John D. Gartner’s Assessments Of Powerful People

Psychologist John D. Gartner has made a name for himself by commenting on the mental fitness of leaders, from explorer Christopher Columbus to President Donald Trump. People in power frequently come under a great deal of scrutiny. We often want to know whether we can trust them to do their jobs competently and reasonably. We may also enjoy the entertainment value of learning about their triumphs and shortcomings. However, we may not feel the same way when people we know assess our mental health and fitness. If a loved one has commented on your mental health, you may wish to speak with a licensed therapist online or in-person to gain clarity.

Who is John D. Gartner?

John D. Gartner, Ph.D., is a psychologist in New York and Baltimore. He got his BA at Princeton and his Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts. He's been practicing psychotherapy for over 20 years and has been a professor at Johns Hopkins University Medical School.

Gartner's specialties within psychotherapy generally include bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and depression. Throughout his time in practice, he's generally had a special interest in hypomania, a condition in which someone exhibits noticeably energetic activity or moods beyond their usual demeanor. 

A less severe form of mania, hypomania is often experienced by people living with mental health conditions like bipolar disorder. Gartner’s goal in therapy with people who experience hypomania is usually to help them control their impulses without losing their abundant creativity.

John D. Gartner's assessments of specific leaders

Gartner's investigations into the psychological makeup of specific leaders have usually been extensive and carefully undertaken. Gartner tends to gather a lot of background information and personal impressions from the people who knew a leader well in their childhoods as well as during their time in the spotlight.

Christopher Columbus

Gartner's research on Christopher Columbus uncovered little-known details of this historical figure's motivations for sailing westward. Gartner explains that Columbus may have experienced hypomania, asserting that he thought his journey would end in the Second Coming of Christ and the Apocalypse. 

Andrew Carnegie

Gartner wrote an article for the Washington Post in which he restated his opinion that people who come to America are often bound for success and experiencing symptoms of hypomania. He gives the example of Andrew Carnegie, who Gartner says had “quite a manic personality.” Gartner points out that Carnegie was an immigrant who worked in a factory for extremely low wages when he arrived in America, but he eventually became the richest person of his day.

Craig Venter

Gartner included an assessment of Craig Venter, whose project sequenced the human genome, in his book, The Hypomanic Edge. Gartner labeled Venter as someone with hypomanic tendencies. 

Bill Clinton

In Gartner's book on Bill Clinton, the psychologist explains in detail the workings of Clinton's mind. Gartner spent a lot of time and energy conducting research for the book, traveling around the globe to get as complete a picture as possible.

Gartner traveled to Africa to learn from people there about Clinton's philanthropic work with people living with AIDS. He created a mental profile of Clinton based on these personal observations and second-hand interpretations of Clinton's behavior.

Gartner assesses Clinton as a great man who experienced hypomania from time to time, and whose charisma and intelligence propelled him to the top before his impulsivity led to his public humiliation. Gartner argues that Clinton rose from the ashes of that defeat to become a highly respected humanitarian leader and discusses his opinion that Clinton's psychological makeup makes him uniquely qualified as a peacemaker.

Donald Trump

U.S. News quoted Gartner as saying, “Donald Trump is dangerously mentally ill and temperamentally incapable of being president.” 

Gartner's analysis of Trump's behavior led him to suggest a diagnosis of malignant narcissism. However, Gartner admits that he's never examined Donald Trump personally.

The controversy surrounding Gartner's assessments of leaders

The public often clamors to find out what Gartner has to say about the leaders they love, hate, admire, or fear. However, not all psychologists agree with Gartner's methods. Some question the validity of his conclusions and his wisdom in presenting them unprompted.

Accuracy of proposed diagnoses

Gartner usually does a lot of research on each of his subjects. He typically learns about their family backgrounds, examines their public behavior, and investigates as much as possible by many different means. However, he doesn't sit down with the subject or conduct a clinical interview with them.

Without that first-hand, direct examination, many psychologists believe that Gartner should not propose diagnoses. Gartner's information may be interesting, and it may be a significant part of the picture, but many believe it's too incomplete to be accurate.

Ethical concerns

Are Gartner's assessments significant?

Is there any significance in what Gartner has said about our leaders beyond its entertainment value? Regarding the specific psychological profiles he presents, it would normally take another mental health professional to fully and accurately evaluate his assessments.

Once Gartner creates these psychological portraits, he typically sparks interest and conversation in an important aspect of life in a democracy. When we worry about the fitness of a powerful leader, we tend to discuss the situation. We may then have more opportunities to learn and make judgments.

Democracy tends to work best when voters are well-informed. Lively discussions may inspire us to demand an unbiased, accurate diagnosis that only a qualified professional who interviews the public person can make. By opening the discussion, Gartner may grease the wheels of democracy.

What if Gartner is right?

The question of whether John D. Gartner is correct in his opinions of powerful leaders can be an academic one. It doesn't usually make sense to oust a leader because of an unsolicited, unorthodox opinion, even if it comes from a mental health professional.

However, people we know may sometimes question our sanity or mental fitness. This is often done out of concern and care.

When someone comments on your mental health, you might ignore it as long as you feel confident that you're doing well. But what if you worry that there may be some truth in what they say? In that case, it can be helpful to speak to a licensed therapist about your concerns.

Benefits of online therapy

Through an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, those who reach out and take the initial questionnaire can be matched with a licensed therapist within 48 hours. BetterHelp users can also enjoy the flexibility to send messages to their therapist at any time, which can be useful when they are experiencing challenges in the moment. Online therapists can generally conduct psychological evaluations with BetterHelp users from any location with an internet connection.

Regardless of the type of mental health concern you may be experiencing, online therapy may be an effective way to address it. A growing body of evidence suggests that online therapy can be just as effective as its in-person counterpart.