4. Donald Trump’s Fight Club Presidency

This chapter examines Mr. Trump’s combativeness and fight club presidency. That is an important element in his psychology and performs important functions in his presidential leadership and governing style. The chapter examines its early origins in Trump’s family life, its motivations and consequences including Trump’s search for recognition and respect, and its surprising impact on Trump’s sense of freedom and creativity. It also analyzes Trump’s first real adult political fight—about charges of housing discrimination as a template for his business and political career. The chapter concludes with an analysis of Trump’s fight club strategy for realizing his goal of the Politics of American Restoration and why that strategy has utility, but also drawbacks.