Love Him or Hate Him… You should understand Trump’s Behavior Profile

If you’ve ever wondered why Donald Trump behaves the way he does—why he is bold, relentless, arrogant, and often controversial—you must look beyond personality and into what drives all human behavior: Our subconscious fears and values. Every decision we make is primarily driven by these two elements.

Understanding our core fears and values systems is the foundation of the 12 Shapes Relationship System and understanding President Trump means understanding the 12 Shapes Rhombus profile.

The Science Behind Human Behavior: Helps us understand Trump

Traditional personality tests like Myers-Briggs, Primus, or DISC focus on traits, but they fail to explain WHY people act the way they do. They might be able to pinpoint your tendencies, but they don’t give a deeper understanding about what makes you have these tendencies, and they don’t explain why. They also never address the most powerful driver of your behavior, (especially your unbalanced and bad behavior) - your fear.

12 Shapes is the only science that uses Axiology (the science of values) and a deep understanding of fear, together. It is the only platform that measures both of these, and can give you an in-depth behavior profile that explains the WHY behind your actions.

The real driving forces behind human behavior are:

Two Core Fears – Fear of failure (not being enough) and the fear of loss (not being safe) and degree to which you fear each. Fear is the most powerful motivator there is and these two fears drive a huge percentage of your behavior.
Three Core Value Systems – According to Axiology there are three levels of value - The intrinsic (people/nature/feelings), the extrinsic (tasks, things, experiences) and the systemic (ideas/concepts/systems) and how we overvalue and undervalue each of them direct much of our behavior at the subconscious level.

A 12 Shapes profile shows you the person’s unique value system and what they overvalue, undervalue, and what they fear most. This information reveals why they are wired the way they are.

President Trump is a Rhombus - in the 12 Shapes.

Many CEO’s, leaders, athletes, and high achievers are Rhombuses (though most are a little more balanced than the President can be). Understanding the Rhombus profile might help you understand why he won the election, and how he thinks.

Trump, like most Rhombuses, is fear of loss dominant, this means he is wired to protect against loss, defend, and win at all costs. He also has some fear of failure in play, but it is his subconscious desire to feel safe that drives him, more than insecurity. When it comes to his values – he greatly overvalues the extrinsic (things/tasks) and the systemic(concepts) – which in this profile means he overvalues achievement, power, control, winning and beating others, proving his value, accumulating things, protecting what belongs to him, and his reputation. But the why behind these actions is about feeling safe in the world (these things are what make him feel safe, because of his unique values).

Important note: Each of us function in one of two states all the time, a highly fear triggered or unbalanced state where our behavior is more extreme, selfish, and defensive because it's 'fear reaction' behavior, and a balanced clarity state, where we feel safe and can respond from our values and have more awareness of the needs of others. A balanced Rhombus and an unbalanced Rhombus show up very different. President Trump can have some pretty ruthless, selfish, arrogant behavior when he is unbalanced, and can demonstrate wisdom, and caring when he is balanced, as all Rhombuses can.

Why Trump won the election

It is important to note that, Kamala Harris is an Octagon in the 12 Shapes. Her value system is very different and focused more on the intrinsic system, people, feelings, nature, connection, caring, and ideas. Octagons have lots of ideas and opinions they feel strongly about, and they also value reputation but they care about their relationships most.

Octagons can also have some ego when unbalanced and like to win, but they aren’t as fiercely competitive or protective as a Rhombus, because they also highly value the intrinsic, while Rhombuses don’t. This doesn’t make Rhombuses bad or wrong. They are just wired differently, and we need people, in this world, who are wired both ways.

I believe the American people were afraid for their safety this election cycle and they wanted a protector. They opted for protection over feelings of compassion and love for others. This isn’t surprising when both sides spent the entire election trying to make the American people afraid. They both believed if they could make you scared (especially that the other side winning meant your demise) you would vote for them. This makes sense because fear is the greatest of all motivators and the campaigns know this.

The problem is, when you make people scared about the future, they are always going to lean towards the candidate that makes them feel safer, and a Rhombus exhibits more protector energy than an Octagon.

Trump made them feel like he would protect the United States and our interests, more than Harris did. There were obviously other factors in play like, corruption, inflation, desire for change etc. but it is still true that scared people will choose the leader who quiets their fears most.

If you really want to understand how Trump thinks and behaves, you need to know more about the Rhombus profile. (This profile may fit other alpha personalities, leaders, or athletes that you know too. People like Kayne West and Tony Robbins.) Also keep in mind that these qualities are more dominant in an unbalanced Rhombus, than a balanced one.

The Rhombus Mindset: The Conqueror

Rhombuses are natural born warriors. They have an intense drive to be the best, to dominate their field, and to protect what they see as theirs—whether that’s family, business, or a nation. They believe in winning—and that losing is not an option.

Rhombuses were anciently the men who would protect the tribe, kill and provide, and protect the borders. They were the alphas, and they were often bloodthirsty, vicious, warriors who everyone counted on to keep the tribe safe. To be this, they had to possess these qualities:

Extreme Confidence – Rhombuses operate with a level of certainty and self-belief that can be inspiring. Rhombuses believe they can achieve bigger things than most other Shapes do. In a severely unbalanced state, they can be narcissists but not all Rhombuses are narcissists. There are balanced Rhombus CEOs, athletes, and leaders who are very caring people, but they still have more self-confidence than the average person.
Courage & Competitiveness – Fear doesn’t stop them. They run toward challenges and take risks others wouldn’t dare. They are naturally brave, and they love competition. They love being the best and claiming the title as top dog, and they will sometimes fight dirty if necessary to get there.
A Protector’s Mindset – They see themselves as the shield and the sword for their people, willing to fight, even ruthlessly, for what they believe in and protect their family. They will not let the family get taken advantage of, cheated, or mistreated.
Winning at All Costs – Rhombuses don’t just want to succeed—they want to dominate. They are relentless in achieving their goals and believe success is earned through sheer force of will. These are the amazing qualities that lead many Rhombuses to be highly successful.

Trump’s entire career—from real estate to reality TV to politics—is an example of Rhombus persistence and dominance. His identity is built around being the best, having the best, and proving he is the strongest.

The Rhombus Cognitive Model: How Trump Processes Information

One of the most interesting aspects of a Rhombus is how they process information. Unlike other Shapes that use collaboration or emotional intuition, Rhombuses have a black and white cognitive model. They also like the idea of being a disruptor and breaking the rules:

They sort the world into “winners” and “losers.” This is why Trump often speaks in binary terms—success vs. failure, strong vs. weak, best vs. worst. His mind naturally categorizes people and ideas based on perceived dominance and achievement.

They prioritize efficiency and economic value over emotional nuance. Rhombuses view empathy as expendable when making decisions. This doesn’t mean they lack emotional intelligence; rather, they believe emotions are secondary to strategy and execution.

They have an intense aversion to weakness. They despise admitting mistakes, apologizing, or appearing vulnerable. Rhombuses subconsciously equate vulnerability with weakness, which is why they double down instead of backing down. They despise people who show weakness and struggle to have respect for them.

They enjoy the idea of angering people, especially those they view as enemies. This excites them as it would a warrior ready for battle. They like to show strength through disruption, breaking the rules, and ticking people off.

The Rhombus Identity Structure: Why Trump Can’t Change

The way Rhombuses construct their identity also sets them apart from other Shapes. Unlike Shapes who form identity through relationships or self-reflection, Rhombuses build their sense of self through extrinsic achievements and external validation:

Their self-worth is attached to their results. This is why Trump constantly reinforces his own successes (business, politics, branding) and why failures or criticism trigger intense defensive responses. They base their intrinsic value as a person on what they accomplish, build, and accumulate. They like having the best things, and looking their best, and they want their success to show everywhere they go. These extrinsic things equal who they are, expecially when they are in a fear state, these things also equal safety.

They construct an “impenetrable self” to avoid cognitive dissonance. Because Rhombuses equate admitting fault with weakness, they spin events so that they always maintain their dominant status. This explains Trump’s ability to reframe losses as success regardless of external criticism.

They thrive in zero-sum competition. Unlike collaborative Shapes who seek win-win outcomes, Rhombuses subconsciously gravitate toward win-lose frameworks. They believe competition must have clear victors and losers, which is why compromise can feel like defeat. They must be the clear winner, at least in their mind.

They have an incredibly high capacity for endurance, both mental and physical. Rhombuses are wired for stress in a way that allows them to outlast opponents who burn out emotionally or mentally. Their ability to stay focused in high-pressure situations is a cognitive advantage. This is something that Octagons like Harris just don’t have, and at the subconscious level people could feel this.

They experience fear differently than most people. While many Shapes experience fear as anxiety or self-doubt, Rhombuses externalize fear—turning it into control, aggression, or deflection rather than internal rumination.

Rhombus Values: Rhombuses can undervalue these aspects of the human experience:

Empathy & Compassion – Feelings are often seen as a weakness rather than an asset. They may not see value in caring about emotions, as they have no extrinsic worth.
Intrinsic Worth – They don’t believe humans have value without earning it. They admire people who fight their way to the top and having proven their worth with success.
Ideas or Ideals that don’t have extrinsic value – ideas that don’t benefit anyone in some material way have no value.
What other people think – This is an interesting one because they like to be popular, liked, and admired, but if you don’t like them, then really don’t care about you. They will see you as an unimportant person, whose opinions are wrong and have no value.

Predicting Trumps Future Behavior

Trump’s Rhombus wiring is deeply ingrained, and he is functioning is an unbalanced state (meaning his fear of loss is driving) meaning his behavior will remain highly protective based on his values and fear structure. Unlike other Shapes who may shift based on introspection or growth and see unbalances and correct them, unbalanced Rhombuses double down on their core instincts over time.

This means we can confidently predict:

· He will continue to reframe every situation to maintain dominance.

· He will viciously protect his family, home, property, country and people.

· He will make decisions that put the United States interests above all others.

· He will rarely if ever admit weakness or mistakes.

· He will maintain a “Warrior” mentality and thrive in conflict

· He will ignore traditional roles and rules.

· He will prioritize power over personal loyalty.

· He will remain in the public eye, no matter what.

By understanding his Shape, we gain a scientific framework for predicting his actions—past, present, and future.

Final Thoughts: Love Him or Hate Him, Trump will put American First

Whether you admire his leadership or dislike his approach, Donald Trump’s behavior makes perfect sense through the Rhombus lens. He is wired to conquer, dominate, and protect, driven by achievement, competition, and control.

Understanding his Shape helps us move beyond labels like narcissist and see the deeper drivers behind his actions—just as we can use the 12 Shapes System to understand anyone in our lives.

Want to know your Shape and what drives YOUR behavior?

Take the 12 Shapes Quiz today.