Question about Fear, the Woodward book about Trump and a scene with Melania.

[Hamlette]

Remember the discussion about immigration Trump held with staff and members of Congress a year or more ago. He told Congress to come up with something and he would sign it. It seems he was offering a path to citizenship etc. Being very reasonable. Of course it was all lies or just him grandstanding. Whatever. But right after it happened, I felt a flicker of hope. Anyway. . .

Right after the meeting Lindsay Graham called Trump to tell him what a great job he had done. He told Trump it was the best thing he'd seen a president do in decades, it was brilliant he was great etc. (gag, but on that day, it wasn't as bad as it is now).

Here is the strange part. Trump told Lindsay Melania wanted to talk to him and put her on the phone. Melania told Lindsay that she appreciated what he had just said about Trump and went on and on about it.

Not sure why it has stuck with me but it seems so strange. My husband was in politics and I was in a related field (lawyer) but he never put me on one of his calls. WTF was Trump doing by putting Melania on? Did Melania want to talk to Lindsay, did Trump make her talk to him? Did he tell her what to say?

Just when I think I know what is going on between Trump and Melania another piece to the puzzle pops up and it doesn't fit it any puzzle of human behavior I've ever seen.

Don't you think it odd?????????

[janterry]

1. They manage Trump by managing his affect

Stroking his ego makes him a better team player - Graham wants that and so does (sigh) Melania.

[hlthe2b]

2. In the audio version, it sounded to me like Melania asked to speak to Lindsey...

and the inference in the comments is that her own immigration experience made her want to thank Graham for reinforcing a more compassionate approach--which of course never happened....

[marylandblue]

3. Narcissists are very controlling and manipulative

Family is forced to dance to the narcissist's tune. Consequences for the smallest failure can be severe. They can be brainwashed into zombiehood. The goal of the narcissist is to get adulation from everyone. Maybe Trump wanted to impress Graham with how he can get his wife to talk on command. Maybe he want to impress Melania with the praise he got from others, and Melania knew Trump had to hear her gush, to show she got the message.

[ocd liberal]

4. Emotional manipulation?

Maybe after Lindsey Graham blew smoke up Trump's ass, Melania finally had a pleasant evening with her husband and she was actually thanking him for THAT. Perhaps she was illustrating by example how he needed to be treated 24/7 - 365? He is a confusing character in all this.