In addition to everything else it reveals, the newly released audio recording of former President Donald Trump showing off sensitive documents to a writer and others neatly encapsulates many of the problematic personality traits that have been on display in various ways since he first burst onto the political scene eight years ago.
There are his well-known indications of narcissism (“This was done by the military and given to me”), his braggadocio (“This is secret information … Isn’t that incredible?”) and his plain old immaturity (“It’s so cool”).
And of course, the lies: “See, as president I could have declassified it, but now I can’t” — even though he’s been publicly insisting for months now that he did.
