Part of President Trump’s appeal to his base is that he doesn’t speak like a normal politician. This is occasionally described as his being willing to tell it like it is, which isn’t true because he so frequently lies or says things that are misleading. But it does seem fairly obvious that his choice of words is generally not calculated, his phrasing not polished by concerns about how his comments will be interpreted.
But, of course, there’s a reason politicians generally try to communicate deliberately: It helps them avoid saying things that might offend voters or stir up controversy. This has never been a concern of Trump’s, often to the consternation of his staff and allies. They’re left cleaning up after him, as when White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday had to try to explain why Trump tweeted false claims about coronavirus-related deaths and why he expressed appreciation for a thread of comments defending a murder suspect in Wisconsin.
Having someone around to clean up any problematic comments is also why Trump has given more interviews to Fox News than any other outlet as president. Continue reading.