Psychologists Decode Trump's DARVO Strategy as Political Manipulation Tool
For years, mental health professionals have highlighted concerns about President Donald Trump's behavioral patterns, with some describing them as manifestations of "malignant narcissism" that negatively impact the nation. Extensive analysis has focused on Trump's propensity for gaslighting—a psychological manipulation technique where narcissists make victims doubt their own reality, memory, and perceptions.
The Affordability Crisis and Reality Distortion
Recently, observers have noted Trump's attempts to gaslight Americans about the affordability crisis, dismissing it as a Democratic "hoax" despite widespread public anxiety over rising living costs. Ironically, while campaigning on promises to lower prices, energy bills have surged approximately 13% since Trump assumed office. However, psychologists identify another, less-discussed narcissistic tactic Trump frequently employs: DARVO, which stands for Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender.
Understanding DARVO: A Manipulative Framework
DARVO represents a manipulative strategy commonly used by narcissistic abusers to avoid accountability. The process involves three sequential steps:
- Deny the abusive behavior or wrongdoing
- Attack the individual who confronts them
- Reverse victim and offender roles to portray themselves as the victim
Jennifer Freyd, a trauma psychology pioneer who coined the term DARVO, asserts that Trump and his team have weaponized this strategy for years to distort reality. Most people remain unfamiliar with DARVO, leaving them poorly equipped to recognize and counter its effects.
DARVO in Political Context: Tariffs and International Relations
In a spring op-ed for The Hill, Freyd and her research colleague analyzed how Trump justified imposing steep tariffs on other countries by claiming America had been humiliated and exploited by foreign nations for decades. This narrative positioned the United States as the victim rather than the countries facing new trade barriers. Freyd wrote that whether Trump knows the term or not, he demonstrates mastery of DARVO, using it to discredit women who accused him of sexual assault, deflect blame during various controversies, and even blame Ukraine for Russia's invasion.
"Because DARVO has been a central strategy in Trump's political playbook for years, it has undoubtedly contributed to distorted perceptions of what is true and what is 'fake news,'" their op-ed stated. "When leaders like Trump weaponize DARVO, the public becomes more disengaged and confused."
Psychological Mechanisms Behind DARVO's Effectiveness
Sarah Harsey, an assistant professor of psychology at Oregon State University-Cascades who has researched DARVO as a manipulation technique, describes Trump's use of the strategy as "exceptionally blatant." She explains that for narcissists, acknowledging wrongdoing threatens their sense of power and control while bringing them closer to accountability for harmful conduct.
"In a bind—when they're being forced to take responsibility—the DARVO user cleverly shifts attention away from their original wrongdoing," Harsey told HuffPost. "This technique injects a misleading or fictitious counter-narrative that can be compelling for people to believe. It can also be confusing: Who's telling the truth, what really happened?"
Harsey notes that DARVO doesn't require convincing everyone that the counter-narrative is true—it merely needs to muddy the waters sufficiently that people struggle to determine the truth.
Everyday Examples and Psychological Impact
Avigail Lev, a psychologist based in San Francisco, illustrates how DARVO operates in everyday situations. Imagine a spouse confronting their partner about arriving home late. The DARVO-using partner might respond: "Why are you so insecure? We never agreed that I had to be home at 10 p.m. That didn't happen. You're so jealous."
"They become the victim," Lev explains. "This allows the actual perpetrator to continue harmful behavior while still feeling justified, because they now see themselves as wronged or victimized."
Research by Freyd and Harsey shows DARVO correlates with higher rates of sexual harassment perpetration and greater acceptance of rape myths, though ordinary narcissists also employ the tactic due to its effectiveness.
Historical Patterns: From Access Hollywood to E. Jean Carroll
Harsey points to consistent DARVO usage throughout Trump's political career. "Even before his inauguration in 2017, he said that the voice heard in the infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape wasn't his," she noted.
Later, Trump employed DARVO against E. Jean Carroll, who described being sexually assaulted by Trump in her memoir. He denied ever meeting her, attacked her character by calling her a "nut job" and "whack job," and in Carroll's defamation case against him, argued he was the victim of a "witch hunt."
Influence on Political Allies and Officials
Trump's DARVO tactics appear to have influenced those in his inner circle. Harsey cites Vice President JD Vance's January comments about Renée Good and Alex Pretti, two Minneapolis residents killed by federal agents during immigration protests. Vance labeled Good a "domestic terrorist" and reposted social media content describing Pretti as an "assassin."
Similarly, Attorney General Pam Bondi extensively utilized DARVO during her House Judiciary Committee hearing, favoring the "attack" component by repeatedly insulting questioning lawmakers.
"There are ways the president and his officials could refute claims without using DARVO, yet they choose this tactic that inflicts as much harm as possible," Harsey observed.
Countering DARVO: Recognition and Response Strategies
Harsey suggests that understanding DARVO as a manipulative tactic represents the first step in countering its effects. "Because DARVO follows a predictable pattern, it becomes fairly easy to spot when it's used," she explained. "We've conducted research that shows how educating people about DARVO renders it a little less convincing."
In personal interactions, individuals can name the strategy and label the behavior immediately. However, when experiencing DARVO from political leaders, the dynamic changes significantly.
"If you were calling someone out directly for DARVO in a personal interaction, the response would look very different than when an entire society is experiencing it from a political leader," Lev noted.
Media Responsibility and Collective Response
Some journalists have demonstrated how to confront DARVO effectively. CNN's Kaitlan Collins recently challenged press secretary Karoline Leavitt when Leavitt claimed Collins mischaracterized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's statements. Collins calmly read Hegseth's exact quote verbatim, providing a model for factual pushback.
When societies experience collective DARVO, Lev emphasizes the importance of continuing to articulate facts and maintain shared understanding of reality to prevent further gaslighting. She advocates for cultivating critical thinking rather than getting pulled into identity politics.
"This allows people to examine the facts and form their own values-based opinions grounded in their moral judgments, rather than simply adopting what one side tells them they should believe," Lev said.
Once individuals learn to identify DARVO, they should help others recognize it too. "We should encourage people to use critical thinking and deductive reasoning and to notice cognitive distortions and manipulations so that we can maintain a shared sense of reality rather than falling for propaganda," she concluded.
