The Cult of Trump

A Leading Cult Expert Explains How the President Uses Mind Control

By: Steven Hassan

Narrated by: Steven Hassan

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

A masterful and eye-opening examination of Trump and the coercive control tactics he uses to build a fanatical devotion in his supporters written by “an authority on breaking away from cults...an argument that...bears consideration as the next election cycle heats up” (Kirkus Reviews). 

Since the 2016 election, Donald Trump’s behavior has become both more disturbing and yet increasingly familiar. He relies on phrases like “fake news” and “build the wall” and continues to spread the divisive mentality of us vs. them. He lies constantly, has no conscience, never admits when he is wrong, and projects all of his shortcomings onto others. He has become more authoritarian, more outrageous, and yet many of his followers remain blindly devoted. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert and a major Trump supporter, calls him one of the most persuasive people living. His need to squash alternate information and his insistence of constant ego stroking are all characteristics of other famous leaders - cult leaders.

In The Cult of Trump, mind-control and licensed mental-health expert Steven Hassan draws parallels between our current president and people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon, arguing that this presidency is in many ways like a destructive cult. He specifically details the ways in which people are influenced through an array of social psychology methods and how they become fiercely loyal and obedient. Hassan was a former “Moonie” himself, and he presents a “thoughtful and well-researched analysis of some of the most puzzling aspects of the current presidency, including the remarkable passivity of fellow Republicans [and] the gross pandering of many members of the press” (Thomas G. Gutheil, MD and professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School). The Cult of Trump is an accessible and in-depth analysis of the president, showing that under the right circumstances, even sane, rational, well-adjusted people can be persuaded to believe the most outrageous ideas. 

“This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand the current political climate.” (Judith Stevens-Long, PhD and author of Living Well, Dying Well)

©2019 Steve Hassan (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

Tools to deprogram

The heat thing in this book is the advice given for how to have a relationship with someone who has been brainwashed. I have been doing many of the things Hassan says not to do, like trash talking Trump, fighting, and name calling. In my defense it is incredibly frustrating that my brother refuses to look at any evidence I give him that is contrary to his opinions. He believes he has used his own critical thinking skills to evaluate things though. He said that he read the entire Mueller Report and didn’t find anything wrong with Trump’s behavior. And he told me that he gets angry that the media lies about Trump. No matter how I try to show him that trump is a racist, a liar, and destroying all of our democratic ideals he thinks that Trump is great for our country. After reading this book, I recognize myself when Hassan says what not to do. I also recognize that at the times I have been able to break through to my brother, I was approaching my brother the way this book suggests. We discuss a topic that is adjacent, such as when I shared how this book talks about the different cult leaders. (I did not share the title of the book.) I told him some of the ways of control and said some of the solutions for helping get people out of the mindset. He was very interested. I don’t think he likened this way of thinking to himself, but emphasized things like the importance of verifying claims from multiple sources. I’m going to reread it to remind myself of the stratedys

Does President Trump use mind control?

THE CULT OF TRUMP is interesting not in that it credibly explains that Trump uses mind control over those who support him (he clearly does not) but that it demonstrates that the author is mentally unbalanced. Scott Adams has a much more reasonable explanation when he writes that Trump is a master of persuasion. Author Steven Hassan says that the approximately one-third of Americans voters who are strong supporters of Trump are a religious/political cult He compares these voters to the followers of Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon, or David Koresh. So the Cult of Trump is 40 million people strong which makes it the largest cult in history by a factor of 1000 or more.

I do not like Donald Trump. He is a malignant narcissist who has no political philosophy other than getting elected and re-elected. He is also a genius at determining what political positions to take to bring together a group of supporters large enough to win elections. And he tries to keep his political promises in order to maintain his support. Let's leave it to future historians to determine whether he is/was a good president. After all he is far from the first US president who was a malignant narcissist (almost all were).

I wonder more about what drove the author of this book to write such trash than I do about the motives and actions of President Trump. Forget his motives and Trump is a very effective president.

Author Steven Hassan should not narrate his books because he lacks a narrators talents.

WOW!

if you're wondering how Trump. The White House and how his rabid fans are clamoring for him even when evidence piles against it this is the book for you. very informative kind of scary.

We are all susceptible to undue influence

Learn about how people are drawn into groups that encourage group-think and, in some cases, can take over their lives. Steve Hassan speaks from experience in a cult. Forewarned is forearmed. Learn the methods leaders use. Observe, listen, and become a critical thinker. Very interesting chapter on how to engage friends and family members who have been drawn into a high demand/high control groups in ways that encourage conversation that connects with the person they were before adopting the constrained thought patterns of the group. I devoured this fascinating outline of how to identify mind control and want to read more.

Not a narrator!

Next time, don’t narrate your own writing. This is interesting material, but it was read like a dictionary. Put me to sleep in minutes, every night.

Misleading Title

I purchased this book to gain insight about Trump followers because (sorry, base), I find with Trump's 16.000+ lies to us, history of not paying those who work for him, lack of respect for the law, disrespect of the FBI, CIA, and his White House staff, fifth grade vocabulary and behavior, and narcissism, I was befuddled by the adoration of his base and their willingness to excuse or ignore these behaviors.

However, this book was about the character traits and subsequent actions of multiple cult leaders including Moon, Jim Jones, David Karesh, and quite a few others. His followers are neither deprived of sleep nor food, are not mentally of physically abused, and are not isolated from family and friends unless they so choose. I'm returning it.

Good book, but no breakthrough ideas

Book is somewhat informative, especially if you're new to ideas like NLP or Trump's corruption. The book is structured as follows:

1st part: Introduction to author and ways of manipulating an audience into cult like behavior. Ideas like NLP, science of pursuasion (see R Cialdini), and social engineering. If you are new to these ideas, this section will be very informative. If you're not, like me, it's a broad overview.

2nd part: Examination of Trump's life, corruption in his empire, and those enabling him throughout his life and then those who enabled him on his ascension to the presidency. I'm not a fan of Trump, but I did feel this section carried some bias. Additionally, if you're familiar with the mirade of Trump scandals, this section is again, a rehash or overview of this material.

3rd part: A discussion of how to unwind the manipulation. I was really hoping for more here. The main takeaway I had was to seek to understand not criticize. This is good advice, but again, something I came into the material understanding.

I love steven Hassan! So smart

I previously had read another book by this author called combating cult mind control which was fabulous and it helped me a lot in dealing with my own personal cult experience. He really knows his stuff when it comes to brainwashing, it helps to have it mapped out in his BITE model. In this book the cult of Trump, he does not disappoint. I love how he breaks it down and identifies specifically The tactics and methodology complete with numerous examples to back it up of how the president constantly and systematically is manipulating America. This book is quite terrifying because it is so eye-opening. A very important read. Thanks for being the voice of truth Steven! America needs to hear it

Mind Control by Fox, Trump, Limbaugh

This book will scare the daylights out of you! I ordered it to try to understand how my grown children came to worship Donald Trump. How they believe everything he says, even knowing how he lies. They get all their news from Fox, OAN, and right wing radio. Democracy will not survive a 2nd term of this Putin puppet.

Great information. Could have been shorter.

This was great information and insight into understanding some of the reasons that there is such a divide in how people view the realities of today's political world. It is important to take the lessons taught and apply them to one's self regardless of which "side" you fall on.

The book had a little too much information about the history and actions of the administration since the election. I would think that it's information that the reader would already know if they actively sought the topic of the book, so it felt a bit monotonous at times.

Also, the author's cadence was a bit slow and I recommend setting playback to 1.25 or 1.5.

Overall, I learned a lot about human nature and the psychology of cults.

Must read

Explains how otherwise reasonable people can be in thrall to this tyrannical narcissist. And why Biden is not attacking him now.