Some threaten me to ‘snipe at Trump before attacking on him’

- It is the first book on U.S President Donald Trump’s mental health by psychiatric professionals. How was the response from readers in the United States?

“It was out of stock just in two days after publication. And it sold out in Amazon in two hours every time the book is printed. Later, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” sparked a renewed interest in our book.

- Is Trump helping the publishing industry in the United States?

"Well, the public is so much interested in his mental health. I guess our book is in fashion.”

- Apart from the author’s intention, people want to know about how dangerous Trump actually is and whether he really has a mental illness.

“We did not make a diagnosis that Trump has some kind of mental impairment. We wanted to give the alarm that a person in the office of presidency, in our professional judgment, shows a serious mental illness that clearly puts billions of people at grave risk. And based upon his remarks and behaviors, we have argued all possible mental illnesses that Trump could have. (If you can describe more specifically about the danger he poses?) It’s like a primary school child carrying a gun.”

- Do you mean Trump is not normal?

“People make a decision rationally and logically, but by pathologically as well. What psychiatric professionals do is tell the difference between decisions made reasonably and pathologically and identify pathologic patterns.”

- Are you saying that Trump makes choices out of pathology?

“Right! I believe Trump shows a range of symptoms of mental, cognitive, and even neurological disorders.”

- Opinions are not split among experts?

“There is no question that he is dangerous by medical assessment. The only disagreement is over whether disclosing information in this way goes against professional ethical rules.”

- Other than Trump, there are so-called “strongman” leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Rodrigo Duterte and Xi Jinping. Do you think the rise of strongman leaders is just a coincidence?

“It’s not. As the globalization becomes more advanced and sophisticated, inequality worsens. And inequality in itself is a form of violence. The number of deaths from inequality is 10 times higher that of deaths from all crimes and diseases combined. This inevitably affects people’s psychology and mental state, leading to higher chance of the emergence of a more violent regime.”

- Then, if that is the trend in world history, I don’t think we can make things any better by taking down Trump.

“Well, let’s put out the most urgent and big fire. Moreover, Trump is only making matters worse, fanning the flames. The rise of Trump is seen as one phenomenon in this time of chaos, but he is at the same time becoming a causer.”


Chin-Ku Lee sys1201@donga.com