"The Dangerous Mind of a War Criminal" - 28 June 2025

Kia ora whānau.

Today we examine a deeply troubling pattern emerging from the United States - a pattern that reveals not just individual mental instability, but an entire system designed to profit from human suffering. What we're witnessing with Trump's threats to bomb Iran again1 isn't just reckless foreign policy - it's a manifestation of severe psychological dysfunction being weaponised by war profiteers.

Understanding the Context

To grasp the full scope of what's happening, we must understand how mental health, corporate greed, and militarism intersect in American politics. Mental health professionals have been sounding alarms about Trump's psychological state since 20172, when forensic psychiatrist Dr Bandy Lee and 27 colleagues published "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump," warning that his mental state presented a clear danger to public safety.

From a Māori perspective, this situation represents a fundamental violation of whakapapa - the interconnectedness of all things. When leaders lack the spiritual and mental grounding necessary for wise decision-making, they endanger not just their own people but all of humanity. The principle of manaakitanga - caring for others - is completely absent from this warmongering mentality.

Mental Illness Meets Military Profiteering

The current crisis involves several interconnected elements that reveal the toxic relationship between untreated psychological disorders and America's military-industrial complex. Trump's own statements about bombing Iran demonstrate a pattern of grandiose thinking, impulsivity, and complete lack of empathy1 - all hallmarks of severe narcissistic personality disorder.

What makes this particularly dangerous is how this individual pathology aligns perfectly with the financial interests of defense contractors. The US military-industrial complex profits enormously from perpetual conflict3, with companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon seeing their stock prices soar whenever military tensions escalate.

For Māori communities and Indigenous peoples worldwide, this represents a continuation of colonial violence that has devastated our peoples for centuries. The same mentality that justified taking our lands and destroying our cultures now threatens global peace in the name of corporate profits.

The Psychiatric Evidence of Dangerous Mental Illness

The clinical evidence for Trump's psychological instability is overwhelming and well-documented by qualified professionals. Dr Bandy Lee, a forensic psychiatrist at Yale, has led efforts to warn the public about Trump's dangerousness since 20174, arguing that mental health professionals have a "duty to warn" when public figures pose clear threats to society.

Multiple studies have characterized Trump as having "very high extraversion, very low agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability, and sky-high narcissism"5. This isn't political opinion - it's clinical assessment based on observable behaviours that match established diagnostic criteria.

More than 60,000 mental health professionals signed petitions calling for Trump's removal from office due to mental unfitness6. Dr Vince Greenwood, an expert in cognitive therapy, describes Trump as having a "psychopathic personality disorder," comparing him to "a man behind the wheel of a car that has no brakes or steering."

From a Māori worldview, this represents a complete absence of mauri - the life force that should guide ethical decision-making. When leaders lack spiritual grounding and emotional regulation, they become vessels for destructive forces that threaten the balance of the natural world.

The Patterns of Grandiosity and Impulsivity

Trump's public statements consistently demonstrate the grandiose thinking characteristic of narcissistic personality disorder. His boast that he "SAVED" Iran's Supreme Leader "FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH"1 exemplifies the inflated sense of self-importance that mental health professionals have identified as deeply concerning.

Speech experts have noted Trump's "cognitive decline," with rambling speeches and stream-of-consciousness presentations that suggest deteriorating mental faculties7. Dr Jennifer R. Mercieca, a rhetoric expert at Texas A&M, observed that "his lack of concentration makes it appear as though he is experiencing cognitive decline, as if his mental faculties are not well-regulated."

This cognitive deterioration becomes particularly dangerous when combined with access to nuclear weapons and military forces. The principle of kaitiakitanga - guardianship and protection - requires leaders to carefully consider the consequences of their actions for future generations. Trump's impulsive threats to bomb Iran show a complete disregard for these responsibilities.

The War Hawks Pulling the Strings

While Trump's mental illness provides the vehicle, the real drivers of this war push are the neoconservative hawks and defense contractors who profit from conflict. An influential group of GOP hawks has launched a behind-the-scenes lobbying offensive pressing Trump to greenlight attacks on Iran8, despite his own intelligence officials stating that Iran is not building nuclear weapons.

Conservative talk show host Mark Levin told Trump during a private White House lunch that Iran was days away from building a nuclear weapon8 - a claim directly contradicted by Trump's own intelligence team. This manipulation of a mentally unstable individual for political and financial gain represents a profound moral failing.

Defense contractors spent $2.5 billion on lobbying over the past two decades3, employing more than one lobbyist for every member of Congress. These companies saw their stock prices soar following Trump's threats against Iran, with Lockheed Martin receiving $75 billion in Pentagon contracts in fiscal year 2020 alone3.

The Māori concept of utu - balanced exchange - is completely violated by this system where a few corporations profit enormously from conflicts that devastate entire populations. This represents the worst aspects of capitalist exploitation, where human suffering becomes a commodity to be traded on stock exchanges.

The Contradiction with His Own Intelligence Officials

Perhaps most damning is Trump's explicit rejection of his own intelligence assessments. When asked if he agreed with his Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's testimony that Iran was not building nuclear weapons, Trump replied "I don't care what she said"9. This dismissal of factual intelligence in favour of politically motivated narratives shows a complete disconnection from reality.

Multiple intelligence officials have stated that Iran is not actively pursuing nuclear weapons and is up to three years away from being able to produce one10. Yet Trump continues to claim Iran is "very close" to having nuclear capabilities, demonstrating either severe cognitive impairment or deliberate deception.

This pattern reflects the broader problem of how mental illness can be exploited by those with financial interests in conflict. The principle of pono - doing what is right - requires leaders to base decisions on truth rather than delusions or manufactured threats.

The Profiteers Behind the War Machine

The real architects of this potential war are the defense contractors and their political allies who see enormous profits in military conflict. The US military-industrial complex often provokes conflicts and supplies weapons globally, profiting from arms races and instability11. These companies spent nearly $140 million on federal lobbying last year alone.

Since the end of World War II, 248 armed conflicts have occurred in 153 regions worldwide, with 201 initiated by the United States11. This pattern of manufactured conflicts serves the financial interests of weapons manufacturers while devastating communities around the world.

The top US military contractors - Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, and General Dynamics - account for $297.68 billion in market capitalisation12. These companies have a direct financial interest in maintaining global tensions and preventing peaceful resolutions to international disputes.

From a Māori perspective, this represents a complete violation of the principle of aroha - love and compassion for others. When corporations profit from human suffering and death, they corrupt the spiritual foundations that should guide human relationships.

The Broader Threat to Global Peace

The combination of Trump's mental instability and the war industry's financial incentives creates an unprecedented threat to global security. Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has warned that a war with Iran could result in "thousands of dead Americans in the first week"13 and risks "world war" and "US defeat."

This isn't just about American foreign policy - it's about the survival of human civilisation. When mentally unstable leaders with access to nuclear weapons are manipulated by profit-seeking corporations, the entire world becomes vulnerable to catastrophic conflict.

For Māori and Indigenous peoples globally, this represents the ultimate expression of the colonial mentality that has oppressed our communities for centuries. The same disregard for human life and environmental destruction that characterised European colonisation now threatens to engulf the entire planet in warfare.

The principle of whakatōhea - working together for the common good - offers an alternative vision where international conflicts are resolved through dialogue and mutual respect rather than violence and domination.

Breaking the Cycle of Madness and Greed

What we're witnessing isn't just bad policy - it's the systematic exploitation of mental illness by war profiteers who care nothing for the human cost of their actions. Trump's psychological disorders make him an ideal tool for those who profit from conflict, regardless of the devastating consequences for ordinary people.

The solution requires both addressing the individual pathology and dismantling the systemic structures that enable war profiteering. Mental health professionals must continue their "duty to warn" about Trump's dangerousness, while communities worldwide must organise to resist the military-industrial complex that feeds on human suffering.

From a Māori worldview, healing requires acknowledging the spiritual dimensions of this crisis. When leaders lose connection to their mauri and operate from a place of mental illness and moral corruption, they endanger the whakapapa that connects all life. Only by returning to principles of aroha, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga can we hope to create a world where conflicts are resolved through wisdom rather than warfare.

The choice before us is clear: we can continue to allow mentally unstable individuals to be manipulated by war profiteers, or we can demand leaders who prioritise peace, mental health, and the wellbeing of all people. The stakes couldn't be higher.

Ngā mihi nui to all those working for peace and justice in these dangerous times. Please consider supporting this work with a koha if you have the means: HTDM: 03-1546-0415173-000. Only contribute if you have capacity and wish to support independent media that challenges power.

Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.

Ivor Jones The Māori Green Lantern

References