions, and country against undue forms and sense when we are being duped, controlled,deceived,orcoercedbyindividuals,organizations,andgovernments.
European countries, including Germany, France, and Belgium, have recently recognized the dangers posedbyundueinfluence,andinparticularmindcontrolcults,andhavecreatedtaskforcestoinvestigate them. There has been no such visible effort in any part of the U.S. government, despite the threat that terroristandhateorganizationshaveposedtoournationalsafety.TheU.S.governmentactivelypursueda programofmindcontrolresearchfordecadesandyettherehasbeennoofficialgovernmentstatementonthe existence letalonethedangers ofmindcontrol.
PRESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH
The federal govermentwasfoundedon the conceptofaseparation ofpowers, one thatusesoperational checksandbalancesbetweentheexecutive,judicial,andlegislativebranchestoensurethatpoliciesaremade with due consideration and to prevent any trend toward tyranny. Those checksand balanceshave been disruptedbyPresidentTrump,whoappearstoviewthesebranchesasextensionsof andanswerableto the White House. Also, while Congress and the judiciary are comprised of hundreds of people, many with significantpower,thefocusoftheexecutivebranchisasingleperson.Itisallthemoreimperativethatthe personfillingthatofficebeofsoundmind.Goingforward,weneedtohavestandardsandlegalmechanisms thatsafeguardourdemocracyfrompsychologicallyunstableleadersandwould-beauthoritarians.Intheir book,TheDangerousCaseofDonaldTrump,BandyX.Leeandhercolleaguesarguethatanyonewhoruns fortheofficeofthepresidentshouldberequiredtohaveafullneuropsychiatric,forensicevaluationbya bipartisan or apolitical committee of professionals to establish a baseline of mental competence. That personshouldthenalsoundergoroutinefollow-ups.TheWorldMentalHealthCoalitionhasbeensetupasa nonprofittoworktowardcreatingpracticalsolutionstohavingfitleadership.7
THE LEGAL SYSTEM
Aftermanyyearsofhelpingthoseundermindcontrol,Ihavecometorealizehowmuchmorecouldbedone ifthelegalsystem’sdefinitionofundueinfluencewereupdatedtotakeintoaccountscientificadvancesin understanding how the mind works. As it now stands, destructive cults, especially if they have IRS designationasareligion,areoftennotheldaccountableforviolatingtheirmembers’rights.Norarewebsites orthemedia heldresponsibleforincitingpeopletoviolence.Partoftheproblemisthelackofaclear, scientificallysupportedlegaldefinitionofundueinfluence.SantaClaraUniversityemerituslawprofessor Alan Scheflin hasproposedatheoreticallygroundedframeworktoevaluateundueinfluencein courtsof law.8 AccordingtohisSocialInfluenceModel,therearethreeaspectsofundueinfluence theinfluencer,
Partofthechallengeisthatourlegalsystemneedstogetabettergriponhowundueinfluenceoperateson the internet. We could learn from Germany and other European governments in this regard. In 2017, Germanyimplementedalawrequiringthebiggestsocialmedianetworks—thosewithmorethantwomillion users totakedownblatantlyillegalhatespeechwithintwenty-fourhoursofitsbeingreported.9China,one ofthemostauthoritariansocieties,monitors,controls,andcollectsdataonallinternetactivity.Programsof data collection now include facial recognition ofpeople aswell. Ofcourse, we do not want totalitarian surveillance.Ontheotherhand,theinternetshouldnotbea“wild,wildwest,”wherecompaniescando whatever they want to draw in users and make money, with virtually no legal or moral accountability. CompanieslikeFacebookandGoogleshouldmoveoutofabusinessmodelofsellingdatatothirdparties lawstothateffectshouldbewrittenandenforced.Datafirms,likethenow-disgracedanddefunctCambridge Analytica whichgainedaccesstomorethan87millionFacebookusersforthepurposeoftargetingthem withpoliticalads needtobeheldaccountable.10Acrosstheboard,socialmediaandappcompaniesneedto bevettedandresponsiblestandardsestablishedtoprotectcitizens’privateinformation.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Freedomofreligioniscalledthe“firstfreedom”forseveralreasons.ItisthefirstpartoftheFirstAmendment totheConstitution itprecedesfreedomofspeechandfreedomofthepress.Inorderforpeopletobeableto speakandpublishfreely,theymustbeabletothinkfreely tobelievedifferentlyfromthegovernmentand powerfulreligiousinstitutions.Freedomofreligionisnotjustaboutreligion it’sabouttherighttothink forourselves,tochangeourmindsinawaythatisneitheranadvantagenoradisadvantagetoourstatusas citizens. While the Constitution protects beliefs, it does not necessarily protect all actions and behaviors stemmingfromthosebeliefs.Humansacrificetothegodsmaybepartofaperson’sreligiousbeliefsystem,as itwasinearliertimes,butifcarriedoutanywhereintheUnitedStatestoday,itishomicide.Courtshave routinelybannedsnake-handlingrituals,becauseofthemanydeathsthathaveresultedfromthatpractice.It hasfamouslybeensaidthat“Yourrighttoswingyourarmsendsjustwheretheotherman’snosebegins.”
Inhis1997book,EternalHostility:TheStruggleBetweenTheocracyandDemocracy,FrederickClarkson showshowthemenwhoshapedournation’sapproachtoreligiousfreedomtriedtomakeclearitslimitations. Andyetaswehaveseeninchapter7,factionsontheChristianrighthaveinterpretedreligiousfreedomto meanthattheymayviolatetheConstitutionifitisinkeepingwiththeirreligious,andultimatelytheocratic, beliefsorpractices.Theyarepushingstate-levellegislationthatwouldcarveoutreligiousexemptionstocivil rightsandlaborlawsunderthebannerofProjectBlitz whichTrumphassupported.Itisaslipperyslope from proposals that would allow heath care providers to deny services to LGBTQ people, which is bad enough. The Trumpadministration isnow allowing state andfederally fundedadoption andfoster care agenciestorefuseprospectiveparentswhoaresingle,divorced,LGBTQ,Jewish,orbelongtootherreligions.
AccordingtoClarkson,religiousfreedomisoneofthecentralissuesofourtime.Heisnotalone.Thereis amovementofcivilrightsgroupsandreligiousandnonreligiousorganizations,fromAmericanAtheiststo the National Council of Churches, that is rising to confront the challenge posed by these theocratic movements.“Ithastakentime,butorganizedoppositionismounting,”Clarksonsaid.11AmericansUnited for Separation ofChurchandState anda broadcoalition offorty-three prominentreligious, civil rights, secular,LGBTQ,andreproductivefreedomorganizationshaveissuedajointnationalstatementwarning aboutProjectBlitz.12AnoverlappingcoalitionofadozengroupshascreatedawebsitecalledBlitzWatchto monitorthecampaignandprovideresourcesforopponents.13
Putting these efforts to advance theocratic ideas under the rubric of religious freedom aside, the underlyingissueofmindcontroloughttobeareligiousfreedomissueofconcerntoeveryone.Ifthereare lawsthatprotectpeoplefrombeingconnedoutoftheirproperty,thereshouldbelawsthatprotectpeople frombeingconnedoutoftheiropinions,thoughts,andbeliefs.AtthepointthattheMoonierecruiterslied tome,tellingmetheywerecollegestudents,notareligiousgroup,andfailedtodisclosethattheyworshipped a Korean billionaire they thought was the messiah and that they were members of a group that used deceptionandmindcontroltechniques theywereinfringingonmyreligiousfreedomasayoungJewish man.Mypointisnottodiminishordisparageaparticularreligion,butinsteadtoensurethattherightsof otherstobelieveornotbelieveastheychoose,withoutundueinfluenceorcoercion,areupheld.“Respectfor religiousfreedommeansrespectfortheintegrityoftheconscienceoftheindividual,”Clarksonwrites.
Afinalnoteonthesubjectofreligion:Ibelievethattax-exemptstatusshouldnotbegrantedtojustany groupthatsaystheyareareligiousorganization.Iwouldliketoseeagovernmentalbodysetupthatactsasa consumerclearinghouse,linkedtotheFBIandtheIRS,thathasthepowertoinvestigateandprosecuteany tax-exempt group or entity that systematically violates people’s rights. If such an entity is found to be deceptively recruiting, thereby violating people’s civil and religious rights; or to be using high-pressure methods of mind control to keep them from seeking the health care or education they need; or to be preventingthemfrombeingabletomeetwithpeopleoutsidethegroup,theentityshouldloseitstax-exempt status.AnygroupwhoseaimistosubverttheConstitutionorcommitcrimesshouldbeheldaccountable.
THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION
BurieddeepinsidetheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders,FifthEdition(DSM-5)isa special designation for victims of cult brainwashing and undue influence. It is labeled Other Specified DissociativeDisorder300.15(F44.9).Itisdefinedasanidentitydisturbance“duetoprolongedandintense coercivepersuasion.Individualswhohavebeensubjectedtointensecoercivepersuasion(e.g.,brainwashing, thought reform, indoctrination while captive, torture, long-term political imprisonment, recruitment by sects/cultsorbyterrororganizations)maypresentwithprolongedchangesin,orconsciousquestioningof, their identity.” Though the DSM-5 is used by clinicians, researchers, drug companies, health insurance companies,thecourts,andpolicymakers,veryfewhavelearnedaboutthiscategory,orabouttheclinicaltool
known as the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V for Dissociative Disorders (SCIDV-D), which is consideredthegoldstandardforassessingdissociativedisorders.
TRAINING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
IwishIcouldsaythatmostmentalhealthprofessionalswereevenawareoftheDSMcategorythatpertainsto brainwashing and mind control. In fact, only a small percentage of psychiatrists, therapists, and other practitionershavereceivedanytraininginworkingwiththispopulation.Mostarelargelyunawarethatan assessmentofmindcontrolcanbemadeandareunfamiliarwiththespecializedapproachesthathavebeen developedtoaddressit.Meanwhile,theymayhavepatientsintheirpracticewhocontinuetosufferasaresult oftheircultinvolvement.Curriculathatexplainundueinfluenceandmindcontrol,andshowpractitioners whattolookforinpatients,needtobedevelopedandincorporatedintoallmentalhealthtrainingprograms.
MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH
Millionsofpeoplearebornorbroughtintocultsofallsorts religious,political,sextrafficking.Oftenthey arehauntedbyundiagnosedmentalandemotionalscarsthatcanleadtoaddiction,depression,evensuicide asaresultoftheircultinvolvement.Theymayundergomultiplemedicalevaluationsandtreatments,with littlebenefitandoftenatgreatexpense.Astartingplacetohelpthesepeople—andourhealthcaresystem— wouldbetoconductanepidemiologicalstudytodeterminethepublichealthrisksandthecostsoftreating such patients using traditional approaches drug and alcohol addiction programs, psychotherapy, medications,andhospitalizations.Gettingtotherootproblem,thecultinvolvement,canbeamuchmore effective,andlessexpensiveapproach.
Afewyearsago,IworkedwithawomanwhohadwalkedoutofadestructivedisciplingBiblegroup,the InternationalChurchesofChrist,afterathirteen-yearinvolvement.Shewasmisdiagnosed,givenalaundry listofmedications,andhospitalizedseveraltimesoverelevenyears,andshestillhadself-harmandsuicidal impulses.ShereadmybookCombatingCultMindControlandcontactedmeforhelp.Iworkedwithher intensively over several days, at the end of which she felt dramatically better. She had a much better understandingofwhyshewassufferingandhowtohelpherself.Shereturnedtoherpsychiatrist,whohelped weanheroffhermedicationsentirely.Iputherintouchwithalocaltherapist,whowasproperlytrainedfor follow-up.Shewentontofullyreclaimherlife,receivedaPh.D.,andisinafulfillingrelationship.Wemade a presentation together in Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Judith Herman’s seminar on Victims of ViolenceTraumawhereshetaughtaboutalloftheerrorsmadeinhertreatment.
The diagnosis and treatment could also extend to people who have been recruited by human traffickingandextremistterroristorganizations.Manyformerterroristsareostracizedandthrowninjailand yetinmostcasestheyarethevictimsofcoercivemindcontrolrecruitingandindoctrination.Ihavelong believedthatcounselingsuchpeople helpingthemunderstandwhathappenedtothem andthenhaving themteachotherswouldbeagreatdeterrenttofutureterroristrecruitmentefforts.
JenniferPanning,acontributortoTheDangerousCaseofDonaldTrump,coinedthenameforanew typeofanxietydisorder TrumpAnxietyDisorder whichpinpointssymptoms“specifictotheelectionof Trump and the resultant unpredictable sociopolitical climate.” In an interview with Politico Magazine,
According to a 2018 survey by the American Psychiatric Association, 39 percentofpeople said their anxietylevelhadrisenoverthepreviousyear.Fifty-sixpercentwereextremelyanxiousorsomewhatanxious about“theimpactofpoliticsondailylife.”A2017APAstudyfoundthattwo-thirdsofAmericansseethe nation’sfutureasa“veryorsomewhatsignificantsourceofstress.”16
THE MEDIA
In their book, Network Propaganda, Yochai Benkler, Robert Faris, and Hal Roberts suggest that an independentapparatusbe setupto independently verify sourcesand perform factchecksofthe news especially in the face of the overwhelming amount of disinformation and propaganda being circulated, especiallybytheright-wingmedia.Therearelotsofgoodideasoutthere,thoughitremainstobeseenwhich will gain traction. The pointisthere are seriousconversationsgoing on among scholars, journalists, and legislatorstotrytofindsolutions.Let’shopetheyfindsomesoon.
Whateversolutionsmaybefound,weneedtoberesoluteinourinsistencethatwealsoneedtoprotect journalists who report on governments and powerful interests everywhere, including dictators and authoritarianregimes.Theyhelpmaintainourcountry’scommitmenttocombatingcoerciveanddestructive regimesaroundtheworld.Atthesametime,theirreports aboutcrackdownsonfreedomofthepressorthe abrogationofcivilliberties canprovideabasisforcomparisontoseeiftherearewaysthatourowncountry veersintosuchterritory.Yetinvestigativejournalistshavebeenkidnappedorkilledinshockingnumbers.17 Most recently and horribly, The Washington Post’ s Jamal Khashoggi was killed by agents in the Saudi ArabiangovernmentandyetnoAmericansanctionwasleviedagainstitsleadership.
In1969,thephilanthropistPhilipM.SternestablishedtheFundforInvestigativeJournalism,whichgave itsfirstgrant of$250 tojournalistSeymourHersh,whousedittobegininvestigatingatipaboutaU.S. ArmymassacreattheVietnamesevillageofMyLai.ThestoryturnedintoahugeexposéofArmywrongdoing. The Fundfor Investigative Journalism hassince awardedgrantstotaling $1.5 million to scoresof investigativejournalists,resultinginover700storiesandsomefiftybooks.18Therearesimilarorganizations, including the Center for Investigative Reporting and ProPublica, whose mission isto “ expose abusesof powerandbetrayalsofpublictrustbygovernment,business,andotherinstitutions.”19 IfeveryAmerican holdingadriver’slicenseweretodonateadollarayear,wecouldfundimportantcenterslikethesetothe tuneof$225millionannually.20
INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY
Whateverhasthepowertohelphasthepowertohurt.Thathasbeenabundantlyclearwiththeinternet,and especially platforms like Facebook and Twitter. It was through these social media platforms that Russia enteredthefrayofthe2016presidentialelectionsandmayseektodosointhefuture,alongwithIran,China, andothernationsthathavehistoricallysoughttoinfluenceAmerican elections.Howcan weensurethat
future innovations like artificial intelligence adhere toethical standards? After the 2019 New Zealand massacre,primeministerJacindaArdernimmediatelybannedthecirculationofthevideothatthegunman made. Social media platforms need to find ways to prevent such videos and other hate-filled and inflammatorymaterialsfrombeingcirculatedinthefirstplace.YouTubetookastepinthisdirectionwhen, inJanuary2019,itannouncedthatitwaschangingitsalgorithmsforrecommendingvideosinawaythat wouldreducethespreadof“borderlinecontentandcontentthatcouldmisinformusersinharmfulways.”It wasveryspecificaboutwhatthatcontentwouldinclude “videospromotingaphonymiraclecurefora seriousillness,claimingtheearthisflatormakingblatantlyfalseclaimsabouthistoriceventslike9/11.”21 Facebookhasalsopromisedtobemoreaccountable,inpartasaface-savinggestureforhavingplayedarolein spreadingfalseinformationduringthe2016electionseason.22 TheyannouncedinMarch2019theywere banningcontentthatglorifieswhitenationalismandseparatism.23
Futureeffortstoprotectourcitizensmighttakeadvantageofwhatisknownaboutundueinfluenceand mindcontrolandmightevenconsiderusingtheBITEmodelwhendevisingalgorithmstodetectcoercive andunethical formsofinfluence. When itcomesto the future worldofAI, we needto make sure that compassion andkindnessare includedin the wiring ofany robots. Maybe the single mostimportantAI algorithmwouldbethemostancient theGoldenRule:treatothersasyouwouldhavethemtreatyou.
COMMUNITY
Once ata plenary lecture I gave ata conference on Complex Systems, a woman from China asked me, “There’salotofemphasison theindividual’sfreedom andindividualityin America, butwhataboutthe collectiveself?”Goodquestion!Weneedtocultivateagreatersenseofresponsibility notjusttoourfamily andfriendsbuttoourlocalcommunities,ourcountry,andtoallwhosharetheplanet.Wehitourbrakes whencomingatastopsign.It’sthelaw,ofcourse.Butweknowitisgoingtomakeallofussafer.People consensually abide by rules for the common good. That is also true of our social behavior the Ten Commandmentswereestablishedthousandsofyearsagoasamechanism for helping peoplegetalong in groups. They were alsoestablishedasaform ofsocial control, withtheir focuson worshipping the “ one God.”Whatwemayneednowarecommandmentsthatguideourethicalbehaviorascitizens,regardlessof race,creed,ethnicity,orsexualorreligiouspreference.
Humansareintrinsicallysocialcreatures.Weseekconnection,thoughitisoftenwithpeopleweviewas similartous.Ifwearetohealthecurrentriftbetweenpartiesandideologies,weneedtotalkwithpeoplewho aredifferent,whichcanbeatallorder.Andyet,strugglingwithandresolvingourdifferencesisattheheartof the bestofwhatthe American experimenthasbeen all about. Learning to cope withandnavigate those differenceswillletusflourishasindividualsandasasocietygoingforward ifwecommitourselvestothe process.
Healing the rift requires education teaching people about influence techniques, propaganda and persuasion,fantasiesversusfacts,aswellasthewarningsignsofdestructivegroupsandleaders.Wemight turntheinternetintoatoolforreconnectionandreconciliationbycreatinganonlineresourcethatteaches everyone politicians, law enforcement, businesspeople, artists, doctors, children about the issues and informationcontainedinthisbookandothersfocusingonsimilarthemes.Itcouldprovideresources,videos, and courses for more detailed study. One of my mentors, Philip Zimbardo, developed the Heroic ImaginationProject,whichusesvideostoteachaboutsocialpsychologyandhowtostandupanddotheright thing.24Thisshouldbeastandardcurriculumiteminmiddleandhighschools.
Civic meetings could be organized in communities focusing on themes of reconciliation and trust building. When people meet across belief systems and share their personal stories, understanding and toleranceoftenfollow.Weshouldespeciallyconcentrateonteachingchildrenhowtoknowthedifference betweenethicalandunethicalinfluence,andhowtoprotectthemselves.Weneedtoeducatethemabout citizenshipandtheimportanceofexpressingtheirvoice andtheirvote.Weareallresponsibleforcreating andsustaininginstitutionsinwhichcivildemocracyflourishes.
IsTrumpthatfragile?AtameetingonMarch19,2019,inWashington,D.C.,expertsfromtheWorld Mental Health Coalition gathered to express their grave concerns about Donald Trump’s fitness for leadership.OneofthemostchillingmomentscameduringatalkbyScottRitter,formerMarineintelligence officerwhoservedaschiefweaponsinspectorfortheUnitedNationsinIraqfrom1991to1998,andwhois theauthorofseveralbooks.RitterdescribedhowhevotedforTrumpbutcametoregrethisdecisionoutof fearthatthepresidentmightstartanuclearwarwithNorthKoreaorIran.Ritterfurtherstatedthathedid notthinkthatanyoneperson,includingthepresident,shouldhavethepowertopressthenuclearbutton, especiallytocarryoutapreemptivenuclearstrike.27
In my work with clients, I have seen miracles happen. I have seen people throw off the mental and emotionalshacklesofmanyyears evenalifetime ofcultindoctrination.Ibelievethatloveisstrongerthan fearandthattruthisstrongerthanmindcontrol.ButIalsobelievethatthedangersofmindcontrolare greaternowthanever.Weignorethelessonsofhistory ofJonestownandotherdestructivegroups atour ownperil.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Eachdaybringsnewinformationandstories oftendisturbingandsometimesshocking demonstratingthe reality of the Cult of Trump. This book needed to be finalized, but I trust there will be many more revelationscomingoutabouttheTrumpWhiteHousebeforeitappearsinbookstores.Whileitappliesthe psychologyofdestructivecultstoilluminatethedarkcornersoftheTrumppresidency,Ihopethatitwill shedlightonanyleaderorgroupwithauthoritarianbehaviors.Thisbookisabeginning itofferswhatI hope is a new perspective in the ongoing struggle to uphold human rights, justice, and the democratic principlesonwhichthiscountryisfounded.
Writingsuchanencompassingbookinaveryshortperiodoftimehasbeenoneofthemostchallenging butrewarding projectsofmy life. Itwasfirstconceivedin the summer of2018, when I metwithSteve Troha,myliteraryagentatFolio,whoproposedIwriteabookcalledTheCultofTrump.Stevebelievedin myexpertiseandintheimportanceofthisproject.Hegraciouslyadvisedandencouragedmeeverystepofthe way. My editor Natasha Simons at Simon & Schuster knew she wanted this book and made it happen. NatashahadeditedOmarosaManigaultNewman’sbookUnhinged,aswellasCatherineOxenberg’sbook Captive,aboutthedestructivegroupNXIVM,andsoherinterestincultswaswhetted.Natashaarrangedan interviewformewithOmarosa,whomIalsothank.Thankyou,SteveandNatasha.
This book could not have happened without Misia Landau anthropologist, science writer, artist, photographer,andmylovingwife,whohasbeenstrongenoughtodealwithallthestressesoflifewithme andmydifficultwork.Thankyouforallyourincrediblesupportonmanylevels.Formorethantwodecades, youhavehelpedmewrite,strategize,andcope.Youhavebeenmynumberone.Specialthanksforputting asideyourownwritingprojectsandartclassestowriteyourheartouttogetthisbookintoitsbestformfor publication.Youareanamazingwriter.Youaremymosttrustedandvaluedadvisor.Thankyouinwaysfar morethanwordscouldevercommunicate.Also,toourson,Matthew.Thankyoufordealingwiththeextra stressofhavingbothyourparentsworkingonthisbook andyourwillingnesstotakeUberonetoomany times!
SpecialthankstoFrederickClarkson,whofirstinterviewedmemanydecadesago,tofindoutaboutmy experiencesasaformerMooncultmemberandleader.Frederickhasbeenwritingarticlestoexposerightwingunethicalactivity,especiallyinregardtoreligiousfreedom.Frederickhasbeenanamazingadvisorand editor on thisproject and introduced me to many ofthe people I interviewed in researching thisbook. Frederick, your knowledge, guidance, andwisdom have made thisa muchstronger book. Thankyou so much.
Iwouldliketoacknowledgepeoplewhohavehadatremendousimpactonmylife,andtaught,guided, andsupportedmeformanydecades.WhenIreachedouttothemtotellthemaboutthisbookproject,they each gave me lengthy interviews. Thank you, Robert Jay Lifton, M.D.; Dr. Philip Zimbardo; and law professoremeritusAlanScheflin.IwishtorecognizethelatescholarsDr.MargaretSinger,Dr.LouisJolyon West,andDr.JohnClarkfortheircourageousworkspeakingoutaboutdestructivecults.Ialsowishtothank extraordinarysocialpsychologistsDr.AnthonyPratkanisandDr.RobertCialdini.
Thankyoutomycolleagues,whoareeachconsideredcultexpertsandcontributedtothisbook’sresearch: Dr. Steve Eichel, president of the International Cultic Studies Association; Dr. Dennis Tourish; Dr. AlexandraStein;DanielShaw,LCSW;Dr.StephenKent;andDr.JanjaLalich.EnduringthankstoOpen Mindsfoundingdirector,JonAtack,forourmanystimulatingconversationsovertheyears.Therearemany other cult experts who have been doing interviews and articles discussing the Cult of Trump. Most are formermembersofcultsthemselveswhohavebecomeprofessors,mentalhealthprofessionals,orlayscholars.
YaleforensicpsychiatristBandyX.Lee,M.D.,editedthegroundbreakingvolumeTheDangerousCaseof Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. This was an extremely importantbookforme.IamindebtedtoBandyandherworld-classcolleagues.Theirbook,andalsomy manydiscussionswithBandy,taughtmeaboutthedutytowarnandexplainedthepoliticsoftheGoldwater rule.Toitsshame,theAmericanPsychiatricAssociationhasincorrectlyandunethicallytriedtosilencemany internationallyrenownedexpertswhoselifeworkitistoidentifypeople,includinginthiscaseapresident, whoareathreattothemselvesandothers.
Anenormousamountofresearchwasundertakentocompletethisbook.Iamgratefultothecreatorsof the many books, articles, interviews, podcasts, andvideosthathelpedme better comprehendthe Cultof Trump.Thankyouforsharing,directly,yourknowledge,expertise,andtimewithme:DavidCayJohnston (whohasbeenwritingaboutTrumpforfiftyyears),JamesMoore,Dr.AndréGagné,FrankCocozzelli,Yves Messer,DennisKing,ChipBerlet,JeffreySharlet,Dr.JamesScaminaciIII,Dr.WarrenThrockmorton,Dr. JohnWeaver,Dr.ChristopherStroop,Dr.JohnDehlin,DavidWeissman,ArnoMichaelis,ScottAdams, Allen Tate Wood, Jefferson Hawkins, Michele (Chele) Roland, Taryn Southern, Spanky Taylor, Tory Christman,HoytRichards,RabbiTerryRossBard,StephaneAcel-Green,CellWhitman,andLarryZilliox. SpecialthankyoutoKarinSpikeRobinsonforresearch,copyediting,andgraphicsassistance.Thankyouto Rebecca Johnston for your support. Thanks to Kimmy O’Donnell and Jane at the Freedom of Mind ResourceCenter.
Ineededtogetadoctorate,doquantitativeresearch,andpublisharticlesinpeerreview.Hedirectedmeto thedoctoralprogramatFieldingGraduateUniversity,andintroducedmetomyfacultymentor,Dr.Judy Stevens-Long,whohasbeensohelpful,alongwithmydissertationcommitteemembers,Dr.KeithMelville andDr.JohnAustin.Dr.Commonsbecamemyexternalfacultymemberandissupervisingmyresearch.He encouraged me to set up Freedom from Undue Influence, a research arm under his nonprofit, Dare Association.Myresearchassistant,MansiShah,helpedmetoexecutemyfirstquantitativestudyandtoready
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6TimHains,“FullReplay:PresidentTrumpHolds2020CampaignRallyinElPaso,Texas,”RealClearPolitics,accessedApril15,2019, https://wwwrealclearpoliticscom/video/2019/02/11/watch live president trump holds 2020 campaign rally in el paso texashtml#!
12FederalCommunicationsCommission “FCCReports,Volume8,March1,1940toAugust1,1941,”DigitalLibrary,US Government PrintingOffice,August18,2013,https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc177289/m1/358/.
8TimHains,“MalcolmNance:Russians‘HackedtheMindsetoftheAmericanPeople,’CouldThrow2018MidtermsIntoDoubt,” RealClearPolitics,accessedApril20,2019, https://wwwrealclearpoliticscom/video/2018/02/07/malcolm nance russians hacked the mindset of the american peoplehtml
