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.

Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:

Our site

Subscribe on iTunes

Subscribe on Spotify

Subscribe on Amazon Music

Subscribe on iHeartRadio


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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


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
Podcast Episodes
Post-Election Session: Facing the Unthinkable in Uncertain Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:03
Welcome to the session of Shrinking Trump we all need after a difficult week, where Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel address the aftermath of a surprising post-election landscape that has left many Americans grappli…
On the Edge of History: Shrink-Wrapping the Election Stakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:17:06
In our 27th episode, hosts Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel are joined by Dr. Stefan Ducat, to dive into all the latest drama in the pivotal pre-election landscape, underlining the dramatic importance of the imminen…
Kamala Calls out Donald's Decline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15:53
Welcome to another insightful session of Shrinking Trump, where Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel, along with special guest George Conway, dive into alarming new details of Donald Trump's cognitive decline, and the p…
Donald's Thought Disorder Has Become Psychotic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11:25
In this 25th episode of Shrinking Trump, hosts Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel are joined by psychologist Dr. Drew Westen to take a hard look at new evidence of the alarming cognitive decline of Donald Trump. Make…
Trump Chickens Out After Kamala Kills It On 60 Minutes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:05
Dr.’s John Gartner and Harry Siegel return for another important session of Shrinking Trump, where they detail more shocking signs of Donald Trump's cognitive decline, and illustrate just how far Trump has drifted from a…
He’s Incoherent - Trump’s Cognitive Decline Accelerates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:51
In this episode of, Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel are joined by George Conway to give you the latest on Jack Smith’s new damning indictment, and present new, clear evidence of Donald Trump's rapid cognitive decli…
Dementia is Not the Only Reason Donald Acts This Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:10
Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel dive into the alarming patterns behind Donald Trump’s increasingly apocalyptic language and what it signals about both his cognitive state and fascist inclinations. And special guest…
Trump's Pet-Eating Claims Will Cost Him The Election [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:02
In today’s episode of Shrinking Trump, our hosts Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel take a hard look at the symptoms of Trump’s worsening cognitive and psychological decline. And we’re joined by Arlie Russell Hochschi…