Is anyone looking after Donald Trump? Even the strongest leaders suffer psychological scars. I know at least one more politician who needs help, writes DAN HODGES

Donald Trump tried his champion to hide it. But arsenic he walked retired into nan Fiserv Forum successful Milwaukee for his first quality since Saturday’s effort connected his life, his assemblage betrayed him. The grin was fixed. The locomotion slow, and somewhat hesitant. Then, arsenic he gazed retired connected nan immense crowd of supporters rapturously applauding him, he abruptly stared downwards, arsenic if attempting to artifact nan infinitesimal out.

A batch has been said and written successful nan days pursuing nan shooting. It has chiefly focused connected its implications for nan title for nan presidency and nan broader toxicity of American governmental culture. There has been a reignition of nan statement complete gun control and nan perceived failings of nan US Secret Service, which person successful move spawned a plethora of online conspiracy theories.

But location has been virtually nary chat of what it intends for Donald Trump, nan man. Less than 48 hours earlier decease had virtually tally its fingers crossed his cheek. Yet location he was, being shunted retired into an arena of thousands chanting astatine him: ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’, nan words Trump shouted instantly aft nan shooting.

And he will fight. Whatever your views of Trump, location is nary disputing nan courageousness and defiance he showed successful nan contiguous aftermath of nan attack. Part of him will undoubtedly relish his near-martyrdom. But location is thing somewhat obscene astir nan measurement our governmental circus conscionable washes nan humor from nan stage, and moves on. It demands that its acrobats and jugglers simply hindrance their wounds – beingness and psychological – and transportation connected performing. Or are casually formed speech erstwhile they can’t.

Last week I was talking to an MP who had narrowly mislaid her spot successful nan election. Obviously what she knowledgeable was very different to what nan erstwhile president went done astatine nan Butler Farm showgrounds. But it still trim deep.

‘I was astatine nan count,’ she told me, ‘and I abruptly felt for illustration I was attending my ain funeral. I was opinionated connected nan shape listening to nan returning officer, and my life arsenic I’ve known it was ending. It was arsenic if I was proceeding them publication my ain obituary.’

Democracy is needfully brutal. Those successful powerfulness request to look a regular accounting astatine nan hands of nan people. And nationalist governance is simply a unsmooth trade, requiring resilience and robustness. But it’s now clip to commencement to person a due chat astir nan intelligence wellness of our politicians.

I personally cognize 1 high-profile elder leader who is presently successful request of superior psychological support. Yet for immoderate reason, nary due attraction of immoderate benignant is being provided. They are appearing connected nan broadcast rounds. They are continuing to constitute commentary for newspapers. They regularly beforehand themselves connected societal media. This is each being done pinch nan knowledge and consent of group who they would telephone their friends and ‘allies’.

Yet what they desperately request is simply a play retired of nan nationalist eye, distant from nan ongoing disapproval and opprobrium of their opponents, wherever they tin decently process and negociate their very existent feelings of individual and governmental grief.

This is not an isolated case. We spot a premium connected ‘toughness’. So that each excessively often ends up forcing our politicians to erect a façade. I cognize different elder leader who enjoys a estimation for being ‘a fighter’ who has been importantly affected by nan maltreatment they person received successful their Cabinet role. Again, they are successful request of due support. And again, nary is forthcoming.

Nor are these intelligence wellness issues restricted to our astir elder politicians. Several months agone I was speaking to a backbencher who had go progressively obsessed pinch a governmental issue, and angered astatine what they saw arsenic nan media’s nonaccomplishment to screen it sufficiently. ‘You’re complicit,’ they told me, ‘and there’ll beryllium a reckoning. We won’t discarded bullets connected you, we’ll spell for garrotting. You’re connected nan broadside of nan Nazis. And “I was only obeying orders” won’t beryllium an excuse.’

That’s 1 of nan much utmost cases. But location is presently a full absence of immoderate general intelligence wellness support successful what is 1 of nan astir stressful, public-facing professions. I asked an charismatic who had worked for 1 of our erstwhile premier ministers if they had been offered immoderate counselling erstwhile they near office. He laughed. ‘Not that I’m alert of. And anyway, I don’t deliberation they’d person taken it up if it was offered. Their cognition is “That’s really it goes, you conscionable person to return it and transportation on.”’

Yet moreover nan strongest figures find it difficult to conscionable support pushing forward. Or if they do, it leaves scars. In nan contiguous aftermath of nan Brighton bombing Margaret Thatcher caught a mates of hours slumber connected a bunk-bed successful a section constabulary station, past rose, and addressed her statement conference. It was an unthinkable show of statesmanship and resistance.

But nan acquisition changed her. Those closest to her observed successful nan years that followed really Brighton had made her much reserved and reflective. Her individual adjunct Cynthia Crawford recounted really nan premier minister’s hubby Denis had gone to Bond Street successful nan weeks pursuing nan onslaught and bought her a watch. ‘She told maine he had said, “This is to show you each infinitesimal counts.” I deliberation heavy down she knew she had been fortunate that night, very lucky.’

Donald Trump will ne'er admit it. But he’ll besides request group to beryllium location for him successful nan coming weeks and months. And truthful will our ain politicians.