Donald Trump, oblivious

| 9:55 am EDT September 8, 2017
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So we already knew that Donald Trump is one of the least self-aware people on the planet. His narcissism prevents him from being able to figure out what people really think of him, because when they say nice things about him, he’s compelled to believe that it means they truly like him. It actually makes it fairly easy to sucker him – which is what we’re now seeing playing out.

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are using such a deviously brilliant tactic to manipulate Donald Trump right now that all I can say is I’m glad they’re on our side. They sensed that Trump and the Republicans in Congress have been rubbing each other the wrong way lately, and they’re now exploiting it by launching a charm offensive at him. It’s not shocking to see Trump take the bait, as it’s an opportunity to spite the GOP for having said not-nice things about him lately. But what is stunning is that by his own words, Trump appears to honestly believe that the Democrats are making him look good.

When cable news reported that Pelosi and Schumer had scored a victory by getting Trump to cave to them on DACA and the debt ceiling, Trump’s warped mind interpreted that as a victory for himself. According to Politico, he was “super upbeat” and he raved about how the press was being “incredible” to him (link). He truly doesn’t get it that the Democrats are playing him like a fiddle. He doesn’t understand that the positive press coverage is for them, and that he’s the punchline in all this.

That’s because Donald Trump, ever the narcissist, now suddenly believes that Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi actually like him, and that they think he’s doing a good job. All they have to do is keep faking it and he’ll remain in the palm of their hands, caving to their agenda, even as they wipe out his party in the midterms and then impeach him for his crimes. Trump gains nothing from this strange new partnership, beyond a stroke to his ego. But then again, that’s always been his priority – and his weakness.