Trump & The Theater Of Power: How Ego, Flattery & Authoritarian Envy Undermine America
By ANDERSON (ANDY) CLIFF
FOR nearly a decade, speculation has swirled over whether Donald Trump is a Russian asset. But that may be the wrong question. The real issue is not whether Trump was recruited by Moscow—but whether he ever needed to be. His behavior suggests not covert allegiance, but willing alignment.
Trump’s admiration for Vladimir Putin is overt and consistent. He praises the Russian leader’s strength, echoes Kremlin talking points, undermines NATO, and downplays Ukraine’s sovereignty. This is not espionage; it’s affinity born of ego and insecurity.
Psychologically, Trump’s narcissism and sociopathy make him vulnerable to flattery and incapable of separating personal validation from national interest. Putin’s praise becomes “truth,” while U.S. intelligence warnings become betrayal. In this distorted lens, foreign policy becomes a stage for self-worship, not strategy.
The affinity also has a transactional dimension. Flattery, money, and recognition operate as currencies in an informal economy of influence—one in which Trump’s business interests and vanity made him especially susceptible. Russian-linked investments in his properties and networks of influence around the GOP illustrate this vulnerability.
Trump’s pattern extends beyond Russia. He has lauded Erdoğan, Orbán, Xi, and Kim Jong-un, projecting a longing for inclusion in a global fraternity of strongmen. This “ritual kinship” of handshakes and praise signals belonging to an authoritarian brotherhood rather than to democratic tradition.
Meanwhile, his rhetoric mirrors and amplifies Russian disinformation, eroding public trust and blurring truth and falsehood. In doing so, Trump has weakened America’s civic and security infrastructure, slashing cybersecurity programs and purging officials who challenged him.
Calling Trump a “Russian asset” oversimplifies the danger. The greater threat is that his psychology and ambition have repeatedly advanced Russian strategic goals—weakening alliances, degrading intelligence credibility, and sowing domestic division.
The real question, then, is not whether Trump works for Putin, but whether his ego and admiration for authoritarian power make him too easily manipulated to defend American democracy.
The answer is chilling: Trump doesn’t need to be controlled by Russia. He’s already acting out its script—voluntarily.
