"Mistaking "cruelty for strength" Trump's "pathological inability to let go of slights; his strongman reflex to be the aggressor and bite back like a cornered animal, without regard for societal norms; his lack of self-awareness about the power he commands and the proportionality of his responses; his grotesque hunger for flattery and taste for Tony Soprano tactics; his Pravda partnership with The National Enquirer, which has been giving Trump the Il Duce treatment while sliming his political opponents, these are all matters that should alarm men and women equally. Trump is used to media that could be bought. He is not built for this hostile, isolated DC environment and it shows in his deteriorating psychological state. Even though he’s in the safest space of all, he’s not in a safe space.... you can never be sure of anything that comes out of this White House. Except the cruelty."
At www.nytimes.com
