Hidden from society and operating in the underworld is the norm for cults. They are indoctrinating its members into us versus them mentalities. Yet, we’ve seen people countless times commit heinous acts on themselves and others in these cults. From Jim jones’s people’s temple drinking poison that killed 912 people to Nxivm leader Keith Ranier allow members to brand themselves. Thanks to the narcissistic persuader, we can add Trump supporters to the equation.

Many Horror films revolve around cults. Giving away our free will is frightening. We marvel at the lack of common sense of cult members yet we’re all susceptible. If you disagree, you will have a change of heart after reading this book.

Running over protesters and refusing to wear masks during a pandemic would be scary in any horror movie. But in real life, it would seem unrealistic until you finish reading our book review.

Author Steven Hassan has written several books on cults and was a member of the Moonies back in the 1970s. Throughout his book, Hassan exposes the similarities between leaders of various cults and Trump. Cult leaders often showed early signs of cult leader narcissist behavior. Charles Manson would have girls beat up his bullies in school, for example. As a child, Trump’s relationship with his parents shaped his view of the world.

“Fred was not an affection parent, which was true of many men of his generation. He was hypercritical and did not offer praise, according to Harry Hurt the third, Author of Lost Typhoon: The many lives of Donal J. Trump. Ever since he was a little boy, Trump’s father had been hammering the same lines into his head….“You’re a killer…You’re a king..According to Hassan, Trump would admit he was a difficult child from his “The art of the deal book”..”I was a very assertive, aggressive kid. In the second grade, I gave a teacher a black eye”.

The cult of Trump by Steven Hassan can be purchased here

Hassan uses first-hand accounts of people’s involvement with Trump to justify calling him a cult leader. It’s easy to look at Trump supporters as gullible, naive, and uneducated. But all humans are susceptible to persuasive manipulation and will use confirmation bias to defend it.

For instance, Hassan’s B.I.T.E. method explains how cults use behavior, information, thoughts, and emotions to control its members. Read our previous article here for more in-depth detail or buy the book. Even Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, predicted a Trump victory due to his “superior powers of persuasion.” Hassan writes,

“In his book Win Bigly persuasion in a world where facts don’t matter, Adams describes one of the fundamental principles of Trump’s rhetorical style.“Persuasion is all about the tools and techniques of changing people’s minds, with or without facts or reason”.

When Trump retracted his claim about “All Mexicans being rapists,”– he said he was exaggerating. He was using hyperbole, a persuasive tactic that provokes controversy and captures people’s attention and emotions.

“An emotional speaker always makes his audience feel with him, even when there is nothing in his arguments, which is why many speakers try to overwhelm their audience by mere noise.”

The 2020 presidential debate is the most recent example of this form of persuasion. Hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming(N.L.P.) are just several of the subtle ways of persuasion mentioned in the book. Used by Nxivm and Scientologist leaders, these techniques make critical thinking difficult, and hours seem like minutes.

But Trump wouldn’t be president if not for the right-wing media backing him. Various conservative Christian and Alt-right groups are influenced not only by Trump but also by the media.

Hassan breaks down Roger Allies 1971 Blueprint that Fox news to this day, father Coughlin’s “the fine art of propaganda book from 1939. Hassan uses 7 of Coughlin’s techniques used by Trump and conservative media; here are two of them.

• Name-calling-Attaching negative or derogatory labels to a person or idea can make us reject and condemn them without examining the evidence. “Trump, along with Fox hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, make extensive use of this, turning words like “liberal” and “socialist” into insults; assigning nicknames to opponents’ pinning words like “stupid,” “weak,” “dangerous,” “disgraceful,” and “bad” on people or ideas that they disagree with.

• Card stacking-Selectively citing facts or falsehoods, illustrations or distractions, and logical or illogical statements in order to give the best or worst possible case for an idea, program, person, or product. Trump’s vilification of immigrants-using faulty data, and outright lies-is a prime example where the group is blamed for the actions of a small handful of rogue individuals.

“We find it hard to accept or agree with even well-argued or supported views when they are expressed by a member of the other side. We speak to-and find affirmation from-those of our own political persuasion.

But the level of passion is so high that often we do not, or cannot, talk to those across the divide.-Chapter nine, How to undo mind control.

The end of the book gives a solution on how to deprogram people from cults and, in this case, supporting Trump. Aggressive, a matter of fact, reasoning will not work. Comedian Sarah Silverman converted a Trump supporter, on her I love you America show.

“I’m finding if I do engage with someone who is angry at me, or angry, and I’m at a place where they can put that anger…it’s almost always a good experience, because more than anything, all of us, what we have in common is, we want to feel seen. We want to feel like we exist.”

In conclusion, the cult of Trump is a must-have. No one is safe from manipulation, no matter how smart you think you are. This book lifts the veil on the tactics that have ruined millions of people’s lives. You may be apart of a cult and not even realize it. If you’re brave enough to challenge yourself as a true independent thinker, buy this book ASAP.

Are cults dangerous? Let us know you thoughts in the comment section below.