This thought just smacked me in the head

[42bambi]

this morning. Trump is living vicariously through his base. He hates his own life; he's unable to become who and how he secretly would like his life to be. He's spent years molding his base into what he wishes he could do and be but can't self import himself into those same actions and words. The moment of his climactic vicarious actions happened on January 6th. He told his base, we're going to the capital - we're going to the capital and I'll be there with you - we're walking down to the capital. The big vicarious finale was allowing him to be where they were, he was them. Even after it all fell apart he was still loving them ... loving himself; his "other" life will go on as is - that's all that's left in his long narcissistic existence.

[Irish_Dem]

1. The violent mob is an extension of himself, acting out his sadistic aggressive and homicidal

fantasies. Also fantasies of revenge and total power over others.

Narcissism, grandiosity, sociopathy.

Your summary is clinically sound and well written.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Of course. Like most narcissists, the one thing he hates the most is himself...

and he lives in fear that his innermost weaknesses will be exposed, when the fact is that anybody who is paying attention can see his faults on full display.

[Laelth]

3. He's colossally miserable. No doubt about that.

This is almost always the case for people who suffer from Cluster B personality disorders.

They’re sadists, so they get some slight relief from their own misery when they witness the suffering of others. They get even more relief if they believe that they are the cause of the suffering that they witness. They get a thrill from “getting away” with antisocial behavior, but whatever relief that they can feel is very brief. They quickly return to their miserable, perpetually bored, empty selves ... full of (well-warranted) self-loathing, hate, envy, and anger.

It’s tempting to feel pity for them, but they do not deserve it. They are inherently dangerous, destructive, and mean. They should be avoided and shunned, not pitied.

-Laelth

[Ilsa]

4. And this is all he has left to keep attention on himself.

Look at me! Look at me! Even "bad" attention is better than none. He's always been a drama-dick.