The Gospel for Trump’s Delusion

Plus: The 'Summer House' Scandal, Explained

View in browser | Update preferences SUBSCRIBE FOR FULL ACCESS It should come as no surprise that Donald Trump, the reality television star turned president turned convicted felon, has lifted much of his personal philosophy from a self-help book written in 1952. Penned by conservative thought leader Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking first entered Trump's lexicon when his father, Fred, read the 256-page New York Times bestseller and became a Peale devotee. Today, writer Rachel Dodes delves into the origins and influence of Trump's relationship to Peale—which began when he was an impressionable young man attending Manhattan's Marble Collegiate Church, where Peale was the pastor—and explores how it has informed his continued denial of reality. "He preached that positive thoughts can cancel out negative ones; that attitudes are more important than facts; and that self-confidence is a gift from God himself," writes Dodes. But certainly that kind of unbridled confidence, which for Trump has devolved into delusion, is a dangerous thing for a president like him to have. Elsewhere, Savannah Walsh breaks down the Summer House scandal that has everyone talking. Plus, self-proclaimed practical joker Monica Lewinsky shares some tricks of the trade for April Fools' Day. DANIELA TIJERINA, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Why this ad? How Trump Turned The Power of Positive Thinking Into Delusion BY RACHEL DODES The president's unbridled confidence is a product of the self-help author Norman Vincent Peale's decades-long influence on him. It's only gotten worse. READ MORE Get more as a Vanity Fair subscriber Exclusive offer: Subscribe to get one month of Vanity Fair free START YOUR FREE TRIAL More Great Reads SCANDAL A Summer House Divided BY SAVANNAH WALSH A surprise love connection between castmates, both of whom have previously dated or been married to members of their Hamptons share house, has activated the Bravo universe. READ MORE CRIME An Art Expert on Where the Magnani-Rocca's Stolen Art Might Wind Up BY VALERIA VANTAGGI Kimiko Bossi, senior director of Finarte, explains how auction houses combat illicit trafficking after the disappearance of a Renoir, a Cézanne, and a Matisse from the Magnani-Rocca Foundation. READ MORE From the Archive To Catch a Cat Killer BY MARK SEAL After dozens of cats were gruesomely killed in Croydon, a South London borough, committed animal activists begged the police to get involved. With the murders spreading across the country, it was a mad dash for Scotland Yard to catch the culprit. READ MORE Why this ad? But Wait, There's More Monica Lewinsky's Guide to Pulling Off the Perfect April Fools' Day Prank A veteran practical joker shares some tricks of the trade. MORE FROM VANITY FAIR POLITICS BUSINESS HOLLYWOOD STYLE ROYALS CELEBRITY This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.