Columnist cracks the 'unifying theory' behind Trump's seemingly manic behavior: opinion

While much has been said regarding President Donald Trump’s “hateful language” over the past decade, his perception of “love” may hold the key to understanding him and his seemingly sporadic decisions, veteran New York Times columnist Frank Bruni mused on Monday.

Bruni catalogued a number of recent instances in which Trump invoked the word “love,” starting with his recent interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker – an interview that culminated with the president abruptly ending the interview and furiously storming off.

“I love the farmers, and the farmers love me,” Trump said during the interview, going on to boast about the billions of dollars his administration awarded farmers to help offset losses from China’s retaliatory tariffs, a payout he referred to as a “payday.”

“It was that simple. That syllogistic,” Bruni wrote in an op-ed published in the Times. “It’s love as a transaction. A contract. A pact. I’ll stroke your back — lightly — if you give a deep-tissue massage to mine. We’ll call that love. Nothing in Trump’s life comes any closer to it.”

Another example Bruni flagged was Trump’s remarks on love as recently as April.

“When somebody’s nice to me, I love that person,” Trump told reporters in the East Room of the White House. “Even if they’re bad people, I couldn’t care less.”

The startling admission, Bruni argued, summed up Trump’s logic behind every decision he makes.

“There you have it: the unifying theory for his cabinet choices, his diplomacy and his pardons,” Bruni wrote. “Rob any jewelry store you like, so long as you kiss the ring. Worry not about skills, only about sucking up.”

Bruni also reminded readers of a previous fixation of Trump that perhaps best illustrated his theory.

“Don’t forget that Trump 'fell in love' – his actual words – with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, after Kim supposedly sent him gushing letters,” Bruni wrote, going on to argue that no individual was below Trump’s love so long as they “tell him what big presidential muscles he has.”