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Trump’s gaslighting is at a fever pitch due to increased pressure to release his tax returns. Among the questions are whether Trump violated the emoluments clause—especially in regards to any possible business dealings with Russia.
How does the gaslighter react when they are being forced into a corner with a maelstrom of their own making? One gaslighting tactic is to send the message that people that are not smart enough or “with it” enough to fully comprehend something. (And if the gaslighter is caught "in the act," they will just blatantly lie.) Does the gaslighter actually think you aren't that bright? Except for the most narcissistic gaslighters, they are aware that you are intelligent, and that's what scares them. A preemptive strike of the gaslighter is to falsely question your intelligence. The more intelligent you are perceived to be, the greater the threat you are to the gaslighter. This is particularly why gaslighting leaders tend to attack intellectuals.
An example of this was seen last week. Sarah Sanders said to Chris Wallace on Fox News, “And frankly, Chris, I don't think Congress, particularly this group of congressmen and women, are smart enough to look through the thousands of pages that I would assume President Trump's taxes will be."
It goes without saying that members of Congress are at least reasonably intelligent people. A majority of Congresspeople have a college education: 222 have law degrees, 121 have master's degrees, 24 have doctoral degrees, and 18 have medical degrees. And it is very likely that Congressional members of both parties will consult experts when reviewing the returns. Sanders' statement that she doesn't think Congresspeople are "smart enough" to review the returns is the equivalent of a playground insult—not creative and bearing little impact.
Consider that Sanders is Trump by proxy—gaslighters often use messengers to relay their statements. Gaslighters will not allow a messenger to improvise on the message or add their own comments. This can result in receiving the wrath of the gaslighter. The messenger must show unwavering loyalty to the gaslighter and his message.
Why do gaslighters go with the tactic of claiming that you aren't smart? It attempts to undermine the credibility of your response. If a gaslighter knows you are approaching the exposure of his illegal or immoral behavior, he will almost always go straight to, "Don't listen to this person. He's just not that bright." This message can be repeated so often it may make you question your intelligence. This is exactly what the gaslighter wants—for you to question yourself and possibly not pursue a search for information because of your fear that you won't be taken seriously. This is all the more reason to pursue your line of questioning.
The gaslighter is sending the message that he thinks he is so much smarter than you and, therefore, supposedly more credible. Gaslighters will become so firmly entrenched in their "opponent is not that smart" narrative that they will even undermine themselves by labeling people they appointed as "stupid" or less intelligent.
Insulting intelligence is one of the most transparent forms of gaslighting. However, in relationships or in the workplace, gaslighter’s usually don’t pull this tactic out until they know they’re getting close to being cornered and held responsible for their behavior. By the time gaslighters accuse someone of low intelligence, they have already been gaslighting someone from other angles. This constant twisting of reality by the gaslighter makes someone more susceptible to actually questioning his own competence.
Gaslighters ooze charisma with precision— to the point where a critic will start questioning their perceptions and reality. This can make critics even question whether the gaslighter could really be so underhanded. After meeting a gaslighter, it is not uncommon for critics of a gaslighter to say, "Oh, he's really not like that in person," or "I think he's just misunderstood." If you are dealing with a gaslighter, any comments about how you aren’t bright enough to understand should make you examine facts and any accompanying documents even more intensely. Gaslighters usually criticize one’s intelligence or sanity when they have something to hide.
