Roger-Luc Chayer (Images : Facebook)
When Donald Trump trolls even the Prime Minister of Canada
When Donald Trump doesn’t get what he wants, he trolls, and even the Prime Minister of Canada is not spared.
For several days now, the Instagram page “Donald Trump for President” has been systematically multiplying insults and even publishing lies in order, obviously, to gain sympathy from its followers. A glaring example of a lie is when he claims that Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering going to war against the United States to defend Greenland, which is absolutely false. It is enough to read the comments, such as “They will go back tail between their legs and run away,” to measure the prevailing contempt, as you will agree. But Donald Trump is no stranger to lying.
The political reasons behind Donald Trump’s lies
Donald Trump continuously resorts to lying for several reasons, primarily related to his political strategy and public personality. Lying allows him to control the media narrative, divert attention when a topic is unfavorable to him, and maintain a constant presence in the news. By exaggerating, inventing, or distorting facts, he mobilizes his electoral base by playing on emotion rather than rationality, since outrage, fear, or a sense of belonging are often more effective than factual arguments. This method is also part of a permanent confrontation logic where provocation becomes a tool to weaken his opponents, discredit institutions, and instill the idea that only his word deserves trust.
Donald Trump and the psychological question
From a psychological perspective, it is important to clearly distinguish between problematic behavior and mental illness. To date, no serious and public medical diagnosis has confirmed that Donald Trump suffers from a mental illness explaining his lies. Attributing it to pathology would be both speculative and reductive. Many experts rather agree to describe marked personality traits, such as high narcissism, low tolerance for contradiction, and a tendency to perceive the world in terms of winners and losers. In this context, lying is not necessarily experienced as immoral or problematic but as one tool among others to dominate public space and preserve an image of power.
The role of media and social networks
One must also consider the contemporary media environment. Social networks, continuous news channels, and extreme polarization favor simple, shocking, and often false statements because they circulate faster and farther than nuances or corrections. Donald Trump perfectly exploits this environment, knowing that even a denied lie can produce the desired effect. His statements therefore reflect less an inability to distinguish truth from falsehood than a deliberate choice, embedded in a communication strategy where truth becomes secondary to political impact.
Donald Trump’s lies on LGBT issues
Donald Trump has often been criticized for his positions and statements on LGBT issues, some considered misleading or false by his detractors and LGBT rights defenders. Here are some of the most controversial or contested claims related to this topic during his presidency and campaign:
- The myth of “mixed bathrooms” in schools — Trump has sometimes implied that protections granted to transgender students endangered girls in schools, notably by mentioning “mixed bathrooms” used by “predators.” This claim has been widely debunked by studies and experts showing no increase in crimes related to these policies.
- The removal of protections for transgender people in the military — In 2017, Trump announced a ban on transgender people serving in the military, claiming it was too costly and harmed discipline. These justifications were contested, as several studies indicated the cost and impact were minimal, and the measure violated transgender service members’ rights.
- Minimizing anti-LGBT violence — Trump and some members of his administration have at times minimized or ignored the severity of violence targeting the LGBT community, notably by failing to address clearly issues related to anti-transgender hate, which was perceived as denial or neglect.
- Religious freedom rhetoric as a cover for discrimination — Trump often defended so-called “religious freedom” policies that allowed some businesses or institutions to refuse services to LGBT people, claiming to protect freedom of expression, while this was often seen as a disguised justification for discrimination.
- The false promise to protect LGBT rights — During his campaign, Trump claimed to support LGBT rights, notably non-discrimination, but his political actions frequently contradicted these statements, notably by withdrawing protections against discrimination for transgender people in various sectors.
These lies or distortions had very real consequences on the lives of many LGBT people, increasing their vulnerability to discrimination, stigma, and violence.
Enduring Donald Trump until the next elections
We must therefore be patient and endure, like the rest of the world, the troubles caused by this manipulative liar until the next midterm elections for Congress, or even for three more years if the Democrats fail to regain control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress this fall.
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