'Volatile uncertainty': Trauma expert explains the method behind Trump’s 'psychological whiplash'

25 May

Donald Trump gestures at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., December 22, 2024. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo

A clinical psychologist who specializes in narcissists outlined three tactics to stop the “psychological state of volatile uncertainty” manufactured by President Donald Trump, noting as a nation, “we’re squarely in Criterion 1 of narcissistic personality disorder: ‘a grandiose sense of self-importance.’”

"When narcissistic control seeps into leadership, it distorts truth, erodes trust and destabilizes institutions,” Dr. Jocelyn Sze wrote in an essay on HuffPost.

Sze explained that “narcissistic control in government thrives on flipping the script and silencing watchdogs.”

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“Authoritarian leaders, like narcissistic family members, rely on well-worn tactics to manufacture a psychological state of volatile uncertainty — where outcomes aren’t just unknown, but constantly shifting and unpredictable,” Sze wrote. “This overwhelms the brain’s ability to anticipate and prepare, keeping people mentally off-balance and easier to control.”

“The good news: Awareness works like a vaccine, gradually building psychological immunity against further harm,” she added.

Noting Trump’s constant flip-flopping on key policy proposals, Sze explained while “many dismiss these reversals as mere incompetence or poor strategy … anyone familiar with narcissistic abuse understands the deeper maneuver.”

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“Whether consciously or not, narcissists hold power by keeping others in a state of psychological whiplash, she wrote. “And it works."

“At its core, emotional control is the narcissist’s primary goal: to protect a fragile sense of self-importance and entitlement by maintaining the grand illusion that supports it — without empathy for others,” Sze explained. “… Of the dizzying array of tactics, perhaps the most effective is crisis manufacturing. The constant emergencies aren’t flukes — they’re by design. They keep everyone in survival mode, distracting from deeper issues and ensuring the narcissist stays at the center of attention and control.”

Sze then offered three tactics the nation can adopt to fight back against Trump: 1. “Stop enabling.” 2. "Set boundaries.” 3. “Build resilience.”

“The Constitution is not just a legal structure — it’s psychological scaffolding against narcissistic control,” Sze explained. “… Collective care and self-care are not luxuries — they are revolutionary acts in times of oppression. Rest is not retreat; it’s how we recover the clarity and cohesion needed to mobilize and rebuild. Join hands. There is strength in numbers and safety in solidarity.”

Read the full essay at HuffPost.

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