Motivational speaker Tony Robbins has known President Donald Trump for decades, and he's not optimistic that he'll grow into the office.
Robbins -- who's promoting his new investment guide, Unshakeable -- told The Daily Beast that Trump's confidence was fragile because his self-image was largely based on what other people think about him.
"His entire life is 'you win or you’re nobody,'" Robbins said. "You’re seen and known. Even if people don’t like you -- though he’d prefer to be liked -- people will know who you are and respect you. That mentality is a ‘40s/’50s subset that some people have that he was brought up with, and it is him. The level of obsession that he has about the media coverage he gets — if you go to his offices he’s got a room stacked with magazines of everything he’s ever done."
Robbins, who gave Trump his first taste of speaking before a large crowd about 20 years ago, said he was almost sympathetic toward the president's personal vulnerability.
"I know it sounds absurd, but I feel for the guy in that at any moment, his entire identity can disappear if enough people are upset with him," Robbins said. "I hope that he’ll eventually adjust to a CEO mentality and be in a position where he wants to succeed so badly that he’ll do something that’s worthwhile. We’ll see."
Robbins, who at 6'7 is larger than his own bodyguards, explained that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are obsessed with cultivating a phony identity as tough guys.
"They’re fake alphas," Robbins said. "It’s a weird thing: they’re an alpha until they get punched in the face, or an alpha until someone takes out their legs. I meet people all the time where you can tell it’s fake confidence but people these days have a huge bullsh*t meter because even reality television is bullsh*t."
