# Post ts_116356081038721731

- Post ID: `ts_116356081038721731`
- Platform: Truth Social
- Posted: 2026-04-06T05:21:36.744Z (UTC)
- Deleted: no
- Repost: no
- Canonical URL: https://trump.fm/post/ts_116356081038721731
- Analysis page: https://trump.fm/post/ts_116356081038721731/analysis
- Audio narration: https://static.trump.fm/audio/ts_116356081038721731.mp3 (a synthesized voice reading the post text, not a recording)

## Post text

> I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for Governor of California, for many years. He is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell. Gavin Newscum and the Democrats have done an absolutely horrendous job. People are fleeing, crime is increasing, and Taxes are the highest of any State in the Country, maybe the World. Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so! With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before! Steve Hilton has my COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT. He will be a GREAT Governor and, importantly, WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP

## Engagement

- Likes: 35,055
- Reposts: 8,524
- Replies: 2,897
- Views: unknown
- Metrics collected: 2026-04-07T21:02:05.896Z (UTC)

# Analysis

_Machine-generated by trump.fm on 2026-04-06T13:43:37.206Z (UTC): a model's reading of this post, not his words. Its psychological terms describe the language, not a clinical assessment of him._

## Psychological Analysis: Steve Hilton Endorsement Post

### Overview

This is a standard-format political endorsement posted at 1:21 AM ET on April 6, 2026, endorsing Steve Hilton for Governor of California. The post follows Trump's well-established endorsement template with high fidelity, making it of limited diagnostic value for cognitive or emotional assessment but instructive for understanding stable personality patterns.

### Authorship Attribution

The 1:21 AM Eastern timestamp falls within Trump's documented late-night posting window, and the crude "Newscum" epithet is a distinctly personal touch unlikely to originate from staff. However, the post's grammatical correctness, complete sentence structure, professional formatting, and formulaic organization suggest possible aide involvement in drafting. The "President DONALD J. TRUMP" closing signature is characteristic of formally prepared endorsements. **Assessment:** Likely Trump-directed with possible aide polish; the personal touches (nickname, late-night timing) indicate meaningful personal involvement. Confidence: medium.

### Narcissistic Dynamics

The post is a pristine example of **kingmaker narcissism** — the endorsement is nominally about Hilton but gravitationally centered on Trump. Key self-referential insertions:

- "I have known and respected" — establishes Trump's superior position as evaluator
- "as President, I will help him" — Trump is the indispensable variable
- "Steve Hilton has my COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT" — the emphasis is on the giving, not the receiving
- The closing signature reasserts presidential identity

The narcissistic supply function is clear: exercising endorsement power reinforces Trump's sense of omnipotent agency and political centrality.

### Splitting and Idealization/Devaluation

The post deploys textbook **splitting**: California exists in two absolute states with no middle ground:
- **Under Democrats:** "gone to Hell," "absolutely horrendous," people fleeing, crime, highest taxes
- **Under Hilton/Trump:** "better than ever before," "GREAT Governor"

Hilton is idealized ("truly fine man," "GREAT Governor," "WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN") in direct proportion to Newsom's devaluation ("Newscum"). This all-or-nothing cognitive framework is a stable, career-spanning pattern.

### Rhetorical Structure

The endorsement follows a five-part formula Trump has used hundreds of times:
1. Personal relationship establishment
2. Catastrophic diagnosis of current conditions
3. Endorsed candidate as solution
4. Self-insertion as essential federal partner
5. ALL CAPS emphatic closing

The tricolon of California problems ("People are fleeing, crime is increasing, and Taxes are the highest") provides rhetorical momentum without evidentiary specificity. The escalation from "highest of any State" to "maybe the World" is characteristic Trump rhetorical overreach — making a defensible claim and then extending it to absurdity.

### Clinical Assessment

**Narcissistic features** are moderately elevated but within Trump's stable baseline — grandiosity, need for admiration through kingmaker role, interpersonal exploitation (Hilton's candidacy serves Trump's narrative), and arrogant behavior (presumptive claim of state-saving power).

**Paranoid, antisocial, and sadistic features** are minimal in this post. The "Newscum" epithet shows mild sadistic pleasure in degradation, but this is well within his established pattern.

**Cognitive status:** No markers of concern. Language production is coherent and syntactically standard. The formulaic nature of endorsements makes this a poor cognitive probe — this template is deeply rehearsed.

### Fact Verification

| Claim | Verdict | Evidence |
|-------|---------|----------|
| "Taxes are the highest of any State in the Country, maybe the World" | **Half True** | California has the highest top marginal state income tax rate in the US at 13.3% (as of 2024-2025). By that single metric, 'highest in the Country' is defensible. However, overall tax burden depends on the metric: property taxes, sales taxes, and effective rates paint a more complex picture — states like New York and New Jersey compete for highest overall burden. The 'maybe the World' qualifier is clearly false: many nations (Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Finland) have effective tax rates far exceeding California's combined state and local burden. The claim is selectively true on one metric and hyperbolic on the global comparison. |
| "People are fleeing [California]" | **Half True** | California experienced significant net domestic outmigration from 2020 through 2022, losing approximately 500,000 residents on net over that period. However, the state's population stabilized in 2023-2024 as outmigration slowed and international immigration offset domestic losses. 'Fleeing' implies an ongoing mass exodus, which overstates the trend. The outmigration that did occur was driven by multiple factors including housing costs and remote work flexibility, not solely governance failures. |
| "Crime is increasing [in California]" | **Mostly False** | The available data strongly contradicts the blanket claim that crime is increasing in California. According to California Department of Justice statistics, the state's overall crime rate hit a 60-year low in 2024. Violent crime decreased 5.3-6% from 2023 to 2024 (from roughly 508 to 481 per 100,000 residents), the first decline since the pandemic. Homicides fell 12% in 2024 following declines of 7% in 2022 and 14% in 2023, reaching the second-lowest homicide rate since 1966 (4.3 per 100,000). In 2025, the decline continued: major California cities saw violent crime drop 12.1% compared to 2024, with homicides down 18% and robberies down 18%. Los Angeles recorded its lowest homicide count since 1966; Oakland since 1967; San Francisco since 1954. Property crime also fell 8.4% statewide in 2024, with vehicle theft down 11.9% and burglary down 13.6%.

The one category where the claim has partial validity is shoplifting and retail theft. Shoplifting increased 13.8% in 2024 and is now 48% above pre-pandemic levels, reaching its highest level since 2000. This was a significant enough concern that California voters passed Proposition 36 in November 2024 with 69% support, increasing penalties for repeat theft offenders. However, even combined retail theft (shoplifting plus commercial burglary) rose only 3% in 2024.

In summary, the overwhelming trend across all major crime categories -- violent crime, homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and vehicle theft -- is downward, in some cases to historic lows. Only shoplifting bucks this trend. The claim that 'crime is increasing' is mostly false as of the latest available data. |
| "He [Trump] has known Steve Hilton for many years" | **Mostly True** | Steve Hilton hosted 'The Next Revolution' on Fox News from 2017 to 2023, during which period he was a prominent pro-Trump commentator. Hilton had multiple public interactions with Trump and was a vocal supporter. The claim of a multi-year acquaintance is plausible and consistent with the public record, though the depth of the relationship may be overstated as is typical for Trump endorsements. |
| "Gavin Newscum [Newsom] and the Democrats have done an absolutely horrendous job" | **Half True** | While this claim is fundamentally a subjective political evaluation, it can be assessed against objective governance metrics. The record is decidedly mixed, with significant failures in some areas and notable achievements in others.

Metrics supporting the 'horrendous' characterization: (1) Budget management -- California faces its fourth consecutive year of budget deficits under Newsom despite revenue growth, with the structural deficit projected to reach $35 billion annually by 2027-28. The 2025-26 budget had a general fund gap of roughly $20 billion. (2) Homelessness -- Despite spending approximately $24 billion on homelessness since 2019, the homeless population grew from about 150,000 to 180,000 by 2024. A state audit found the government failed to consistently track spending or outcomes. A 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness was reported in 2025, but after years of increases. (3) Poverty -- California's supplemental poverty rate of 17.7% remains tied for the highest in the nation (with Louisiana). (4) Housing affordability -- Only 18% of households can afford the median home ($869,300). California experienced a net domestic migration loss of 216,000 people in 2024-25. (5) State rankings -- California ranked 37th overall in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best States, 42nd in fiscal stability, and 35th in infrastructure. (6) Wildfire preparedness -- The devastating January 2025 LA fires (25 deaths, 12,000+ structures destroyed, $50B+ losses) exposed infrastructure gaps including empty reservoirs and budget cuts to firefighting.

Metrics contradicting the 'horrendous' characterization: (1) Economy -- California is the 4th or 5th largest economy in the world ($4+ trillion GDP) with 6% growth in 2024, outpacing the U.S. as a whole. (2) Crime -- The state's crime rate hit a 60-year low in 2024, with homicides at their second-lowest since 1966. (3) Clean energy -- California became the largest economy in the world to be powered by two-thirds clean energy, with battery storage surging 2,100%. (4) Approval rating -- Newsom's approval climbed to 54-56% among California adults and likely voters in late 2025, suggesting a majority of residents do not consider his performance 'horrendous.' (5) Homelessness improvement -- Unsheltered homelessness fell 9% in 2025, the largest drop in 15 years.

The characterization of the governance record as 'absolutely horrendous' is an overstatement that cherry-picks genuine failures while ignoring significant achievements. However, California does face serious, persistent problems in affordability, fiscal management, homelessness, and poverty that represent real governance shortcomings. The verdict of 'half true' reflects that the record contains both substantial failures and substantial successes. |

Overall Veracity: 50%

## Authorship Analysis

**Uncertain** (score: 60%)

### Indicators

- 1:21 AM ET posting time — within Trump's established late-night window
- Derogatory nickname 'Newscum' — personal, crude, signature Trump
- ALL CAPS sections follow his habitual emphasis pattern
- Triple exclamation marks ('DOWN!!!')
- Formulaic endorsement template structure — polished, suggesting partial aide drafting

## Psychological Profile

### Traits

**Big Five:**
- Extraversion: 85%
- Agreeableness: 20%
- Conscientiousness: 40%
- Neuroticism: 30%
- Openness: 15%

Strongest facet: Extraversion: assertiveness and social dominance; Low agreeableness: antagonism expressed through derogatory naming

**Motives:**
- Agency: 90%
- Communion: 25%

Primary drive: power

### Narrative

- **Role:** Kingmaker and national savior — the indispensable figure whose endorsement and federal power can rescue a failing state
- **Arc:** redemption
- **Contrasting:** Gavin Newsom ('Newscum') and Democrats — agents of California's decline, foils to the redemption narrative

**Identity Claims:**
- I am the ultimate political authority whose endorsement determines electoral outcomes
- I have unique personal relationships with quality people
- As President, I alone can direct federal resources to solve state-level problems
- I am a loyal ally who will never abandon those I endorse

### State

**Grandiose State**

**Trigger:** Supply Seeking (Steve Hilton gubernatorial campaign; opportunity to exercise endorsement power)

Sentiment: +0.45

### Clinical

**Malignant Narcissism:**
- Narcissistic: 65%
- Antisocial: 15%
- Paranoid: 10%
- Sadism: 20%

**Defense Mechanisms:**
- splitting (immature)
- idealization (immature)
- devaluation (immature)
- projection (immature)

**Cognitive Complexity:**
- Complexity: 40%

**Parasocial Techniques:**
- Kingmaker positioning — followers share in the power of choosing winners
- Savior narrative — 'before it is too late' creates urgency and dependence on Trump's intervention
- Direct address to California voters ('WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!') creates pseudo-intimate bond
- Promise of federal-state partnership frames Trump as personally invested in their welfare

## Fact Checks (5)

_The model's verdicts from 2026-04-06._

> Taxes are the highest of any State in the Country, maybe the World

**HALF TRUE**

California has the highest top marginal state income tax rate in the US at 13.3% (as of 2024-2025). By that single metric, 'highest in the Country' is defensible. However, overall tax burden depends on the metric: property taxes, sales taxes, and effective rates paint a more complex picture — states like New York and New Jersey compete for highest overall burden. The 'maybe the World' qualifier is clearly false: many nations (Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Finland) have effective tax rates far exceeding California's combined state and local burden. The claim is selectively true on one metric and hyperbolic on the global comparison.

Sources: Tax Foundation state tax data; California Franchise Tax Board rate schedules

> People are fleeing [California]

**HALF TRUE**

California experienced significant net domestic outmigration from 2020 through 2022, losing approximately 500,000 residents on net over that period. However, the state's population stabilized in 2023-2024 as outmigration slowed and international immigration offset domestic losses. 'Fleeing' implies an ongoing mass exodus, which overstates the trend. The outmigration that did occur was driven by multiple factors including housing costs and remote work flexibility, not solely governance failures.

Sources: US Census Bureau population estimates; California Department of Finance demographic data

> Crime is increasing [in California]

**MOSTLY FALSE**

The available data strongly contradicts the blanket claim that crime is increasing in California. According to California Department of Justice statistics, the state's overall crime rate hit a 60-year low in 2024. Violent crime decreased 5.3-6% from 2023 to 2024 (from roughly 508 to 481 per 100,000 residents), the first decline since the pandemic. Homicides fell 12% in 2024 following declines of 7% in 2022 and 14% in 2023, reaching the second-lowest homicide rate since 1966 (4.3 per 100,000). In 2025, the decline continued: major California cities saw violent crime drop 12.1% compared to 2024, with homicides down 18% and robberies down 18%. Los Angeles recorded its lowest homicide count since 1966; Oakland since 1967; San Francisco since 1954. Property crime also fell 8.4% statewide in 2024, with vehicle theft down 11.9% and burglary down 13.6%.

The one category where the claim has partial validity is shoplifting and retail theft. Shoplifting increased 13.8% in 2024 and is now 48% above pre-pandemic levels, reaching its highest level since 2000. This was a significant enough concern that California voters passed Proposition 36 in November 2024 with 69% support, increasing penalties for repeat theft offenders. However, even combined retail theft (shoplifting plus commercial burglary) rose only 3% in 2024.

In summary, the overwhelming trend across all major crime categories -- violent crime, homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and vehicle theft -- is downward, in some cases to historic lows. Only shoplifting bucks this trend. The claim that 'crime is increasing' is mostly false as of the latest available data.

Sources: https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/01/california-homicide-rate/; https://www.ppic.org/publication/crime-trends-in-california/; https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-releases-california-criminal-justice-statistical-2; https://davisvanguard.org/2025/04/crime-decline-california-law-enforcement/; https://kelmanskylaw.com/california-crime-rate-2024-drop/; https://lacity.gov/news/los-angeles-police-departments-2025-crime-data-report-released; https://davisvanguard.org/2025/10/california-crime-rate-decline/; https://counciloncj.org/crime-trends-in-u-s-cities-year-end-2025-update/; https://www.ppic.org/blog/overall-crime-in-california-fell-last-year-but-shoplifting-continued-to-rise/; https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/15/icymi-crime-dropped-significantly-last-year-according-to-early-data/; https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/crime-statistics-in-california/

> He [Trump] has known Steve Hilton for many years

**MOSTLY TRUE**

Steve Hilton hosted 'The Next Revolution' on Fox News from 2017 to 2023, during which period he was a prominent pro-Trump commentator. Hilton had multiple public interactions with Trump and was a vocal supporter. The claim of a multi-year acquaintance is plausible and consistent with the public record, though the depth of the relationship may be overstated as is typical for Trump endorsements.

Sources: Fox News programming records; Public reporting on Hilton-Trump interactions

> Gavin Newscum [Newsom] and the Democrats have done an absolutely horrendous job

**HALF TRUE**

While this claim is fundamentally a subjective political evaluation, it can be assessed against objective governance metrics. The record is decidedly mixed, with significant failures in some areas and notable achievements in others.

Metrics supporting the 'horrendous' characterization: (1) Budget management -- California faces its fourth consecutive year of budget deficits under Newsom despite revenue growth, with the structural deficit projected to reach $35 billion annually by 2027-28. The 2025-26 budget had a general fund gap of roughly $20 billion. (2) Homelessness -- Despite spending approximately $24 billion on homelessness since 2019, the homeless population grew from about 150,000 to 180,000 by 2024. A state audit found the government failed to consistently track spending or outcomes. A 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness was reported in 2025, but after years of increases. (3) Poverty -- California's supplemental poverty rate of 17.7% remains tied for the highest in the nation (with Louisiana). (4) Housing affordability -- Only 18% of households can afford the median home ($869,300). California experienced a net domestic migration loss of 216,000 people in 2024-25. (5) State rankings -- California ranked 37th overall in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best States, 42nd in fiscal stability, and 35th in infrastructure. (6) Wildfire preparedness -- The devastating January 2025 LA fires (25 deaths, 12,000+ structures destroyed, $50B+ losses) exposed infrastructure gaps including empty reservoirs and budget cuts to firefighting.

Metrics contradicting the 'horrendous' characterization: (1) Economy -- California is the 4th or 5th largest economy in the world ($4+ trillion GDP) with 6% growth in 2024, outpacing the U.S. as a whole. (2) Crime -- The state's crime rate hit a 60-year low in 2024, with homicides at their second-lowest since 1966. (3) Clean energy -- California became the largest economy in the world to be powered by two-thirds clean energy, with battery storage surging 2,100%. (4) Approval rating -- Newsom's approval climbed to 54-56% among California adults and likely voters in late 2025, suggesting a majority of residents do not consider his performance 'horrendous.' (5) Homelessness improvement -- Unsheltered homelessness fell 9% in 2025, the largest drop in 15 years.

The characterization of the governance record as 'absolutely horrendous' is an overstatement that cherry-picks genuine failures while ignoring significant achievements. However, California does face serious, persistent problems in affordability, fiscal management, homelessness, and poverty that represent real governance shortcomings. The verdict of 'half true' reflects that the record contains both substantial failures and substantial successes.

Sources: https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/12/california-budget-primer/; https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091; https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/07/california-budget-deficit-reckoning/; https://www.hoover.org/research/despite-california-spending-24-billion-it-2019-homelessness-increased-what-happened; https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/california-homelessness-spending-audit-24b-five-years-didnt-consistently-track-outcomes/; https://www.smdp.com/california-reports-largest-drop-in-homelessness-in-15-years/; https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/23/california-is-now-the-4th-largest-economy-in-the-world/; https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-economy/; https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-june-2025/; https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/01/california-homicide-rate/; https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/07/14/in-historic-first-california-powered-by-two-thirds-clean-energy-becoming-largest-economy-in-the-world-to-achieve-milestone/; https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/01/la-fires-newsom-bass-blame/; https://news.berkeley.edu/2026/03/31/high-cost-of-living-suppresses-california-population-growth-uc-berkeley-study-finds/; https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793; https://www.ktvu.com/news/california-us-news-world-report-state-ranking

Overall Veracity: 50%

## Tags

- political_endorsement (100%)
- kingmaker_positioning (85%)
- splitting (80%)
- idealization_devaluation (75%)
- derogatory_nickname (70%)
- california_politics (90%)
- supply_seeking (70%)
- self_referential_endorsement (65%)
- hyperbolic_claims (60%)
- formulaic_template (70%)

## That day

_From trump.fm's machine-generated digest of the day, not his words._

**Just before 1 AM, he says the Supreme Court should watch Mark Levin on the birthright citizenship "HOAX"**

On Easter Monday, with his Iran deadline approaching, he mostly posted about other things. The one sharp moment came just before 1 AM, when he said the Supreme Court should watch a Mark Levin show about birthright citizenship, called the policy a "money making HOAX" and brought up the justices' earlier ruling against his tariffs. The rest of that late-night stretch was an endorsement in the California governor's race, a friendly repost about Iran and a clip of a sad pop song. In the morning he shared an ad pushing the Senate on voter ID. In the afternoon came old photos of Paris and New York and a burst of months-old articles celebrating climate rollbacks.

Full digest for 2026-04-06: https://trump.fm/date/2026-04-06/analysis

## Citation

- APA: Trump, D. J. (2026, April 6). I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is... [Social media post]. Truth Social. trump.fm. https://trump.fm/post/ts_116356081038721731
- MLA: Trump, Donald J. "I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for..." Truth Social, 6 Apr. 2026. trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/ts_116356081038721731. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
- Chicago: Donald J. Trump, "I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for...," Truth Social, April 6, 2026, archived at trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/ts_116356081038721731.

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