It is considered socially unacceptable to armchair psychoanalyze other people, but I think we can waive that when it comes to the most powerful politician on the planet.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/opinion/trump-tariffs-rat...
In some cases, Occam's Razor says, "this person is not acting rationally" and you have to weigh that possibility even if it is uncomfortable. Desire for dominance is common, and is not rational. Why should it surprise us to see it in Trump?
Looking at trump's actions as desire for dominance makes them seem rational, in the sense that they have a common motivation.
From that perspective, he's at least acting consistently, and has been rewarded over his lifetime for it.
Punch people/organisations/nations in the mouth repeatedly until they beg for mercy, then keep pounding them until they forfeit their dignity and pledge allegiance.
Everyone, everywhere, all the time. The weaker the better. Until stopped.