Oh, there are reasons beyond putrid sadism! There's also chest-thumping bravado ("I am POWERFUL; bow to me!") and ego ("I'm gonna build the biggest wall ever!") and obstruction ("if I can't have what I want then you can't either!") and the tantrums of a really ill-behaved toddler.
(no subject)
Sigh. I'm embarrassed by my country's government.