I don't think the people who see trump as strong are sociopaths. They are people who desperately need the structure of heirarchy. They are as comfortable at the bottom as they would be at the top, so long as there is someone below them. The heirarchy is only valid so long as the people above them are good and strong and the people beneath them are contemptible and weak. The very highest member of the heirarchy being weak throws the whole thing into doubt, and must be avoided at all costs. The leader is strong and wise and we must ensure that everyone else thinks so.

The sociopaths (at least the high functioning ones) are simply doing what they can to climb the ladder.