Former officer and criminology professor examines Trump vote through moral psychology

Dr. Terry C. Cox, a former police officer and emeritus criminology professor, has published a new book that uses social psychology to examine how people reconcile personal values with public leadership choices. The 260-page book is on sale now in print and ebook formats at major booksellers.

Why it matters: - The book tries to explain a major political choice through moral psychology, not partisan debate. - Cox argues that public decision-making can reveal how people set aside personal standards under pressure from identity, culture, and loyalty. - The book may interest readers in criminology, social psychology, and civic behavior.

What happened: - Dr. Terry C. Cox published The Election of President Donald J. Trump: A Faustian Bargain and Morality Crisis. - Cox is an emeritus professor of criminology and criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University and a former municipal and railroad police officer. - The 260-page book is available in print and ebook editions at Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo, Bookshop.org, and Orell Füssli. - The publication date is March 11, 2026.

The details: - Cox builds the book around Albert Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement and Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance. - The book explains mechanisms from Bandura’s framework, including euphemistic labeling, advantageous comparison, displacement and diffusion of responsibility, attribution of blame, and minimizing consequences. - Cox compares those ideas with the screening standards used for police candidates at accredited agencies, including background investigations, psychological screening, and polygraph examinations. - The book also examines shifts in religious affiliation, economic pressure on working families, and demographic change. - The closing section focuses on child poverty and health in Kentucky and West Virginia. - The book takes its epigraph from John Prine’s 1972 song “The Great Compromise.” - The website listed for the book is More information. - Purchase links are available for Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo, Bookshop.org, and Orell Füssli.

Between the lines: - Cox is using a law enforcement background to frame political behavior as a question of accountability and moral consistency. - The book’s approach blends academic theory with lived experience inside policing and criminal justice. - The focus on Appalachia suggests the book ties national politics to regional hardship and long-running social change.

What's next: - Cox is available for interviews, podcast appearances, campus lectures, and commentary on criminology, policing, violent crime, and moral psychology. - Review copies, high-resolution author photographs, and cover art are available on request. - The book’s website is More information.