Mental health professionals have long argued that Donald Trump’s behavior harms the nation. Some call it malignant narcissism. Much ink has been spilled on gaslighting. It’s the tactic used to make people question their own memories. To doubt reality itself.
Lately though there is talk of another tool in his arsenal. Less discussed but equally potent.
DARVO.
It stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender.
Jennifer Freyd coined the term. She is a trauma psychology pioneer. In an op-ed for The Hill she noted how Trump and his team weaponize this pattern. It distorts reality.
Remember the tariffs? He argued America had been humiliated by foreign nations for decades. We were the victim. Not the countries facing steep new costs.
It helps him deflect. Whether he knows the academic label or not it suits him. It discredited accusers during the Signal gate controversy. It shifted blame onto Ukraine for Russia’s invasion. Even during sexual assault accusations.
When leaders weaponize DARVO the public becomes confused.
Disengagement is the goal. Or at least the result.
Sarah Harsey co-wrote the Hill piece with Freyd. She is an assistant professor at Oregon State. She explains the mechanic. Narcissists fear accountability. It threatens their power. So when forced to take responsibility they pivot.
They inject a fictitious counter-narrative. It confuses people. Who is lying? What really happened?
It muddies the waters. They don’t need to prove their version is true. Just enough doubt is required. Enough to make the truth feel inaccessible.
Consider a mundane scenario. A spouse comes home late. They are confronted. The DARVO response?
Deny it happened. Attack the accuser for being insecure or jealous. Claim the late arrival wasn’t even agreed upon. Now the accuser feels defensive. Confused. The perpetrator stands tall on the moral high ground. They become the victim.
The actual perpetrator feels justified.
They see themselves as wronged. The harmful behavior continues uninterrupted.
Trump has used this since day one. Or before.
In 2017 before even taking office he claimed the voice on the Access Hollywood tape wasn’t his. Later he deployed it against E. Jean Carroll. He denied meeting her. He called her a nut job. He claimed he was the target of a witch hunt.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo did it too. Facing harassment allegations he denied everything. Called himself a victim of cancel culture.
But Harsey calls Trump’s use exceptionally blatant. He leans into it to an absurd degree.
His inner circle copies the play.
Vice President JD Vance called Renée Good a domestic terrorist. Good died under the wheels of a federal police truck in Minneapolis. He reposted claims labeling Alex Pretti another victim of the violence an assassin.
Attorney General Pam Bondi recently used the attack aspect extensively. She insulted lawmakers questioning her.
They choose tactics that inflict harm.
They could refute claims cleanly. They choose chaos instead. It dodges consequences. Harsey points out he faces almost none. Just enough people believe the distortion. His political career survives on it.
What do we do?
Understand it exists. Recognition is half the battle. The pattern is predictable. Deny. Attack. Reverse.
Educating yourself makes it less convincing. Label it when you see it. Name the game.
But this isn’t a personal argument. We aren’t debating Trump one-on-one. We cannot hold our ground in a direct conversation.
We must speak the truth. Collectively. Articulate facts to maintain a shared reality. Resist the gaslighting.
Be cautious. Identity politics pull you in. They create blind spots. Focus instead on critical thinking. Form your own values based on moral judgments. Not just what one side tells you to believe.
Or maybe the fog is just too thick to navigate right now.
