A man of integrity

How would a man of integrity, a President of the United States whose primary objective is to govern in the best interest of all Americans and the long-term best interests of their Country react to a significant election loss?

Watch and observe.

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Mr. Trump quickly tried to save face by insisting that the rout by Democrats was not really a rejection of him since he was not actually on the ballot — never mind that he told voters repeatedly (47 times) to vote as if he were.

“I wasn’t on the ticket, and because I wasn’t on the ticket, we couldn’t get enough people out to vote,” he told The Times in an interview Tuesday night.

Even many Republicans would roll their eyes at that assertion, as this was a campaign that revolved so demonstrably around Mr. Trump.

It was Mr. Trump who decided to start a war with Iran that jolted energy markets and sent prices at the pump soaring. It was Mr. Trump who chose the candidates, the issues, the strategy and the message.

It was Mr. Trump who demanded complete loyalty from a party whose candidates were nervous about distancing themselves from him. And it was Mr. Trump who has shrugged off questions about the ethics of his moneymaking in office, helping propel voter concerns about corruption. Source NYTs

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How does a narcissist react to a loss, a rebuke of him, a decline in status?

Narcissistic personality patterns tend to show up most clearly under threat, because the person’s self-esteem depends heavily on external validation and on maintaining an image of superiority. When that image is challenged, the reaction is usually out of proportion to the event.

Narcissistic injury and rage

Psychologists call a blow to the inflated self-image a “narcissistic injury.” A loss, a public rebuke, or a drop in status can feel not just disappointing but annihilating, because the grandiose self is compensating for a fragile core. The typical response is anger, sometimes explosive (narcissistic rage), sometimes cold and simmering. The anger is often aimed at whoever is seen as the source of the humiliation, and it can seem wildly disproportionate to outsiders.

Common reactions

• Blame and deflection. The failure is someone else’s fault: a rigged system, disloyal subordinates, unfair critics, bad luck. Accepting responsibility would mean admitting the flaw, so the story gets rewritten.
• Denial or reframing. The loss “didn’t really happen,” or it was actually a win, or it doesn’t matter. Facts get reinterpreted to protect the image.
• Counterattack. Rebukes are met with attacks on the critic’s character, motives, or competence. The goal is to discredit the person delivering the message rather than engage with it.
• Devaluation. People or institutions who once were admired can suddenly be treated as worthless or hostile once they no longer provide validation or have delivered a blow.
• Contempt and sarcasm. Belittling others restores a sense of superiority.
• Withdrawal and sulking. Some, especially the “vulnerable” or covert type, respond with silence, resentment, and self-pity rather than open aggression. They may nurse grievances for a long time.
• Seeking new supply. Needing admiration, they may turn quickly to people or audiences who will restore their status, and may escalate boasting or attention-seeking.
• Depression or emptiness. If the defenses fail, the underlying shame can surface as a real crash: hollowness, depression, even suicidal thinking. This is more common in the vulnerable type and is easy to overlook because the outward presentation is usually defensive.

Why it happens

Clinicians often describe a split between an outward grandiosity and an inner vulnerability to shame. The person has little tolerance for being seen as ordinary, flawed, or defeated, so threats get handled through defense mechanisms (projection, denial, splitting) instead of introspection or genuine accountability.