Bullsh*t Trump politics: Liar that does not hide truth

It is necessary to detach a little from the domestic nonsense. So let's talk about American nonsense. Yes, we may not like Biden with his "indecisiveness," but Trump with his inadequate unpredictability simply poses a more significant risk.

An illustrative example is Trump's communication with his supporters. Throughout his presidency, he made like 30,000 statements — ranging from outright falsehoods to distorted facts — totaling between 29,508 and 30,573, averaging about 20 lies per day.

The peak was in October 2020, the month preceding the elections, during which he lied almost 4,000 times in 31 days. This analysis is focused solely on verifiable facts subjected to fact-checking.

For instance, Trump repeatedly claimed he would build a border wall with Mexico (which he didn't) and insisted that Mexico would foot the bill. Despite over 200 assertions of this, the wall wasn't built, and Mexico didn't pay for it. This wasn't just a virtual nonsense; it formed a core element of his pre-election strategy, and it still does. 

During the campaign, Trump falsely attributed the practice of separating migrant families to Obama, even though this policy was implemented 1.5 years into his own presidency. When facing judicial investigations, he went to the extreme of labeling the appointment of investigators as illegal. 

Political analyst Matthew McManus describes Trump's approach as "bullshit" – a style of deceit not concerned with hiding or knowing the truth but focused on overpowering opponents or potential supporters with persuasive arguments. According to McManus, this sets Trump apart from another famous deceitful politician, Richard Nixon, who was a classic liar: he acknowledged the truth's value but attempted to conceal it.

In essence, Trump embodies a unique level of deception and populism, reminiscent of far-right leaders from the 1920s and 1930s. Considering the xenophobic and authoritarian nature of Trump's rhetoric, there are notable parallels.

Do Americans grasp the nature of this deception? Are they so misled that understanding eludes them? The majority are fully aware. In the past 7-8 years, only 33 to 36% of Americans have viewed Trump as a trustworthy figure. However, this did not prevent him from securing 11 million more votes in the 2020 election compared to the 2016 election when he first became president.

Even though most Americans, including a significant portion of his voters, view Trump as a pathological liar, they still cast their votes for him. The appeal of resentment towards fellow Americans, immigrants, corporations, and "globalists," along with fears and conspiracy theories, outweighs the perception of Trump's dishonesty. Trump effectively responds to this demand.

Addressing this challenge requires addressing the root causes behind the popularity of both right and left radicals.

From our perspective, Trump is entirely unpredictable due to his opportunistic nature. He can swiftly alter his rhetoric today or choose not to. Are we and the world prepared for such unpredictability? I don't know, but many Americans are ready for it now.

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About the author. Yuriy Bohdanov, publicist, specialist in strategic communications in the field of business, public administration, and politics

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.