The question haunts millions of Americans: Why does Donald Trump sidle up to dictators while criticizing our closest allies?

Why does Trump take Kim Jong Un’s “word for it” that he never knew American college student Otto Warmbier had been viciously tortured and then sent home to die?

Why does he accept Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s assertion he had no knowledge of the grizzly dismemberment death of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi?

Why does he stand beside Vladimir Putin and exclaim he believes Putin when he says Russia did not attack the 2016 American election?

Quoting Dr. Suess: “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

In the book “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,” scores of mental health experts conclude that Trump is a “malignant narcissist.” I have studied the personality disorder for 25 years so I could learn how to maneuver around the narcissists in my life. It is difficult and painful. Their “strength” is mean, ugly talk. Arrogance. Threats. Ridicule. Put-downs. Rants and raves. And lies, lies and more lies, even when the truth would do.

But like any bully, the moment they are cornered or threatened, they run. Fast.

Unlike someone with schizophrenia or chronic depression, there is no medicine for narcissism because it’s a physical brain illness — autopsies have shown that the area of the brain that triggers empathy is smaller in narcissists.

If you suspect you live or work with one (you do) then you know the answers to why Trump likes dictators: Narcissists are cowards and thus easily scared. They talk tough, but run from any real danger.

Trump is afraid of Kim, MBS and Putin. For good reasons, obviously. Still, I wish we had elected a president mentally strong enough to stand up for Americans.

Liz Mockler

Randolph