Chris Hedges argues that Donald Trump exhibits the psychological and behavioral traits of a "world destroying cult" leader, comparing his self-portrayal as a divinely anointed figure to dangerous religious sects and fascist movements.
0:01Trump the God.
0:03Trump the God.
0:04Trump's portrayal of himself as Jesus or Trump's portrayal of himself as Jesus or anointed by Jesus is typical of cult anointed by Jesus is typical of cult leaders. Written by Chris Hedges for the leaders. Written by Chris Hedges for the Chris Hedges report Chris Hedges.
0:17Chris Hedges report Chris Hedges.
0:17Narrated by Ununice Wong. During the two Narrated by Ununice Wong. During the two years I spent writing American Fascists, years I spent writing American Fascists, the Christian right and the war on the Christian right and the war on America, I encountered numerous many America, I encountered numerous many Trumps. These self-proclaimed pastors, Trumps. These self-proclaimed pastors, very few had any formal religious very few had any formal religious training, prayed on the despair of their training, prayed on the despair of their congregants. They were surrounded by congregants. They were surrounded by
0:37sycopants and could not be questioned.
0:40sycopants and could not be questioned.
0:40They merged fact with fiction, pedled They merged fact with fiction, pedled magical thinking, and enriched magical thinking, and enriched themselves at the expense of their themselves at the expense of their followers. They claimed their wealth and followers. They claimed their wealth and ostentatious lifestyle, including ostentatious lifestyle, including mansions and private jets, was a sign of mansions and private jets, was a sign of being blessed. They insisted they were being blessed. They insisted they were divinely inspired and anointed by God.
0:59divinely inspired and anointed by God.
0:59They were within their hermetic circles They were within their hermetic circles of their megaurches omnipotent.
1:05of their megaurches omnipotent.
1:05These cult pastors promised to use their These cult pastors promised to use their omnipotence to crush the demonic forces omnipotence to crush the demonic forces that had created misery in the lives of that had created misery in the lives of their followers. Unemployment and their followers. Unemployment and underemployment, evictions, underemployment, evictions, bankruptcies, poverty, addiction, sexual bankruptcies, poverty, addiction, sexual and domestic abuse, and crippling and domestic abuse, and crippling despair. The more power the cult leaders despair. The more power the cult leaders possess, according to their followers,
1:28possess, according to their followers, the more certain is a promised paradise.
1:31the more certain is a promised paradise.
1:31Cult leaders stand above the law. Those Cult leaders stand above the law. Those who desperately place their faith in who desperately place their faith in them want them to be above the law. Cult them want them to be above the law. Cult leaders are narcissists. They demand leaders are narcissists. They demand obsequious agilation and total obsequious agilation and total obedience. Health and Human Services obedience. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim that Donald Trump is able to draw a that Donald Trump is able to draw a perfect map of the Middle East or White
1:55perfect map of the Middle East or White House press secretary Caroline Levit's House press secretary Caroline Levit's statement that Trump is always the most statement that Trump is always the most well- read person in the room are two of well- read person in the room are two of innumerable examples of the abject innumerable examples of the abject fawning required by those in a cult fawning required by those in a cult leader's inner circle. Blind loyalty leader's inner circle. Blind loyalty matters more than competence.
2:14matters more than competence.
2:14Cult leaders are immune from rational Cult leaders are immune from rational and fact-based critiques amongst those and fact-based critiques amongst those who invest hope in them. This is why who invest hope in them. This is why Trump's hardcore followers have not Trump's hardcore followers have not abandoned him and will not abandon him.
2:27abandoned him and will not abandon him.
2:27All the chatter about fissurers in the All the chatter about fissurers in the MAGA universe misreads Trump cultists.
2:33MAGA universe misreads Trump cultists.
2:33All cults are personality cults. They All cults are personality cults. They are extensions of the prejudices, are extensions of the prejudices, worldview, personal style and ideas of worldview, personal style and ideas of the cult leader. Trump with his faux the cult leader. Trump with his faux Trump crest revels in Louis the 14th Trump crest revels in Louis the 14th inspired tasteless kit, a wash and gold inspired tasteless kit, a wash and gold racoo and glittering chandeliers. The racoo and glittering chandeliers. The women in Trump's court have Mara Lago women in Trump's court have Mara Lago
2:55faces, overinflated lips, taut faces, overinflated lips, taut wrinkle-free skin, silicone gel-filled wrinkle-free skin, silicone gel-filled breast implants, and chiseled cheekbones breast implants, and chiseled cheekbones capped off by gobs of makeup. They wear capped off by gobs of makeup. They wear stiletto heels and garish outfits that stiletto heels and garish outfits that Trump finds appealing. Trump's men, who Trump finds appealing. Trump's men, who in his eyes must be telegenic and from in his eyes must be telegenic and from central casting, dress like 1950s central casting, dress like 1950s
3:18advertising executives. They sport Trump advertising executives. They sport Trump gifted floor shine black shoes, gifted floor shine black shoes, specifically $145 specifically $145 Lexington capto oxfords.
3:29Lexington capto oxfords.
3:29Cults impose dress codes that mirror the Cults impose dress codes that mirror the style and taste of the cult leader. The style and taste of the cult leader. The followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shriur Rajnish, also known as Osho, Shriur Rajnish, also known as Osho, dressed in red and orange robes, often dressed in red and orange robes, often combined with a turtleneck and beads.
3:45combined with a turtleneck and beads.
3:46Heaven's Gate members wore Nike decade Heaven's Gate members wore Nike decade trainers and black jogging bottoms. Men trainers and black jogging bottoms. Men in the unification church, known as in the unification church, known as mooneyies, wore crisp white shirts and mooneyies, wore crisp white shirts and pressed slacks. Women wore dresses. They pressed slacks. Women wore dresses. They looked as if they were on their way to looked as if they were on their way to Sunday school. like Jim Jones, who Sunday school. like Jim Jones, who convinced or forced over 900 of his convinced or forced over 900 of his
4:05followers, including 304 children aged followers, including 304 children aged 17 and younger, to die by ingesting a 17 and younger, to die by ingesting a cyanide laced drink. Trump is cyanide laced drink. Trump is aggressively courting our collective aggressively courting our collective suicide.
4:18suicide.
4:18Trump dismisses the climate crisis as a Trump dismisses the climate crisis as a hoax. He unilaterally withdraws from hoax. He unilaterally withdraws from nuclear arms agreements and treaties. He nuclear arms agreements and treaties. He antagonizes nuclear powers such as antagonizes nuclear powers such as Russia and China. He impetuously Russia and China. He impetuously launches wars. He alienates and insults launches wars. He alienates and insults US allies. He dreams of annexing US allies. He dreams of annexing Greenland and Cuba. He embraces holy Greenland and Cuba. He embraces holy crusade against Muslims. He attacks his
4:41crusade against Muslims. He attacks his political opponents as enemies and political opponents as enemies and traitors, belittling them with crude traitors, belittling them with crude insults. He slashes social programs insults. He slashes social programs designed to sustain the vulnerable. He designed to sustain the vulnerable. He expands an internal security apparatus, expands an internal security apparatus, masked Immigration and Customs masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE goons, to terrorize the Enforcement, ICE goons, to terrorize the public. Cults do not nurture and public. Cults do not nurture and
5:02protect. They subjugate, annihilate, and protect. They subjugate, annihilate, and destroy.
5:08destroy.
5:08Trump employs the US military without Trump employs the US military without oversight or constraint. He presides for oversight or constraint. He presides for this reason over what the psychiatrist this reason over what the psychiatrist Robert J. Lifton called a world Robert J. Lifton called a world destroying cult. Lifton lists eight destroying cult. Lifton lists eight characteristics of world destroying characteristics of world destroying cults that implant what he calls cults that implant what he calls totalistic environments.
5:28totalistic environments.
5:28These eight characteristics are one mu These eight characteristics are one mu control the total control of control the total control of communication within the group. Two communication within the group. Two loading the language using group speak loading the language using group speak to censor edit and shut down criticism to censor edit and shut down criticism or opposing ideas. Followers must mouth or opposing ideas. Followers must mouth the mindless Trump approved cliches and the mindless Trump approved cliches and cult jargon. Three, demand for purity in cult jargon. Three, demand for purity in
5:55us versus them view of the world. Those us versus them view of the world. Those who oppose the group are wrong, who oppose the group are wrong, unenlightened, and evil. They are unenlightened, and evil. They are irredeemable. They are contaminants.
6:05irredeemable. They are contaminants.
6:05They must be eradicated. Any action is They must be eradicated. Any action is justified to protect this purity. The justified to protect this purity. The goal of all cult leaders is to widen and goal of all cult leaders is to widen and make irreconcilable social divisions.
6:17make irreconcilable social divisions.
6:17Four, confession.
6:19Four, confession.
6:19The public confession of past wrongs. In The public confession of past wrongs. In the case of Trump supporters, this the case of Trump supporters, this includes the disavowel, as US Vice includes the disavowel, as US Vice President JD Vance and others have done, President JD Vance and others have done, of past criticism of Trump with public of past criticism of Trump with public admission of their former wrong admission of their former wrong thinking. Five, mystical manipulation.
6:38thinking. Five, mystical manipulation.
6:38the belief that those in the group are the belief that those in the group are specially chosen with a higher purpose.
6:43specially chosen with a higher purpose.
6:43Those in Trump's orbit act as though Those in Trump's orbit act as though they are divinely elected. They convince they are divinely elected. They convince themselves that they are not coerced to themselves that they are not coerced to embrace Trump's lies and vulgarities or embrace Trump's lies and vulgarities or repeat cult jargon, but do so repeat cult jargon, but do so voluntarily.
6:58voluntarily.
6:58Six, doctrine over person. the rewriting Six, doctrine over person. the rewriting and fabrication of personal history to and fabrication of personal history to conform to Trump's interpretation of conform to Trump's interpretation of reality.
7:09reality.
7:09Seven, sacred science. Trump's Seven, sacred science. Trump's absurdities, global temperatures are absurdities, global temperatures are declining rather than rising. The noise declining rather than rising. The noise from wind turbines cause cancer and from wind turbines cause cancer and ingesting disinfectants such as Lysol is ingesting disinfectants such as Lysol is an effective treatment for the Corona an effective treatment for the Corona virus are presented as grounded in virus are presented as grounded in science. This scientific patina means science. This scientific patina means Trump's ideas apply to everyone. Those
7:32Trump's ideas apply to everyone. Those who disagree are unscientific.
7:35who disagree are unscientific.
7:35Eight. Dispensing of existence.
7:39Eight. Dispensing of existence.
7:39Non-members are lesser or unworthy Non-members are lesser or unworthy beings. Meaningful existence means being beings. Meaningful existence means being part of the Trump cult. Those outside part of the Trump cult. Those outside the cult are worthless. They do not the cult are worthless. They do not deserve moral consideration.
7:53deserve moral consideration.
7:53Trump is no different from past cult Trump is no different from past cult leaders including Marshall Hurf Apple leaders including Marshall Hurf Apple Appawite and Bonnie Lou Nettles, the Appawite and Bonnie Lou Nettles, the founders of the Heaven's Gate cult, the founders of the Heaven's Gate cult, the Reverend Sunyong Moon, who led the Reverend Sunyong Moon, who led the unification church, Kredonia Morende, unification church, Kredonia Morende, who led the movement for the restoration who led the movement for the restoration of the Ten Commandments of God in of the Ten Commandments of God in Uganda, Lee Hongchu, the founder of
8:13Uganda, Lee Hongchu, the founder of Fallen Gong, and David Caresh, who led Fallen Gong, and David Caresh, who led the branch devidian cult in Waco, Texas.
8:19the branch devidian cult in Waco, Texas.
8:19Cult leaders are deeply insecure, which Cult leaders are deeply insecure, which is why they lash out with fury at the is why they lash out with fury at the slightest criticism. They mask this slightest criticism. They mask this insecurity with cruelty, hyper insecurity with cruelty, hyper masculinity, and bombastic grandiosity.
8:31masculinity, and bombastic grandiosity.
8:31They are paranoid, amoral, emotionally They are paranoid, amoral, emotionally crippled, and physically abusive. Those crippled, and physically abusive. Those around them, including children, are around them, including children, are objects to be manipulated for their objects to be manipulated for their enrichment, enjoyment, and often enrichment, enjoyment, and often sadistic entertainment.
8:46sadistic entertainment.
8:46Cults are characterized by pedophilia Cults are characterized by pedophilia and sexual abuse. Those, including and sexual abuse. Those, including Trump, who were frequently in the orbit Trump, who were frequently in the orbit of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, replicated of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, replicated the abuse endemic in cults.
8:59the abuse endemic in cults.
8:59People's temple children were frequently People's temple children were frequently sexually abused, writes Margaret Singer sexually abused, writes Margaret Singer in Cults in our midst, the continuing in Cults in our midst, the continuing fight against their hidden menace.
9:10fight against their hidden menace.
9:10While the group was still in California, While the group was still in California, teenage girls as young as 15 had to teenage girls as young as 15 had to provide sex for influential people provide sex for influential people courted by Jones. A supervisor of courted by Jones. A supervisor of children at Jonestown had a history of children at Jonestown had a history of child sexual abuse, and Jones himself child sexual abuse, and Jones himself assaulted some of the children. If assaulted some of the children. If husbands and wives were caught talking husbands and wives were caught talking privately during a meeting, their
9:31privately during a meeting, their daughters were forced to masturbate daughters were forced to masturbate publicly or to have sex with someone the publicly or to have sex with someone the family didn't like before the entire family didn't like before the entire Jonestown population. children as well Jonestown population. children as well as adults. Cults, singer writes, are a as adults. Cults, singer writes, are a mirror of what is inside the cult mirror of what is inside the cult leader. He has no restraints on him, she leader. He has no restraints on him, she writes of the cult leader. He can make
9:53writes of the cult leader. He can make his fantasies and desires come alive in his fantasies and desires come alive in the world he creates around him. He can the world he creates around him. He can lead people to do his bidding. He can lead people to do his bidding. He can make the surrounding world really his make the surrounding world really his world. What most cult leaders achieve is world. What most cult leaders achieve is akin to the fantasies of a child at akin to the fantasies of a child at play, creating a world with toys and play, creating a world with toys and utensils. In that play world, the child
10:14utensils. In that play world, the child feels omnipotent and creates a realm of feels omnipotent and creates a realm of his own for a few minutes or a few his own for a few minutes or a few hours. He moves the toy dolls about.
10:22hours. He moves the toy dolls about.
10:22They do his bidding. They speak his They do his bidding. They speak his words back to him. He punishes them any words back to him. He punishes them any way he wants. He is all powerful and way he wants. He is all powerful and makes his fantasy come alive. When I see makes his fantasy come alive. When I see the sand tables and the collections of the sand tables and the collections of toys some child therapists have in their toys some child therapists have in their offices, I think that a cult leader must offices, I think that a cult leader must look about and place people in his look about and place people in his
10:42created world, much as the child creates created world, much as the child creates on the sand table a world that reflects on the sand table a world that reflects his or her desires and fantasies. The his or her desires and fantasies. The difference is that the cult leader has difference is that the cult leader has actual humans doing his bidding as he actual humans doing his bidding as he makes a world around him that springs makes a world around him that springs from inside his own head.
11:02from inside his own head.
11:02The language of the cult leader is The language of the cult leader is rooted in verbal confusion, lies, rooted in verbal confusion, lies, conspiracy theories, outlandish ideas, conspiracy theories, outlandish ideas, and contradictory statements often made and contradictory statements often made in the same statement or only minutes in the same statement or only minutes apart, paralyzing those attempting to apart, paralyzing those attempting to read the cult leader rationally.
11:19read the cult leader rationally.
11:19Absurdism is the point. The cult leader Absurdism is the point. The cult leader does not take his or her statements does not take his or her statements seriously. They often deny ever making seriously. They often deny ever making them, although they are documented. Lies them, although they are documented. Lies and truth are irrelevant. The cult and truth are irrelevant. The cult leader is not seeking to impart leader is not seeking to impart information or truth. The cult leader is information or truth. The cult leader is seeking to appeal to the emotional needs seeking to appeal to the emotional needs
11:39of cult members. Hitler kept his enemies of cult members. Hitler kept his enemies in a state of constant confusion and in a state of constant confusion and diplomatic upheaval. Yoast amirlo wrote diplomatic upheaval. Yoast amirlo wrote in the rape of the mind, the psychology in the rape of the mind, the psychology of thought control and menicide.
11:54of thought control and menicide.
11:54They never knew what this unpredictable They never knew what this unpredictable madman was going to do next. Hitler was madman was going to do next. Hitler was never logical because he knew that that never logical because he knew that that was what he was expected to be. Logic was what he was expected to be. Logic can be met with logic while illogic can be met with logic while illogic cannot. It confuses those who think cannot. It confuses those who think straight. The big lie and monotonously straight. The big lie and monotonously repeated nonsense have more emotional repeated nonsense have more emotional
12:15appeal in a cold war than logic and appeal in a cold war than logic and reason. While the enemy is still reason. While the enemy is still searching for a reasonable searching for a reasonable counterargument to the first lie, the counterargument to the first lie, the totalitarians can assault him with totalitarians can assault him with another.
12:28another.
12:28It doesn't matter how many lies uttered It doesn't matter how many lies uttered by Trump are meticulously documented. It by Trump are meticulously documented. It doesn't matter that Trump has used the doesn't matter that Trump has used the presidency to enrich himself by an presidency to enrich himself by an estimated $1.4 billion over the last estimated $1.4 billion over the last year, according to Forbes. It doesn't year, according to Forbes. It doesn't matter that he is inept, lazy, and matter that he is inept, lazy, and ignorant. It doesn't matter that he ignorant. It doesn't matter that he
12:48stumbles from one disaster to the next, stumbles from one disaster to the next, from tariffs to the war on Iran. The from tariffs to the war on Iran. The traditional establishment, whose traditional establishment, whose credibility has been destroyed because credibility has been destroyed because of its betrayal of the working class and of its betrayal of the working class and subservience to the billionaire class subservience to the billionaire class and corporations, has little power over and corporations, has little power over Trump's supporters. Their vitriol only Trump's supporters. Their vitriol only
13:06increases his popularity. Political increases his popularity. Political cults are the bastard children of a cults are the bastard children of a failed liberalism. Trump's approval failed liberalism. Trump's approval rating may be at around 40% as of April rating may be at around 40% as of April 20th according to an average of multiple 20th according to an average of multiple polls collated by the New York Times, polls collated by the New York Times, but his base remains unmovable.
13:25but his base remains unmovable.
13:25The Democratic Party, rather than pivot The Democratic Party, rather than pivot to address the social inequality and to address the social inequality and abandonment of the working class, which abandonment of the working class, which it helped orchestrate, has hit upon tax it helped orchestrate, has hit upon tax cuts as a road to regaining power.
13:39cuts as a road to regaining power.
13:39It will once again reduce our social, It will once again reduce our social, economic, and political crisis to the economic, and political crisis to the personality of Trump. It will offer no personality of Trump. It will offer no reforms to rectify our failed democracy.
13:51reforms to rectify our failed democracy.
13:51This is a gift to Trump and his This is a gift to Trump and his followers. By refusing to acknowledge followers. By refusing to acknowledge responsibility for inequality and responsibility for inequality and proposing programs to ameliate the proposing programs to ameliate the suffering it has caused, Democrats suffering it has caused, Democrats engage in the same kind of magical engage in the same kind of magical thinking as Trump cultists.
14:07thinking as Trump cultists.
14:07There's no way out of this political There's no way out of this political dysfunction unless popular movements dysfunction unless popular movements rise to the machinery of rise to the machinery of government and commerce on behalf of a government and commerce on behalf of a betrayed public. But time is running betrayed public. But time is running out. Trump and his goons are serious out. Trump and his goons are serious about invalidating or canceling the about invalidating or canceling the midterm elections if they perceive midterm elections if they perceive defeat. If that happens, the cult of
14:30defeat. If that happens, the cult of Trump will be unassailable.
14:34That was Trump the God written by Chris That was Trump the God written by Chris Hedges narrated by Ununice Wong. For the Hedges narrated by Ununice Wong. For the Chris Hedges report chrised Chris Hedges report chrised hedges.substack.com
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