On Thursday, at least 35 psychiatry experts held a conference at Yale University and confirmed what most of the world already knew about President Donald Trump. They found that Trump has a “dangerous mental illness,” is unfit to be president, and represents a “danger” to the American people.
Dr. John Gartner, a psychotherapist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, announced:
“[They] have an ethical responsibility to warn the public about Donald Trump’s dangerous mental illness.”
The doctor went on to explain:
“Worse than just being a liar or a narcissist, in addition he is paranoid, delusional and grandiose thinking and he proved that to the country the first day he was President. If Donald Trump really believes he had the largest crowd size in history, that’s delusional.”
James Gilligan is a psychiatrist at New York University and has an extensive background working with dangerous mentally unstable criminals. He concludes that Trump may be right at home in that category. Gilligan explains:
“I’ve worked with some of the most dangerous people our society produces, directing mental health programmes in prisons. I’ve worked with murderers and rapists. I can recognise dangerousness from a mile away. You don’t have to be an expert on dangerousness or spend fifty years studying it like I have in order to know how dangerous this man is.”
The conference and the doctors’ diagnosis weren’t without its share of controversy, as many questioned the ethics behind their actions.
Some believe that the doctors may have violated the Goldwater Rule, an important medical ethics rule that prohibits doctors from diagnosing patients they have not examined in person.
However, the conference organizers insist they had broken no such rule because the Goldwater Rule does not apply to the scientific discussion process.
Since the campaign, Trump’s erratic behavior has been a growing concern for millions of Americans. But now that he’s president, it’s evolved into an issue of national security and possibly world peace. Many believe Trump could start World War III, as he has a history of hinted at the use of nuclear weapons.
For example, during a 2016 interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Trump questioned why it wouldn’t be appropriate for the U.S. to retaliate against an ISIS terrorist attack with nuclear weapons.
“TRUMP: I’d be the last one to use the nuclear weapons, because that’s sort of like the end of the ballgame.
MATTHEWS: So, can you take it off the table now? Can you tell the Middle East we are not using the nuclear weapon on anybody?
TRUMP: I would never say that. I would never take any of my cards off the table…
MATTHEWS: Where would we drop — where would we drop a nuclear weapon in the Middle East?
TRUMP: Let me explain. Let me explain. Somebody hits us within ISIS — you wouldn’t fight back with a nuke?”
Transcript via Vox.
This is just one example of many dangerous behaviors, which also includes the infamous Access Hollywood video that recorded Trump bragging about his history of sexually assaulting women and using his “star” status to justify it.
During the campaign, other psychologists also walked an ethical line to warn Americans about Trump’s mental state. This video is just one of many in which a psychologist sounds the alarm about Trump’s mental fitness:
If these mental health professionals are correct, Trump’s impeachment must happen soon before he can do irreversible damage to America and its international neighbors.
While it’s fun to mock the instability and incompetence of Trump and his administration, there may come a time when his actions will no longer be a source of amusement.
It’s vital that every day Americans continue to put pressure on their representatives and force them to acknowledge the danger Trump represents. And if they don’t listen, then we must vote for people who will.
Psychologists Featured image via YouTube and Graphicstock
