The Daily Beast Podcast This Is How We Know Trump Is A Sociopath: Author
10 snips
Dec 16, 2025 
David Rothkopf, founder of Deep State Radio and former editor of Foreign Policy, dissects Trump's reaction to tragedy, arguing it reveals deep sociopathy and a lack of empathy. He highlights Trump's dismissive response to mass shootings and his lifelong narcissism, linking personal flaws to national policies. Rothkopf discusses the impacts of Trump's cabinet dynamics, the potential risks of business corruption, and Trump's preemptive narratives around electoral losses. The conversation critiques Trump's foreign policy, emphasizing its dangers to NATO and Western alliances.
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President's Pathology Shapes Policy
- David Rothkopf argues Donald Trump displays sociopathy marked by lack of empathy and self-centered cruelty.
- Rothkopf links that personal pathology to harmful national policy and governance failures.
Tragedy Turned Into Personal Attack
- Rothkopf condemns Trump's Truth Social post about Rob Reiner as making tragedy about himself and politically attacking the victim.
- He treats such responses as consistent evidence of Trump's cruelty and debasement.
Center-Stage Behavior In Public And Private
- Joanna Coles and David Rothkopf recall family and public incidents showing Trump's need to be center stage.
- They describe episodes where Trump elbowed others and commandeered attention from relatives to foreign leaders.
