Trump ICE backlash could unleash 'narcissistic rage' with 'real consequences'

 Donald Trump could unleash "narcissistic rage" if he faces continued criticism and pressure to be held accountable after a string of ICE violence and deaths that could force him to "change direction", according to a psychotherapist.

At least six people have died so far during an intense campaign by the Trump administration to crack down on immigration enforcement across the US. The recent deaths of Alex Pretti, 37, and Renee Good, also 37, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that have sparked fierce backlash over the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the city.

The Republican leader has long been a polarising figure in politics, and while many professionals would hesitate before diagnosing a world leader as a narcissist, Trump is, in many ways, an unprecedented case. The businessman-turned-President's leadership is so unprecedented, in fact, that more than 200 mental health professionals signed a letter before his inauguration warning the public that Trump showed "symptoms of severe, untreatable personality disorder - malignant narcissism."

The letter, organised by political action committee Anti-Psychopath Pac, outlined Trump's "failure to conform to social norms and laws, repeated lying, reckless disregard for the safety of others, irritability, impulsivity, irresponsibility and lack of remorse". It was published in the New York Times just before Trump's second White House victory, and in a chaotic and unstable first year of his second term, it has come back to haunt many Americans.

From arresting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, to threatening Iran and rising tensions in his own country, many fear the world is teetering on a knife-edge - and that the outcome will depend on Trump's moods and how they impact his decisions as a global leader. Trump's political campaign has brought out the showman in him - dancing on stage, holding rallies as though they are rock concerts, and branding just about anything he can think of. But now, even MAGA supporters are calling on the President to be held to account.

This demand for accountability could trigger a fierce response with "significant real-world consequences," warns a psychotherapist. Mark Vahrmeyer, psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy, explained what Trump's response could be if he feels challenged.

"When a narcissistically structured person is challenged in public, the trigger isn't 'hurt pride' in the everyday sense. It's narcissistic wounding: a puncture in the image they need in order to feel solid inside. That lands as shame and humiliation, and for this personality style, those feelings can feel intolerable, even annihilating.

"Clinically, the common defence is what we psychotherapists call narcissistic rage. Put bluntly: shame fuels rage and rage demands an enemy. The aim is to smash whatever (or whoever) caused the exposure. That matters when someone holds power. If the MAGA base starts heckling, dissenting, or withdrawing admiration, it isn't received as feedback. It is experienced as betrayal.

"The temptation then is not reflection, but escalation: louder rhetoric, sharper enemies, and punitive gestures designed to restore dominance and force the crowd back into the role of the approving mirror. Immigration enforcement can become an attractive arena for this psychology because it offers simple villains, dramatic visuals, and 'strength' as theatre. The current fury around ICE actions, including in Minnesota, is exactly the kind of live wire that can be used to reassert control."

But, Mr Vahrmeyer warns Trump "isn't operating in a vacuum", and that if he does "pivot" he will likely rewrite it - framing his change of heart to be a win or as a result of sabotage. Mr Vahrmeyer explained: "Courts, state officials, Congress, senior Republicans, and the blunt reality of events can impose limits. So if he changes direction, the clinical point is this: it's more likely to be forced adaptation, not contrition.

"A narcissistic mind can pivot when it must, but it will typically rewrite the pivot as victory, necessity, or sabotage by others rather than 'I was wrong'. And when someone has real levels of power, that inner storm can have significant real-world consequences when acted out."

In recent weeks, the world has seen reminders of the very real power at Trump's fingertips, and how a decision he makes can send shockwaves through the geopolitical sphere with alarming consequences. His mental capacity has also recently been brought back into question after an awkward speech at the Board of Peace Forum in Davos, Switzerland where he mixed up Iceland and Greenland, the country he has openly expressed wanting "right title and ownership" over.

It comes as Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, a known ally of Trump's, allegedly shared with other EU leaders he was shocked and concerned by the "psychological state" of Trump after an in-person meeting at the former real estate tycoon's Mar-a-Lago estate on January 17.

Fico allegedly described Trump as coming across as "dangerous" during the meeting, raising the fears in an "informal huddle" of leaders and top officials as diplomats and politicians gathered in Brussels on January 22 to discuss Trump's threats to take Greenland. In response to the claims, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said: "This is absolutely total fake news from anonymous European diplomats who are trying to be relevant. The meeting at Mar-a-Lago was positive and productive."

But while many leaders may pause to reflect following such criticism from people they considered an ally, for a personality like Trump's, this is unlikely to be the case. Dr Katie Barge explained: "From a psychological perspective, when a leader with strong narcissistic traits begins to lose control, admiration, or unquestioned loyalty, it's often experienced as a profound personal threat rather than a political setback.

"In moments like this, accountability isn't processed as feedback; it's felt as humiliation. From my experience, this is a huge trigger point for people high in narcissistic traits. What we typically see when narcissistic figures are cornered is escalation rather than reflection. That can include doubling down on blame, creating enemies, leaning into fear-based rhetoric, or taking increasingly extreme positions in order to reassert dominance and regain a sense of power.

"Being openly challenged by his own supporters is likely to be particularly destabilising. Narcissistic leaders rely heavily on the illusion of unwavering loyalty, so public dissent can provoke impulsive, punitive, or reckless behaviour as a way of restoring control. Rather than stepping back, this pressure may make him even more unpredictable, more reactive, more combative, and more willing to take risky decisions that play well emotionally with a core base, even if they are damaging in the longer term. When narcissistic leaders feel their grip slipping, they rarely soften. They tighten it, with often impulsive and damaging consequences."