Trauma of Trump

I feel the need to explore the trauma I have experienced as a result of Mr Donald Trump and his most ambitious and disturbing mission to make America Great Again (MAGA), which presents a self-centred and ego-maniac demeanour without the cre of aothers. Even though he is physically distant as far away as possible from where I stand in the UK, he has still managed to impose a high level of suffering I never imagined facing at this stage in my life. This is called political trauma, which is led by androcentric patriarchal colonial expansion ideology, and it needs to stop because the effects of it are immeasurable. Trump embodies the darkest aspects of macho patriarchal power, inflicting pain and suffering on millions of people in the world, especially women who suffer the most as a result of war. Trauma can take many forms; political trauma can be as catastrophic as war itself. From a basic psychological perspective, the current trauma caused by the actions of Trump and Netanyahu manifests as uncertainty, abuse of power, and persistent belittling of the rest of the world, with the world being treated as idiots. He repeatedly insults others, including the intellectuals, celebrities and the people opposed to his system of persecution at home.

Whilst I have been working on recovering from my past traumas inflicted on me by the patriarchal system in my own homeland and later by the racism of where I have been living in London for the last 40 years, I have experienced the worst trauma of my life by a man who constantly threatened to bomb the places and cause death and devastation, he even wanted to do it for fun and people around the world just watched while he did bomb the schools, the hospitals and the bridges until Iranians decided to form a human shield to protect it. Since Israel and the US started bombing Palestine, Lebanon, and then Iran, I have lost the will to live. I started having nightmares, feeling no sense of security or normality. I am constantly on edge and still not sure what is coming and what will happen in the long term, as I have developed a deep sense of uncertainty.

Iran holds a special place for me because it borders my homeland, where I was born and brought up until the age of 18, and I have only begun revisiting it in the last few years. The uncertainty connects me to the loss of my childhood and my first home. I am deeply traumatised, more than ever before, because I do not know whether I will ever return. Even if I do, what will it look like because of the war next door? I hold Mr Trump accountable for terrorising my inner world and limiting my freedom of movement. I also believe that many people around the world, particularly Iranians, would be extremely traumatised in the same way as other countries like Palestine and Lebanon are.

Emotional Trauma

Emotional trauma is the psychological and emotional impact of an experience that feels deeply distressing, overwhelming, frightening, humiliating, or unsafe.

In patriarchal systems, men often inflict immeasurable pain and suffering on women within their own homes, whether as fathers, brothers, or husbands or through street violence against women and girls. Yet, we rarely discuss the emotional harm caused by men in politics or by patriarchal, war-mongering political systems. These systems seek war and destruction to justify their economic power and secure their self-centred positions. We have reached a stage where such politics are unacceptable, and we cannot wait for another war, more death, and further devastation before demanding change. There must be a different politics, and we have a responsibility to help shift the tide. Male-dominated, misogynist, patriarchal politics cannot continue to get away with mass murders, as this is too costly for the life of people, women, children and the cost on the environmental impact but also the emotional implications on the world population. They must be held accountable. The political abuse and violence can be seen as a different form of male violence against the whole world community.

Emotional trauma can stem from a single shocking event like an accident, assault or sudden loss or from ongoing experiences such as abuse, racism, bullying, war or chronic fear.  Trauma in confined spaces, like sexual or physical abuse at home or in the community, can be contained, and external support can offer some relief.  However, for victims to seek justice, the abuser must be held accountable. Without justice for the traumatised, trauma can persist for a lifetime and contribute to an unjust culture. In contrast, the trauma of political abuse is on a massive and uncontrolled scale and should be recognised and addressed cautiously to support victims.  Therefore, Trump, Netanyahu and other war-mongering leaders should be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused to the international community, especially those directly affected like myself and the countries still under attack.

I believe it is my human right to seek justice and to call for accountability for both their past actions and their continuing conduct. The effects of emotional trauma may include anxiety, hypervigilance, nightmares, intrusive memories, emotional numbness, anger, shame, helplessness, difficulty trusting others, sleep disturbances, impaired concentration and a sense of disconnection from oneself or from the wider world. Trauma may also give rise to intense resentment toward those perceived to be responsible for the harm. In this context, I view the United States and Israel as bearing responsibility for contributing to such trauma.

How Trauma is Manifested

Trauma reflects itself in diverse and complex forms, and effective responses often depend on the nature of the experiences, their duration, and their continuing psychological impact. Nevertheless, one point remains clear that the war generates levels of trauma that prevent an immediate engagement with a traumatised sense of self, particularly in the absence of conscious and reflective awareness. Individuals may appear to function adequately in everyday life, while carrying deep psychological wounds that remain unrecognised or insufficiently addressed. Political trauma may require years to heal and can have lasting consequences for daily functioning, and can also reemerge as unconscious bias in relationships, including friends from different cultures and the world at large. This can subsequently perpetuate the racist and discriminatory unconscious bias as oppose to help people to overcome it.

Common types of trauma

• Single-event trauma: one shocking event, such as an accident, assault, or sudden threat.
• Ongoing trauma: repeated fear, abuse, intimidation, war, racism, or living under constant threat.
• Childhood or developmental trauma: painful experiences early in life, including neglect, abuse, or instability.
• Complex trauma: repeated or layered trauma over time, often affecting trust, safety, self-worth, and relationships.
• Vicarious or indirect trauma: trauma from witnessing violence, hearing repeated threats, or being exposed to terrifying events affecting others.

The trauma associated with immigration—whether undertaken voluntarily or under compulsion as a result of civil war, armed conflict, or the enduring consequences of colonial power—also requires far greater recognition and understanding within mainstream culture in the United Kingdom and across the Western world. Public discourse in the UK frequently frames immigration primarily in terms of financial cost to taxpayers, reducing immigrants to economic units rather than recognising them as human beings with complex histories, vulnerabilities, and rights. As a result, the humanitarian dimension of immigration is too often neglected. This not only fosters a hostile environment for immigrants who have built their lives in the UK over many decades, but also reinforces social division more broadly by perpetuating a polarised ‘us versus them’ narrative.

Recent behaviour by Trump suggests that many people are experiencing a sense of ongoing psychological distress, as though they are living through a continuous traumatic event. His conduct can give the impression of seeking to dominate global affairs under the banner of ‘making America Great Again’. In doing so, he may be perceived as contributing to a more fearful and unstable world, particularly through rhetoric that invokes the threat of nuclear war. On a personal level, I have felt deeply affected by the aggression conveyed through both traditional media and social media, which I have found extremely distressing. As a citizen of the world, I feel that I have legitimate grievances regarding the pain and emotional devastation this has caused me over recent months. During this period, I have experienced a profound sense of loss, insecurity and psychological strain, all of which have affected my sense of safety, well-being, and emotional stability. Because I am an immigrant like millions of others, which also separates me from the natives and creates a sense of otherness and loneliness as a result.

Common signs of trauma

People may experience:

• intrusive memories or nightmares
• feeling constantly on edge
• fear, panic, or dread
• shame, anger, or numbness
• trouble sleeping
• avoiding reminders
• difficulty trusting others
• feeling detached from yourself or the world

Summary: 

From a collective and sociological perspective, political trauma is not only an individual emotional response but also a collective social condition produced by violence, domination, fear, and instability within political systems. Its effects can include a breakdown of trust, social cohesion, and a sense of belonging, as well as the normalisation of insecurity, helplessness, and chronic fear in everyday life. Political trauma can shape how communities remember events, relate to authority, and understand justice, often leaving long-term effects on identity, relationships, cultural memory, and social participation. In this sense, political trauma affects both the inner lives of individuals and the wider social and cultural fabric.

Political trauma is a form of trauma that is particularly characteristic of the contemporary era and one that requires a deeper understanding if societies are to respond to it constructively and hold those responsible to account. Without such recognition, there is a risk of being drawn further into a darker, more dystopian political culture, with the potential to produce profound human suffering and permanent disharmony, ultimately meaning our patriarchal leaders have failed to provide a society with a decent way of living.