'I'm a psychologist and Donald Trump hid alarming message in Iran threats'

The Easter break proved far from restful for the US government, and particularly for President Donald Trump.

On Easter Sunday, sandwiched between morning photographs with a giant bunny and social media posts spreading festive cheer, Trump found time to make remarks about Iran to an audience of children, take part in a chaotic and boastful press conference, and fire off threatening outbursts on Truth Social.

The evening concluded with the announcement of a press conference scheduled for the following day.

On Monday, after a hectic day of extraordinary claims - during which he declared he would learn Spanish to become the president of Venezuela, revisited his desire to acquire Greenland, and even alleged that Kim Jong-un had called Joe Biden "a mentally retarded person" - Trump gathered with officials and reporters for a speech laden with "military drama, triumph, punishment and command," according to clinical psychologist Dr Tracy King.

Analysing the press conference in full, she concluded that the President's intentions behind the address were unmistakable, given his recent threats to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, reports suggesting the US may be profiting less from the conflict than Iran, and mounting speculation surrounding his health.

Dr King noted that Trump's speech is riddled with superlatives, a deliberate technique designed to "raise the emotional heat and make everything sound huge, extreme and almost beyond question, reports the Mirror US.

She explained: "That matters because repeated extreme language changes how people take things in. It reduces the room for proportion. It narrows the space for critical thought. It pushes people towards awe, fear, excitement or alarm before they have had time to weigh anything calmly."

During a portion of the address, Trump turned his attention to the rescue of fighter jet pilots who were shot down over Iran.

That segment, Dr King noted, was swiftly redirected towards Trump's own role.

She said: "Even though the speech is about the rescue and the bravery of others, it keeps coming back towards him. What he watched. What impressed him. What he thought. What he valued. What he will do. So the speech is not just about military success, but it also puts him back at the centre of events."

She links this to the broader context of recent developments surrounding the President. "It works as a restoration of status. If he feared rumours had briefly made him look weak, absent or physically vulnerable, the speech answers that by placing him in the middle of power, action and command.

"To the American public, the message seems to be: do not see me as weak, absent or diminished. See me as the man at the centre of force, rescue, retaliation and control.

"For supporters, that can feel reassuring because strength can feel like safety when people are anxious. For critics, it can feel alarming because the same language can sound volatile, punishing and overheated."

"So the speech works differently depending on who is hearing it, but in both cases it has an impact because it acts on the nervous system."

Finally, she turns her attention to the menacing nature of the language Trump employs.

She explained: "To those he is at war with, the message is harsher. It says uncertainty is part of the strategy. He can hold back, create confusion, and then hit hard.

"He appears to want to be felt as unpredictable, forceful and willing to escalate. That is psychologically useful in war because it keeps opponents guessing and makes them worry not only about military power, but about his threshold for using it."