--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact…" description: "\"Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact with reality, though I'm not sure it qualifies as a bona fide delusion. He needs things to be a certain way eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/robert-jay-lifton-13917_believe_donald-trump-doesn-t-have-clear-contact_987830.jpg" --- # Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact with reality… ![“Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact with reality, though I'm not sure it qualifies as a bona fide delusion. He needs things to be a certain way even though they aren't, and that's one reason he lies. There can also be a conscious manipulative element to it. When he put forward, and politically…” quote by Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/robert-jay-lifton-13917_believe_donald-trump-doesn-t-have-clear-contact_987830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/robert-jay-lifton-13917_believe_donald-trump-doesn-t-have-clear-contact_987830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/robert-jay-lifton-13917_believe_donald-trump-doesn-t-have-clear-contact_987830.jpg) > “Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact with reality, though I'm not sure it qualifies as a bona fide delusion. He needs things to be a certain way even though they aren't, and that's one reason he lies. There can also be a conscious manipulative element to it. When he put forward, and politically thrived on, the falsehood of President Obama's birth in Kenya, outside the United States, he was manipulating that lie as well as undoubtedly believing it in part, at least in a segment of his personality.” [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump’s perception of reality is distorted, leading to deliberate falsehoods and manipulation, sometimes believing his own lies. **In simple terms:** Distorted reality fuels lies and manipulation. Key Takeaway Question narratives and seek evidence. Themes politics psychology truth manipulation leadership Mood critical concerned Type psychological political When to use this quote - media analysis - public discourse - leadership training - critical thinking Key Concepts cognitive dissonance political rhetoric belief systems Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑deception affect leadership? - What safeguards can detect manipulated narratives? A Different Perspective Even manipulators may sometimes believe their own falsehoods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [ Reason lies betweene the spurre and the bridle. \[Reason lies between the spur and the bridle.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/reason-lies-betweene-the-spurre-and-the-bridle-reason-lies-between/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [While Donald Trump doesn't have any systematic ideology, he does have a narrative, and in that narrative, America was once a great country, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/while-donald-trump-doesn-t-have-any-systematic-ideology-he-does-have/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [The media is the great middleman. Trump doesn't need a middleman to get his message out. Trump's crowds are five blocks long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-media-is-the-great-middleman-trump-doesn-t-need-a-middleman-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If somebody does something Mr. Trump doesn't like, I do everything in my power to resolve it to Mr. Trump's benefit. If you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cohen/if-somebody-does-something-mr-trump-doesn-t-like-i-do-everything-in/) [Michael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cohen/) > [ What I hear from people out there is they always say that \[Donald Trump\] doesn't like us. And so they're energized. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/what-i-hear-from-people-out-there-is-they-always-say-that-donald/) [Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/) > [The globalists, the establishment, they think America isn't particularly exceptional and should be no different than any other state in the world, subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-globalists-the-establishment-they-think-america-isn-t/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Trump doesn’t think in terms of morality or human rights, he thinks only in terms of power and dominance. Might makes right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/trump-doesn-t-think-in-terms-of-morality-or-human-rights-he-thinks/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [The media are used to being able to control the agenda of both their friends and their enemies, their buddies and their opponents, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-media-are-used-to-being-able-to-control-the-agenda-of-both-their/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ So in his very politically-incorrect way, I think \[James Mattis\] is a good counterpart to Donald Trump, who doesn't read books. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/so-in-his-very-politically-incorrect-way-i-think-james-mattis-is-a/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[Donald\] Trump doesn't give up and let \[the Democrats\] have what they want. But people around Trump and some others in the world of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-doesn-t-give-up-and-let-the-democrats-have-what-they/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [European leaders have learned that there is no point in seeking agreement with Trump, for he doesn't respect those who do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/european-leaders-have-learned-that-there-is-no-point-in-seeking/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [I hope Donald Trump doesn't become president of the United States and I expect the people of the United States will have the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/i-hope-donald-trump-doesn-t-become-president-of-the-united-states-and/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [Donald Trump is Donald Trump! He doesn't apologize for who he is. We know he's tacky. We know he's orange. We know he's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/donald-trump-is-donald-trump-he-doesn-t-apologize-for-who-he-is-we/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [Maybe Donald Trump doesn't want the American people to know that he's paid nothing in federal taxes, because the only years that anybody's ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/maybe-donald-trump-doesn-t-want-the-american-people-to-know-that-he-s/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) ## More by Robert Jay Lifton > [As a kid I was fascinated with sports, and I loved sports more than anything else. The first books I read were about sports,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/as-a-kid-i-was-fascinated-with-sports-and-i-loved-sports-more-than/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [There's more and more recognition that a carbon economy is dangerous to us economically. And there is increasing recognition that renewable fuels have economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/there-s-more-and-more-recognition-that-a-carbon-economy-is-dangerous/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [I struggled with each of these studies and I was uncertain about what they meant, and often confused, and then I tried to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/i-struggled-with-each-of-these-studies-and-i-was-uncertain-about-what/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [And I was troubled by the heavy-handed prose of so much psychoanalytic writing, which seemed drowned in its own concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/and-i-was-troubled-by-the-heavy-handed-prose-of-so-much/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [Donald Trump gives the impression that he would like to govern by decree. 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But these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/there-are-people-who-believe-that-there-should-be-a-standard/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [One reason that I embarked on a study of Nazi doctors was that in this personal journey, I had the feeling increasingly that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/one-reason-that-i-embarked-on-a-study-of-nazi-doctors-was-that-in/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [We have a duty to warn on an individual basis if we are treating someone who may be dangerous to herself or to others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/we-have-a-duty-to-warn-on-an-individual-basis-if-we-are-treating/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [“The ditties blend Japanese popular culture themes of saccharine, childlike goodness and viciously detached sadism, which Aum drew upon as it tapped the barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/the-ditties-blend-japanese-popular-culture-themes-of-saccharine/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [The scientists who made the atomic bomb are, in my sense, people with a tragic destiny. You know, there was the US race with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/the-scientists-who-made-the-atomic-bomb-are-in-my-sense-people-with-a/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [“Psychologically, nothing is darker or more menacing, or harder to accept, than the participation of physicians in mass murder. However technicized or commercial the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/psychologically-nothing-is-darker-or-more-menacing-or-harder-to/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [That is, we are bombarded by all kinds of images and influences and we have to fend some of them off if we're to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/that-is-we-are-bombarded-by-all-kinds-of-images-and-influences-and-we/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [The language of the totalist environment is characterized by the thought-terminating cliché. The most far-reaching and complex of human problems are compressed into brief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/the-language-of-the-totalist-environment-is-characterized-by-the/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [People with what we call mental illness can indeed serve well, and people who have no discernible mental illness - and that may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/people-with-what-we-call-mental-illness-can-indeed-serve-well-and/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [There is a movement of more people recognizing global warming as a danger, recognizing the human contribution to global warming, recognizing the necessity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/there-is-a-movement-of-more-people-recognizing-global-warming-as-a/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) [Explore all 48 Robert Jay Lifton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Donald Trump doesn't have clear contact with reality, though I'm not sure it qualifies as a bona fide delusion. He needs things to be a certain way even though they aren't, and that's one reason he lies. There can also be a conscious manipulative element to it. 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