As US President Donald Trump sparks concerns following a confident yet chaotic speech in Davos, experts in psychology weigh in on what could be going on inside the mind of the most divisive man of the 21st century
Emily Thornberry slams Donald Trump’s NATO comments
While there’s rarely a day that goes by without US President Donald Trump sparking some sort of outrage, this week has proven to be particularly eventful on the world stage, sparking fresh concerns over exactly what sort of man sits in arguably the most powerful office on Earth.
Now, as Trump hints that he would order military strikes on Iran, experts have given their insight on what could really be going on in the mind of the most controversial politician of the 21st century, and why his “risky” psychological profile could have frightening consequences.
POTUS’s mental capacity was questioned yet again earlier this week following an extremely awkward speech at the Board of Peace Forum in Davos after he mixed up the countries of Iceland and Greenland, the very country he has so openly expressed wanting “right title and ownership” over.
The boldness of this endeavour has angered fellow world leaders while sparking criticism across the political spectrum, not least because of the almost casual, transactional nature with which he discusses a move that would have far-reaching consequences beyond a territory he has described as a “great piece of ice”. As previously put by the Mirror’s US Editor, Christopher Bucktin, “He presents it as if it were an underperforming golf resort he might snap up at auction, a frozen land waiting for the Trump logo.”
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While 79-year-old Trump has argued that US control over the self-governing Danish island is imperative for the “national security of the US, Europe and other parts of the free world”, citing threats from Russia and China, it’s feared this could throw an already shaky world order into chaos, while setting a dangerous precedent.
Meanwhile, Trump’s true motives have been widely questioned, with Greenland’s rich abundance of mineral resources, plus copious oil and gas reserves, making it a tempting purchase for a money-minded former businessman, who has never exactly been lauded for his company ethics.
William Freer, research fellow in national security at the Council on Geostrategy, told the Mirror: “Greenland is vital to US national security, but there is very little militarily that Trump cannot already do with Greenland based on existing agreements with Denmark. The recent pressure stems more from the mineral wealth of Greenland. The US needs critical minerals for its military, but is heavily dependent on China for now. Controlling Greenland would reduce this reliance.”
While many leaders would tread lightly on issues concerning international security, Trump has taken an extraordinarily confident, characteristically brash approach to getting what he wants, piling pressure on NATO allies in such a way that saw him branded “a bully” and “an international gangster” on this week’s Question Time. Going as far as to claim that the US has “never needed NATO”, Trump took his time to seemingly confirm the US would not be using military force against Greenland, declaring, “I don’t have to use force, I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force.”
Mr Freer continued: “The approach Trump has taken is not too different from his previous negotiating strategies. The President tends to start with maximalist demands and tough talk on actions – including the threat of renewed tariffs – to test resolve. For American allies who are used to an America which has not been willing to throw its weight around to this extent in recent memory, President Trump’s actions have been deeply disturbing.”
So what does this recent behaviour tell us about what Trump is actually like as a person behind the divisive global brand, and should those of us sharing an already precarious planet with him be worried?
According to chartered psychologist Dr Katie Barge: “From a psychological perspective, while we can’t diagnose a public figure, we can look at the evidence in terms of behavioural patterns. What President Trump’s actions strongly suggest is a dominance-driven, attention-seeking leadership style, where provocation is used deliberately to control the narrative.
“Rapid policy reversals, grand promises, and seemingly petty gestures aren’t random-they function as power plays. In psychology, this kind of behaviour is often linked to high-conflict personalities, where winning, visibility, and status matter more than consistency or cooperation.
“Psychologically, this reflects low emotional regulation paired with high confidence. Decisions appear reactive, personalised, and performative; more about asserting power in the moment than demonstrating emotional intelligence or long-term strategic thinking.”
Picking up on potential attachment trauma issues, Dr Barge noted: “This style thrives on chaos, which could link to early attachment trauma in childhood. Our nervous systems seek out what feels familiar from our primary experiences and neural patterning in childhood. By keeping opponents, allies, and the public constantly reacting, the individual remains at the centre of attention and authority. In that sense, the unpredictability is the strategy.
“While this approach can work in media and business environments, it’s highly atypical-and risky-in global leadership. In leadership psychology, emotionally secure leaders prioritise stability, consistency, and collaboration. By contrast, emotionally immature leadership often relies on grand gestures, reversals, and public one-upmanship to maintain authority.
“When leadership becomes performative, it can unsettle markets, strain diplomatic relationships, and heighten public anxiety. That’s why these behaviours feel so jarring on the world stage; they break almost every psychological rule of secure, steady leadership.”
During an interview at the World Economic Forum, Trump, who recently marked the one-year anniversary of his return to the White House, asserted that the US will now have “total access” and “all the military access” to Greenland. This follows a new deal with NATO members hammered out at Davos, pledging that a portion of America’s ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system would be constructed on the enormous, ethereally beautiful island.
Preliminary discussions with NATO are ongoing, and the precise terms of the eventual agreement remain unclear as of yet. When asked by CNBC as to whether this deal involved the US ownership of territory in Greenland, Trump simply replied that this arrangement was “a little bit complex”. He has, however, confirmed that the threat of tariffs on any UK and EU allies who opposed his plan to annex Greenland would be withdrawn.
This follows days of rollercoaster U-turns on the part of POTUS, who, in a particularly cruel move, disrespected the memories of British soldiers who gave their lives in the war in Afghanistan, falsely claiming America’s allies “stayed a little back, off the front line” and devastating families who lost loved ones during the conflict. And while those who continue to defend Trump may attempt to paint this dreadful slur as a mere slip of the tongue, Dr Tej Samani, honorary research fellow at Sussex University, says the politician’s “inflammatory” language is anything but accidental.
Dr Samani, creator of My Performance Learning, told us: “Donald Trump‘s behaviour is not random, it follows a very recognisable psychological pattern. It is loud, reactive and deliberately provocative. This style plays directly to impulse and emotion rather than reflection or restraint. Sudden reversals, inflammatory statements and headline-grabbing offers are not accidents; they are tools. They create stimulation, control the narrative and keep attention locked on him.
“This is not diplomacy; it is dominance-based leadership. Everything is framed in extremes: winning or losing, loyalty or betrayal. Momentum matters more than consistency. Staying central to the story is the goal, whether the coverage is positive or negative. It is not typical of most world leaders, but it is not unique either. What we are seeing more of is performative leadership, where politics becomes theatre and reaction becomes strategy.”
This worrying pattern is evident yet again with Trump’s brazen warning to Iran, where hundreds of protestors have been killed during a bloody crackdown on demonstrations. On board Air Force One, following his speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump said: “We have a big flotilla going in that direction. We’ll see what happens. We have a big force going down to Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”
The US has ordered US F-15 Strike Eagles in neighbouring Jordan as part of a wider military build-up, which will include the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. Moving toward Iran from the South China Sea, the naval force comes equipped with F-35 stealth fighters and destroyers. Hinting that strikes could be launched on Tehran, Trump, who claims he was personally responsible for the Iranian capital’s decision to cancel 800 protestor executions earlier this month, added, “Maybe we won’t have to use it, we’ll see.”
For those with grave concerns over ongoing geopolitical tensions, this latest boast by Trump will do little to quell shudders. And indeed, as a savvy communicator trained in the art of reality television, this could well be the whole point. Perhaps more so than the Oval Office occupants before him, Trump knows how to leave his MAGA loyalists and detractors on a cliffhanger, keeping them talking and arguing away until the next bombastic episode.
Dr Marianne Trent, Clinical Psychologist at Good Thinking Psychology, told the Mirror: “Until relatively recently, it seemed we could go weeks without hearing about American politics in the media, but since President Trump came back to the Oval Office, that definitely seems to have changed. I can’t be the only one who each morning when I turn on my radio I feel like I brace and wince slightly to see what the latest American political update will be. It’s not appropriate to suggest diagnoses for people who haven’t consented to it or engaged with it, and of course, we may only be seeing a curated version of the real person. Instead, we can focus on patterns of communication and decision-making.
She reflected: “There has certainly been evidence of public actions that appear provocative, transactional, or attention-grabbing, and this can sometimes reflect a leadership style that prioritises dominance, visibility, and control, particularly in uncertain or high-stakes environments. As humans, we have a negative attribution bias, and actually, it’s that which is likely to have contributed to our survival as a species – we pay attention to the red flags, and that might just save our bacon.
“So when it comes to politics, especially sensational, headline-grabbing politics, it’s biologically much easier for us to focus on the unusual or scary-sounding aspects of a story. In world leaders, and in the media generally, I think it is also worth considering whether the headline-grabbing aspects of stories sometimes add a smoke screen of distraction to some of the bigger conversations where answers are not being given.”
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