Beginning in 1960, with the pivotal first-ever televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon, it became clear that media would play an enormously important role in American politics. From that point onward, elections—and the presidency itself—were shaped by television’s influence. But we never truly imagined how far that might go until the advent of social media. We couldn’t foresee how broadcast media—by which I mean television and social media combined—would not just influence or depict, but actually create a presidency. And I mean a real one, not a fictional TV series.
Trump has completely obliterated (his favourite new word) the boundary between broadcast media and the presidency. Traditional political journalists, observers, and commentators have been left utterly befuddled. The problem is that they’re still trying to view his presidency through the old lens, applying to him the standards of policy and communication that no longer apply. They talk about him as if he were just a more extreme version of a normal president. They say he "defies convention" and "busts norms." But he doesn’t merely defy convention or break norms—he’s operating from a completely different script.
Trump's conception of the presidency has more in common with The West Wing or Survivor than it does with governance. He is a character playing a role in a fictional story. The elements of film production are his guiding principles—scene setting, casting, drama, set design, lighting, hair, and makeup. He thinks in terms of storylines and spectacle, not national interest, policy, or strategy.
Is fact-checking something we do when watching our favorite miniseries? Of course not. Facts don’t matter to trump or his crew—not because they’re lying in the traditional sense (they are of course), but because they’re working in a different genre. He’s not misleading reporters in his daily scrums—he’s delivering lines written to serve a narrative and hold the attention of his audience. In this light, film and TV critics probably have a better grasp of his presidency than political scientists. It’s why media critic Michael Wolff, author of the 2015 book Television is the New Television, has arguably been one of the most astute chroniclers of the trump phenomenon.
Trump was created by media, in the media capital of New York City. He cut his teeth in the world of magazines and tabloids, then graduated to The Apprentice, where he honed the persona that would pave his way to the presidency. He was able to ride that persona to the White House because the electorate, in the age of social media, increasingly sees itself as characters in a fictional world. His followers at his rallies are like extras taking direction. Or a game show host and the studio audience. That’s the essence of trump's bond with his followers. It feels cultish because it functions like the bond between a performer and his supporting act. Trump’s pact with his most fervent supporters is like Willy Wonka’s with the holders of the Golden Ticket: Enter my world of fantasy and imagination, and I will provide you with joy, laughter, and surprise—all you have to do is believe.
All of this was on full display in the recent episode of this new season of The Trump Presidency Show—the “12-Day War” episode. Stealth bombers dropping massive bunker-buster munitions in the middle of the night made for the highest drama. According to Secretary of Defense Hegseth—a former Fox News personality—“the President directed” (yes, he actually used that tv-speak) “the most complicated and secretive military operation in U.S. history.” Apparently, the Secretary of Defense never heard of D-Day. His press conference had all the elements of a well-constructed scene: a bit-player trying to save his role by picking a fight with journalists (who dutifully played their part) after the previous episode—the “Parade Episode”—fell flat. It’s worth noting that trump pulls much of his supporting cast from Fox, at last count 23 members of his administration have worked as on-air personalities, commentators, or presenters.
If there’s one thing I can predict with confidence, it’s this: like all TV shows, this one will eventually jump the shark. I just hope not too many people get hurt in real life when it does.
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