'No separation': NYT analysis details 'the Trump mindset'

In a wide-ranging new analysis of Donald Trump's presidency, New York Times columnist Thomas Edsall columnist Thomas Edsall broke down why his leadership mindset is "not complex," boiling him down to a "gimme gimme" mentality in all ventures and a commitment to "governing by narcissism."

Trump, the columnist explained, is devoted solely to enriching his own fortunes and self-image, at the expense of "the national interest and the public welfare." His actions as president are easily swayed "with money, the purchase of his crypto coins, contributions and sometimes with plain old obsequious flattery."

"Peering into the Trump mind-set — the logic underpinning his priorities, his morality, his decision making — is like opening up a garbage pail left out for days during a summer heat wave," Edsall wrote.

Edsall's examples backing up this argument are extensive, touching on nearly every aspect of Trump's second term in the White House. Chief among them, "the strongest example" he put forward was Trump's continued refusal to accept his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, a "humiliation" that his narcissistic mindset cannot allow. It also extends to his economic track record so far in 2025, which sees him unwilling to accept the notion that his policies might be failing.

"He is blind to the harms, up to and including death, that he and his policies have inflicted here and abroad," Edsall wrote. "The notion that his actions have worsened the economy is, to Trump, intolerable. Asked by Politico to rate his handling of the economy, Trump replied, 'A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.'"

While mostly focused on his own self-interest, Edsall argued that Trump's "profit motive" also extends to considerations "for his allies and for his donors." Despite his leadership and policy agenda often being "erratic" and unstable, Edsall noted that Trump has an "unwavering determination to enhance the fortunes of the rich," while at the same time "doing little or nothing" to help improve the conditions for lower-to-middle income voters, who make up a disproportionate amount of his MAGA voter base.

Through the reduction in spending on things like healthcare and food assistance, and the imposition of tariffs on a wide swath of imported goods, Trump's policies have put a strain overwhelmingly on the finances of the less well-off, as opposed to the rich. His new tax cuts also favor the wealthy, putting far more money back in their pockets.

"The only group that would gain significantly is composed of households in the top income decile, with an average income of $517,700, who would make $9,670 more," Edsall explained. "The one group that has done very well during Trump’s second term is made up of stockholders, who have gained at every income decile, according to my back-of-the-envelope estimates."

Concluding his argument, Edsall observed that, "For Trump and his family, there is no separation of holding government office and making money."