Is the point the cruelty or is the point chaos or is the point habitual criminality. All of the above perhaps? Donald Trump is a charismatic madman. No different than figures like Jim Jones or Charles Manson. There is however one very important difference, Donald Trump has convinced his followers to elect him President of the United States. With that comes a terrifying power.

Those who serve him are his obedient subjects. He is the master and they defer to him on all issues of substance. They forfeit their dignity and independence and in return he gives them the power do exercise his power over others.

What has been vividly clear during the entire tariff weaponization process is that Trump not only loves to lord his power over others but he also finds it essential to humiliate seemingly everyone who he does not see as strong enough to be his contemporary.

Trump likes to talk about the “tough guys” that he has known throughout the course of his lifetime. He’s probably talking about figures like Paul Castellano, the former head of the Gambino crime family. Pulitzer Prize winning author David Cay Johnston in his 2016 piece for Politico, Just What Were Donald Trump's Ties to the Mob? explored Donald Trump’s relationships with various underworld figures. Reading Johnston’s piece is essential to understanding the current President of the United States.

Trump’s bravado and open distain for the rule of law stands out in corridors of power in Washington but they were commonalities when he interacted with organized crime figures. Habitual aggression, contempt for legal constraint, maintaining power over everyone around you by intimidation and fear. These are the tools of mob bosses. Imagine what Al Capone could have accomplished as President.

All evidence seems to indicate that those closest to Trump are at the greatest risk of incurring his wrath. A perfect example would be Christopher Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). This hyperbolic screed is posted literally on the White House website. It is but one example of many officials who served Donald Trump in that were literally rubbed out professionally.

Those who stand in opposition to Trump from the onset seem a bit more insulated from retrobution, staying somewhat distanced from the brunt of the highly personalized blowback. While those who have been part of Trump’s inner circle who then oppose Trump can expect a general schedule of oppression reserved for the disloyal.

In short you best defend yourself in this environment by keeping your independence and distance and your guard up. How do you rein-in a madman with great power? As part of a large and active group.