If you’re wondering why Donald Trump absconded from the White House with dozens of presidential papers including Top Secret and confidential material, the answer is quite simple: He believed, and still believes, he is entitled to them.
Throughout his life he has been accustomed to getting, taking and keeping what he wants. Why should it have been different after his four year reign as the most powerful man on Earth?
The papers were no different than his having a trophy wife to reflect his success. What better way to flaunt his entitled status than to revel and reveal in his private lair the secrets of the presidency of the United States?
To understand his mindset, go back to the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape of Trump boasting of his ability to molest women without consequence. Anything is there for his taking.
He’s quick to accuse others of impropriety, quick to claim unconscionable offense when criticized, quick to discredit subordinates deemed insufficiently loyal, quick to assert greater knowledge than professional experts, but sloooooow to respond to legitimate legal challenges, believing his best defense is to stall, to string out proceedings until his inquisitors tire, retire or are replaced.
He’s still the chief grifter in the land, using the FBI search for and discovery of presidential and Top Secret papers at Mar-a-Lago to scam more money from his duped supporters, allegedly to be used for his legal fees.
Trump epitomizes the definition of entitlement: “The belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.”
Indeed, Trump displays narcissistic entitlement, the “belief that one’s importance, superiority, or uniqueness should result in getting special treatment and receiving more resources than others.”
A dispassionate, objective pursuit of the law would likely render anyone contrite, but in Trump’s case his legions of co-conspirators to the overthrow of the Rule of Law in this country have buttressed his entitlement syndrome.
And that is the tragedy of America. Roughly half the country, represented by one of our two major political parties, has chucked social and governmental norms to follow a narcissist down a rabbit hole of lies, deceit, grifting, scams, and abuse of power, along with a determination to restrict the freedoms and rights of those who do not fit neatly into their portrait of a white, religiously observant, male-dominated America of their dreams.
