Is Trump becoming “the demented dictator?”

Is Trump becoming “the demented dictator?”

Author: Really American Media August 15, 2025 Duration: 2:05:07

Is Trump becoming “the demented dictator”? That’s the question driving the latest episode of Shrinking Trump, as clinical psychologists John Gartner and Harry Segal sit down with Dan Rodricks, the legendary former Baltimore Sun columnist, to unpack Trump’s disastrous press conference where he unveiled a plan to seize control of the D.C. police.

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They paint a vivid picture of Trump’s recent media blitz, from declaring eight separate states of emergency to deploying troops in Washington, D.C. Rather than stemming crime—which has actually declined—these moves feel like a staged spectacle, a bid to manufacture chaos and justify an authoritarian grip.


Heather Cox Richardson and photographer-writer Rex Huke chime in to call out the mainstream press for glossing over Trump’s erratic behavior. Too often, anchors chase sensational sound bites instead of pressing for real answers, reducing cognitive warning signs to fleeting headlines rather than treating them as red flags.


When Trump turns his fire on Baltimore, he distorts a city on the rise into a caricature of dysfunction. Gartner and Segal contrast his fear-mongering with ground-level reality—neighborhood revitalization, falling violent-crime rates, and community-led renewal—showing how he weaponizes urban struggles to stoke division.


Pointing out possible signs of cognitive strain in our leaders isn’t a cheap political attack—it’s a civic responsibility. By naming these stunts for what they may be—symptoms of mental strain—we open the door to honest dialogue, inoculate ourselves against manipulation, and reclaim our democratic norms.


Tune in to Shrinking Trump on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows. Arm yourself with the language to see past the façade and call out authoritarian playbooks whenever they emerge. In a world drowning in noise, psychological clarity just might be our most powerful defense.

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Each week, psychologists John Gartner and Harry Segal sit down for a session focused on a singular, complex subject: the mind of Donald Trump. In their Shrinking Trump podcast, produced by Really American Media, they apply their clinical expertise to publicly available behavior and speech, methodically documenting signs of cognitive decline and exploring the ramifications of his diagnosed malignant narcissism. They are joined by a roster of expert guests from various fields, turning each episode into a nuanced discussion that goes beyond standard political commentary. Dr. Gartner, a former Johns Hopkins psychiatry professor and founder of the Duty To Warn association, brings a particular urgency to these conversations, framing them within a broader ethical context. This isn't about partisan politics; it's a forensic psychological examination of a figure who has profoundly impacted the national landscape. Tuning in, you'll hear a careful, evidence-based analysis that breaks down rhetoric and action through a clinical lens, offering listeners a distinct perspective found in few other news and politics podcasts. The dialogue is direct, informed, and dedicated to understanding the psychological drivers behind the headlines, providing a deeper framework for interpreting ongoing events.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Shrinking Trump
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