The Bullshitting President

Trump is different from all of his predecessors in uncountable (bad) ways. But perhaps the most consequential difference is how much he talks—publicly, constantly, and often incoherently. He holds press conferences, interviews, and impromptu gaggles with staggering frequency. According to Martha Joynt Kumar of the White House Transition Project, during his first 100 days in office, Trump held 129 press interactions, averaging nearly two per workday—far exceeding his six predecessors.

I use the word "talk" deliberately. What trump does is not "speaking" in the traditional sense. Speaking implies intent, coherence, and communication—a desire to convey ideas with clarity and purpose. What trump does is chatter. It is not communication; it is noise. And it should be taken as seriously as gossip—except that it comes from the most powerful office on the planet, which makes it dangerous.

This talking has two major effects. First, it captures media attention, which is trump’s primary objective. As long as he dominates the news cycle, he believes he is winning—and in a way, he’s right. The media, unable to ignore a sitting president, amplifies every word. And in doing so, they often assign meaning to his nonsense, creating the illusion of intentionality. The infamous phrase "take him seriously, not literally" is a symptom of this problem. It’s a baffling dodge, one that implicitly concedes that his words lack clarity, yet still insists they carry weight.

Second, trump’s barrage of words overwhelms the public—what strategist Steve Bannon once described as “flooding the zone with shit.” This torrent of contradiction and confusion offers plausible deniability. One moment, he says something outrageous; the next, he denies it or blames the “fake news.” The sheer volume numbs the audience. Supporters cherry-pick what they want to hear; everyone else starts to tune out entirely.

All of this leads to a central question: What can be done about a President who bullshits so much?

First, we must name it. As philosopher Harry Frankfurt wrote in his essay "On Bullshit," the bullshitter isn’t concerned with truth or lies—only with what the moment demands. Trump doesn’t lie in the traditional sense (only sometimes); he speaks without regard for truth at all. That distinction matters. We must stop treating his utterances as misstatements or spin. Call it what it is: bullshit.

Second, stop translating nonsense into policy. Too often, media analysts and pundits try to make sense of trump's verbal detritus. They turn stray comments into headlines, parse incoherent rants as if they reflect serious policy. Instead, the media should contextualize the incoherence. Shift the burden of clarity back to the speaker.

Third, the media must resist the spectacle. That means less live coverage, more filtered reporting. Fact-checking should follow, not accompany, the noise. And coverage should be proportional—just because the president speaks doesn't mean it's newsworthy.

Trump’s talking style is not a sideshow; it is the show. It is central to how he maintains power. Understanding that is the first step toward neutralizing its corrosive effects.