President Donald Trump happens to be one of the most popular political figures of all time. He’s one of the few leaders who manage to be at the top of tabloid headlines for all their political decisions.
While you might think the 79-year-old would not get bored reading about himself? The answer is no! Trump’s entire PR tactic and his MAGA
( Make America Great Again) Rallies are curated on their high-energy, larger-than-life atmosphere, complete with bold visuals, dramatic entrances, and crowd-rousing one-liners.
Moreover, his erratic policies have led to numerous lawsuits slapped on the Republican candidate, especially after the infamous mass deportation drive. Now, he is rallying his supporters with claims that political enemies are unfairly targeting him. However, a psychologist has introduced a new term that may justify this recurring pattern in Donald Trump’s ruling style.
As per The Raw Story, Kathryn Claire Higgins of Goldsmiths from the University of London has coined the term “victimcould” in her newly published study, From Victimhood to Victimcould: Hypothetical injury and the ‘criminalization’ of Donald Trump. The term is the perfect word to describe the President’s behavior and his tendency to show himself as someone who’s constantly under threat, not necessarily from real events, but from imagined or hypothetical harm. (Perhaps a lot of it has to be rooted in his childhood.)
Trump’s tactic here is to focus more on the speculative threats rather than on the real harm or damage. PsyPost editor Eric W. Dolan also agreed to the term and said that the junk food lover loves to showcase his image as someone who has been a victim of government overreach and moral targeting. In addition, the reflective yet straightforward concept of “victimhood,” as per Kathryn Claire Higgins, goes beyond just Donald Trump.
.@realDonaldTrump’s victimhood complex is a play out of the authoritarian playbook that every other autocrat uses. Trump’s not a victim…he’s a criminal. @ruthbenghiat gets into it with @reedgalen on the latest pod: https://t.co/Ybt67ReQi2 pic.twitter.com/OyvSLynfGF
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) March 29, 2023
It is a strategic technique used by many far-right figures. By focusing on the possibility of future harm, these leaders justify harsh policies against groups like immigrants and LGBTQ+ people while avoiding responsibility for the actual damage their actions cause to the general public.
Editor Dolan also quite agrees with Higgins and calls the phenomenon a “huge cultural shift.” he further adds, “Powerful people are made to look like victims, and harmful policies are framed as necessary for safety.”
For example, psychologist Higgins uses the example of fake AI images showing Trump being arrested, which went viral even before he was ever charged. These images show how emotional and made-up content can shape what people believe.
Psychologist coins new term for Trump’s constant sense of ‘victimhood’ https://t.co/xLGe3IShWm
— #TuckFrump (@realTuckFrumper) July 8, 2025
Moreover, the rapid use of social media has led to an overconsumption of images, some even AI deepfakes, to perfect ways to manipulate people and their minds. Higgins says it’s more important than ever to think critically about what we see. The real issue isn’t just the use of increased exchange of information on social media. Still, it’s that people are more willing to believe things that simply fit their political views.
Victimization always has been core to Trump’s identity, even before he became a politician, and is the emotional glue that yokes him to the grievance politics of the right. https://t.co/kk4wFTyeIX
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) September 28, 2019
Meanwhile, several critics have slammed the Trump administration for leading America towards an authoritarian state with forced and ruthless rules that get implemented overnight. While Donald Trump’s radical supporters seem to enjoy the outcomes, the new generation of voters and scholars has condemned the move and warned of a dark downfall in the future.
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What do you think? Has victimizing himself become a coping technique for Trump and his team, or is he well aware of it and uses it as a power move to continue his control over the minds of the citizens?
