Language Grandiosity in Politics
July 16, 2025
Many of Donald Trump’s remarks demonstrate how his public comments support his personal grandiosity when speaking politically as President of the United States. However, before Trump’s first term, a team of psychologists conducted a study to determine how the first forty-two presidents ranked on a scale that measured incidences of grandiose narcissistic language. Plus, many linguists theorized that these political figures knowingly adjusted verbage based on context in order to deliver the most dynamic words for each audience.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, grandiose (not vulnerable narcissism) is a double-edged sword* in that it has been associated with overall political greatness as well as several negative political outcomes, including congressional impeachment for unethical behavior. Nonetheless, in our nation’s leadership domain, there has been a tendency for narcissistic political leaders to frame situations in terms of exceptionalism and personal triumphs from long ago until right now.
Although ranking U.S. presidents on scale of grandiosity was conducted prior to President Trump's initial term, researchers did conclude that, on average, presidents would rank higher on a narcissistic language scale than the average American voter. Moreover, the results suggest that the level of language grandiosity for our Commander in Chief may have steadily increased over recent decades and is characterized by a growing need for attention, demands of entitlement, and undying denial of any weaknesses.
*Double-edged sword study team leader Ashley L. Watts was working on her PhD in Psychology from Emory University. She is now Assistant Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University where her research focuses on psychopathology. Her research team included Scott O. Lilienfeld, Sarah Francis Smith and Irwin D. Waldman of Emory University; Joshua D. Miller and W. Keith Campbell of the University of Georgia; Steven J. Rubenzer of Concord, New Hampshire and Thomas J. Faschingbauer of the Foundation for the Study of Personality in History, Houston, Texas.
Implications of Presidential Narcissism
Raters participating in the compiled study at Pew Research Center included historians, presidential biographers and other scholars who answered nearly six-hundred questions regarding the personality and behaviors of each president that fell within their area of expertise. Separate questions were also used to assess both the positive and negative aspects of presidential character, which would include incidences of unethical behavior while serving in political office. Many positives associated with political narcissism were closely related to their public persuasiveness, especially during crisis management.
The questionnaire included measures used to diagnose conditions like borderline personality disorder with separate questions that focused specifically on ethical or unethical aspects of their presidential behavior while in office. In addition, the research team added objective measures for presidential performance including number of years served, juicy scandals while president, whether they were subject to congressional impeachment resolutions and their overall share of the popular vote. Naturally, being the target of impeachment like Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton was added to the total of negative outcomes.
Ranking as the Most or Least Narcissistic President
Naturally, there is no “perfect” way to compare tomorrow's presidential degree of language grandiosity as compared to someone from a hundred years ago, but this research team allowed its group of well-informed experts to provide personal opinions for each president who fell within their area of experience and expertise. The team did supplement the data collected with historical surveys of presidential performance and persuasiveness on differing dimensions, including ratings for overall job performance, as well as adverse or negative consequences the president may have faced.
Prior to Trump’s reign as the 45th President, it was of no surprise that Lyndon B. Johnson’s time in office, following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 until he left office in 1969, represented one of the greatest love affairs of all time in the oval office between the former vice president and himself. As president of the United States, LBJ had a reputation for having a rude and overbearing personality. In fact, he often conducted business with his staff while seated on the toilet with an open bathroom door.
Often infatuated with presenting himself as the fearless leader of our country, the survey data ranked Teddy Roosevelt in second place behind LBJ. As a doctoral student in political science at Ohio State University, John Harden more recently published a Ohio State News study that determined which president through George W. Bush that were most likely to go-it-alone in an international conflict while serving in the oval office. Those results also suggested that Teddy Roosevelt scored second highest in traits associated with language grandiosity.
Ranked as the third most narcissistic president at the time was Andrew Jackson, whose presidency was a period of intense political realignment where his supporters formed the Democratic Party and his opponents became known as Whigs. Jackson was charismatic and characterized by his strong executive leadership but faced criticisms centered around his treatment of Native Americans like the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears. Some viewed his actions as an overreach of executive powers, while others criticized his populist appeal as demagogic.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were both generally regarded as highly praised presidents by historians and the voting public. FDR is celebrated for his programs like the New Deal as well as his leadership during the Great Depression and World War II. Although JFK’s presidency was short-lived his inspiring call to public service and his administration’s work on Civil Rights, the Space Race and the Cuban Missile Crisis were seen as major events in American political history. For different reasons, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton earned their way to six and seventh in the rankings.
Finishing squarely in the middle might be best...
In some ways, finishing squarely in the middle of the researcher’s results for identifying the most narcissistic U.S. presidents may be the preferred ranking. After all, if you’re not too humble and not too bigheaded, then you would likely rank among America’s nice-guy presidents like Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower or George Washington. Although the survey mentioned above was prior to Barack Obama, many experts feel that he too would have ranked in the middle ground and not that close to either of the more extreme personality types. Calvin Coolidge, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, James Monroe, and Millard Filmore were considered to be the most humble political figures to have lived in the Whitehouse.
Would Trump Outrank Others in Previous Studies?
Some mental health professionals, including the president's niece, have suggested that Donald Trump exhibits traits consistent with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Moreover, President Trump has frequently made claims about his superior intelligence, business acumen, and accomplishments, often in very superlative terms. He appears to crave public adulation and praise, often becoming angry when he perceives criticism or disapproval. His language grandiosity can make him appear dismissive of the needs of others, plus his own self-esteem appears dependent on external factors like wealth and power.
Without doubt the current president’s grandiose sense of self-importance, preoccupation with fantasies of success, belief in special privileges and immunity from the rules that apply to others, and display of condescending demeanor certainly suggest narcissistic traits, but keep in mind that none of these rankings are based on a formal clinical diagnosis. In fact, some experts suggest that the 47th president may suffer from solipsism, which is a form of radical skepticism that questions the validity of our knowledge about anything outside of subjective experiences.
In everyday terms, a solipsistic person might be described as someone who is extremely self-centered, focusing solely on their own experiences and desires, and potentially struggling to empathize with or understand others. In essence, a solipsistic person's worldview is centered entirely around their own perceptions and experiences, potentially leading to difficulties in social interaction and a diminished understanding of the world beyond their own subjective reality. Whereas a narcissist will manipulate to maintain admiration, a solipsist simply doesn’t believe in others in any meaningful way.
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There’s no absolute answer regarding how effectively U.S. Presidents used language grandiosity and their unique personality traits to address and handle critical challenges at the time. Whereas LBJ’s public approval fluctuated due to the nation’s involvement in the Vietnam War, today he is considered to have been a highly impactful leader. Moreover, both Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt were charismatic figures who connected with people from all walks of life. But Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson rounded out the top ten of narcissistic presidents but all three men’s public approval ratings are still questioned. Nonetheless, soundbite-ready styles of speech and a charismatic delivery of one's language grandiosity appear to be highly important components of a politician's brand messaging in America. To learn more about ProLingo’s translation and multi-lingual interpretation services for brand messaging, contact a digital language specialist today at 800-287-9755.
