UNFIT: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DONALD TRUMP
US, 2020, 83 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Dan Partland.
The Internet Movie Database has an accurately succinct summary: An eye-opening and shattering analysis of the behavior, psyche, condition, and stability of Donald Trump.
This documentary was released in 2020 during the presidential election year, the end of the Trump presidency and the election of the Democrats under the leadership of Joe Biden. And, of course, there was the uprising on January 6 and subsequent trials as well as the series of charges raised against Donald Trump after his being impeached twice. And his claim that the election was rigged against him.
The documentary, with material from the four years of the Trump administration, makes a case against Trump and his fitness for office.
There is quite a range of experts begin with George Conway. Conway was previously married to Trump’s Press Officer, Kellyanne Conway – and this film opening with her commentary about the truth or falsity of the numbers at the inauguration and her statement about alternative facts. George Conway, originally from the Philippines, a supporter of Trump, indicates the steps in his disillusionment. His comments recur throughout the film and are quite telling.
The range of experts includes John Gartner, Malcolm Nance and a range of experts (whose qualifications are listed before they speak) on psychology, on communication, a commentary on narcissism, the behaviour of a sociopath. There are black and white news footage sequences highlighting the career of Mussolini as well as Hitler, and parallels with Italy and Germany in the 1920s and 30s and the United States in the 21st-century. There is also a sequence showing the work of Jane Goodall with the chimpanzees in Africa, the behaviour in a group, the growth of the group, splitting into two, assertions of leadership.
Some anti—Trump commentators complain that the film, at 83 minutes, could have had greater depth. However, most audiences critical of Trump, fearful of Trump, the quickly persuaded of the truth of the opinion stated and appreciate the continued insights. (Clearly, there are comments from pro-Trump supporters who dismiss all the opinions, one commentator relishing the film and seeing liberals wallowing in their misery!).
With 2024, the election year, Trump re-nominating, Joe Biden withdrawing, Karmilla Harris emerging as the Democrat nominee, the film is certainly relevant.
However, the director, Don Partland, released two documentaries in 2024. There was God and Country (Looks at the implications of Christian Nationalism and how it distorts not only the constitutional republic, but Christianity itself.) And a second documentary about Trump, featuring George Conway again, John Gartner as an anchor personality, Malcolm Nance and others as well as fresh commentators: #UNTRUTH: The Psychology of Trumpism. Whilst reinforcing the statements about Trump, it looks at the psychology of divided America. And the IMDb description: Mental health experts analyze disinformation, false narratives, and untruths in American media and culture. It examines how profit-driven enablers and power-seeking politicians create divisions threatening democracy.
These descriptions of narcissism might be helpful in the diagnosis: True narcissism is a far deeper, darker issue.
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is estimated to affect around 1% of the population, and is characterised by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy, an intense need for admiration, a deep envy of others, the belief they’reunique and deserving of special treatment, and a preoccupation with brilliance and unlimited power.
While many of us display some of these traits from time to time, it’s considered pathological when it’s a pattern of behaviours which impair a person’s daily functioning – with others often caught in the crossfire.
Note: Don Partland’s 2023 film, God + Country, is a further development of the theme, includes Donald Trump but focuses on the transition of many American Evangelical Christians being transformed into Christian Nationalists, culminating in religious motivation in the January 6th attack on the Capitol, 2021.
His 2024 documentary, #UNTRUTH: The Psychology of Trumpism completes the trilogy.
