Trump-Musk War, Expert: "Fight Between Egomaniacs But Only One Will Prevail"

Psychiatrist Mencacci: "There is rivalry and a pathological need to show the world who is better and more loved"

From honeymoon to accusations: it's open war between Trump and Musk. What was once an almost symbiotic idyll has in a few months turned into a sensational breakup amid vitriolic insults. "It was predictable, we are talking about two personalities who have a strongly narcissistic structure. Inevitably, after a honeymoon, rivalries and a pathological need to compete with the other emerge between the two, to be at the center of the stage, to show the world who is better, more grandiose and more loved. The clash we are witnessing is between two egomaniacs but only one will prevail over the other ." This is what Claudio Mencacci, co-president of the Italian Society of Neuropsychopharmacology (Sinpf), told Adnkronos Salute about the political clash full of twists and turns between US President Donald Trump and the entrepreneur who until a few weeks ago was head of the Doge - Department of Government Efficiency, which was supposed to make recommendations to the White House on cutting spending and regulations of the federal government.

"For those with an oversized ego, the thought is always the same: 'there is only room for my ego in this room,'" comments Mencacci. "We are witnessing a war between two very different narcissists," adds the psychiatrist. "Trump is more theatrical, as we saw during the meeting-clash at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which he wanted to show the world that he is the sole leader. Musk, on the other hand, is a techno-cultured narcissist. The outcome of this brawl is always the same: belittling the other, trying to make alliances to delegitimize the adversary and perhaps make him collapse. A smear campaign made of low blows just to make the other appear unreliable, insecure and incapable."

But how will this 'War of the Roses' at the White House end? According to Mencacci, it is too early to say "but it is rare that between two egomaniacs the relationship is resolved in a polite and composed manner. It is likely that we will witness a transitory and momentary rapprochement which will be followed by an escalation of mutual attacks. Both - the expert points out - want to make history but on the stage there is only room for one". Then there is an age difference between the US president and Elon who has already lost 33 billion after the clash. "We need to see how long this conflict will last. Perhaps Trump will win the game soon but later Musk could prevail, having already launched a very serious accusation 'Donald is in Epstein's files', a nice torpedo. Or perhaps no one will win, certainly the collateral damage of this clash will be reflected throughout the world" he concludes.