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How Kimmel’s Theory Fits
1. Revenge as a Reward Loop
Kimmel’s central idea is that revenge—whether physical, verbal, or legal—activates the brain’s reward circuitry much like addictive substances do.
Trump’s public and legal battles often include personalized attacks on opponents, framing them as having wronged him, then pursuing retribution (through lawsuits, countersuits, public shaming, or policy actions like tariffs or prosecutions).
Lawyers in his orbit may experience their own dopamine rush from “winning” for their client in high-stakes, highly public disputes, making them more likely to take on and escalate confrontational cases.
Kimmel’s central idea is that revenge—whether physical, verbal, or legal—activates the brain’s reward circuitry much like addictive substances do.
Trump’s public and legal battles often include personalized attacks on opponents, framing them as having wronged him, then pursuing retribution (through lawsuits, countersuits, public shaming, or policy actions like tariffs or prosecutions).
Lawyers in his orbit may experience their own dopamine rush from “winning” for their client in high-stakes, highly public disputes, making them more likely to take on and escalate confrontational cases.
2. Lawyers as Licensed 'Dispensers of Revenge'
Kimmel notes that lawyers are unique in being legally empowered to pursue revenge on behalf of others through lawsuits, motions, and aggressive court strategies—while earning status and money in the process.
Trump’s legal team often frames their actions as “fighting back” or “getting even,” which is exactly the sort of socially sanctioned retribution Kimmel says can become addictive.
The highly public, media-driven nature of Trump’s cases adds social validation, which Kimmel argues reinforces the addictive loop.
Kimmel notes that lawyers are unique in being legally empowered to pursue revenge on behalf of others through lawsuits, motions, and aggressive court strategies—while earning status and money in the process.
Trump’s legal team often frames their actions as “fighting back” or “getting even,” which is exactly the sort of socially sanctioned retribution Kimmel says can become addictive.
The highly public, media-driven nature of Trump’s cases adds social validation, which Kimmel argues reinforces the addictive loop.
3. Grievance and the Retaliation Cycle
Kimmel describes a cycle:
Grievance triggers emotional pain (anterior insula activation).
Retaliatory action is planned or taken, triggering dopamine release.
This creates a compulsion to repeat the pattern, even when it causes long-term harm.
Trump’s pattern of repeatedly returning to the same disputes (e.g., 2020 election litigation, business investigations, ongoing feuds) fits the loop.
Lawyers in such cases may be drawn into the same neurochemical cycle, making them less likely to seek compromise.
Kimmel describes a cycle:
Grievance triggers emotional pain (anterior insula activation).
Retaliatory action is planned or taken, triggering dopamine release.
This creates a compulsion to repeat the pattern, even when it causes long-term harm.
Trump’s pattern of repeatedly returning to the same disputes (e.g., 2020 election litigation, business investigations, ongoing feuds) fits the loop.
Lawyers in such cases may be drawn into the same neurochemical cycle, making them less likely to seek compromise.
4. The “Street Justice” vs. “Courtroom Justice” Shift
Kimmel compares lawyers to physicians prescribing opioids: they turn something that would be illegal (revenge) into something sanctioned (lawsuits).
In Trump’s world, this means taking what might otherwise be seen as vendettas and channeling them into legal filings, appeals, and press conferences—still satisfying the urge for retribution but wrapped in legality.
Kimmel compares lawyers to physicians prescribing opioids: they turn something that would be illegal (revenge) into something sanctioned (lawsuits).
In Trump’s world, this means taking what might otherwise be seen as vendettas and channeling them into legal filings, appeals, and press conferences—still satisfying the urge for retribution but wrapped in legality.
Kimmel’s theory explains patterns of behavior though it is not a clinical diagnosis. Applying it to a specific person like Trump or his lawyers would be interpretive, not medical. But the observable cycle of grievance → retribution → public victory/loss → renewed grievance aligns strongly with the revenge-addiction model.
-Trump's latest Official Photo (August 2025): Daniel Torok, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Excellent summation!
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