____________________________________________ 2 IICC Perspectives Populism, Populist Leadership, and Intelligence Populism is a political style that fashions itself as the true representative of “the people,” understood as an authentic homogeneous group, as against minorities, immigrants, opposing political forces, or elite groups with wealth and influence. Populist leaders share similar personality traits and perceptions. The most prominent of these include a high level of narcissism, which contributes to excessive self-confidence; a tendency toward paranoia and fear of conspiracies, which create a dichotomous worldview dividing the world into “us” and "them"; a strong need for support and validation, leading to the creation of a sycophantic work environment that excludes those with differing opinions; and a radical anti-establishment mindset that drives populist leaders to see themselves as operating outside the system and challenging existing institutions. All of the above have significant implications for the relationship between a populist leader and the intelligence community. Even under normal circumstances, the encounter between “expertise without authority” and "authority without expertise" can lead to tension between the intelligence community’s professional role of presenting decision-makers with the most accurate and relevant assessment for policy making and its desire to influence the leader’s worldview. However, the tension can come to a head when dealing with a populist leader. Conventional leadership understands and respects the accepted rules of the game, which require listening to and acknowledging the expertise of intelligence professionals, even if their assessments are not necessarily adopted. By its nature, populist leadership does not regard itself as bound by rules. Since its primary goal is to gain and maintain public support rather than to protect and advance the nation’s security interests, and because the populist leader’s personality makes it difficult for them to accept assessments which do not align with their worldview or political objectives, they may not view the intelligence community as a vital professional partner but as a potential political adversary. As a result, instead of maintaining a proper relationship with intelligence, populist leaders may seek to undermine its status, cast doubt on its credibility, and even attempt to reshape it to fit their worldview and political needs. The the populist leader’s personality makes it difficult for them to cope with a reality that does not align with their worldview, increasing the likelihood of a sharp The populist leader and intelligence (ChatGPT)
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