<
https://theconversation.com/why-trump-accuses-people-of-wrongdoing-he-himself-committed-an-explanation-of-projection-237912>
"Donald Trump has a particular formula he uses to convey messages to his
supporters and opponents alike: He highlights others’ wrongdoings even though
he has committed similar acts himself.
On Oct. 3, 2024, Trump accused the Biden administration of spending Federal
Emergency Management Agency funds − money meant for disaster relief − on
services for immigrants. Biden did no such thing, but Trump did during his time
in the White House, including to pay for additional detention space.
This is not the first time he has accused someone of something he had done or
would do in the future. In 2016, Trump criticized opponent Hillary Clinton’s
use of an unsecured personal email server while secretary of state as “extreme
carelessness with classified material.” But once he was elected, Trump
continued to use his unsecured personal cellphone while in office. And he has
been criminally charged with illegally keeping classified government documents
after he left office and storing them in his bedroom, bathroom and other places
at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
More recently, the Secret Service arrested a man with a rifle who was allegedly
planning to shoot Trump during a round of golf. In the wake of this event,
Trump accused Democrats of using “inflammatory language” that stokes the fires
of political violence. Meanwhile, Trump himself has a long history of making
inflammatory remarks that could potentially incite violence.
As a scholar of both politics and psychology, I’m familiar with the
psychological strategies candidates use to persuade the public to support them
and to cast their rivals in a negative light. This strategy Trump has used
repeatedly is called “projection.” It’s a tactic people use to lessen their own
faults by calling out these faults in others."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
