Donald Trump continues to use social media as his personal soapbox (Photo by Stephen) … [+]
Former President Donald Trump has never lived up to the old adage, “If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.” Perhaps best known for being voiced by the fictional rabbit character Thumper in Disney animation, bambi In the movie, this quote is actually from eccentric British author Charles Caleb Colton.
Trump isn't the only one following advice on social media. Perhaps the country would be less divided if civility were maintained — but former presidents routinely voice their opinions on all kinds of topics. He increasingly talks about celebrities such as actress Rosie O'Donnell, Vanity Fair editor Anna Wintour, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, and model Chrissy Teigen, among others. It's starting to make a statement.
While many Trump supporters don't seem to care about, or perhaps even support, his public interactions, critics suggest that's far from the president. It is true that past presidents may not have said anything even if provoked.
“Former President Trump's relentless social media presence, including attacks on larger constituencies and those with public support, is motivated by two reasons. The first is personal: the man is an extreme narcissist and lacks impulse control,” suggested Dr. James Bailey, a business professor at the George Washington School of Business.
“He was a high school bully who would shove other students to the ground while yelling his name,” Bailey added. “The second is a professional. His supporters adore him for speaking his mind, no matter how rude it is to everyone. The more popular the topic, the better.”
The online social media fight could be described as Trump being Trump.
“The former president made a habit of hurling insults and making fun of people who disagreed with him, first on Twitter (now known as X) and then on his own social platform, TruthSocial. '' said Jason. Mr. Morica, Professor and Lecturer of Public Communication at American University.
“Trump has been 'feuding' with Jimmy Kimmel for some time now, criticizing Rihanna during the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show and claiming she is more popular than Taylor Swift.” Mr. Morica continued. “All of these examples are great fodder for shares and comments on social media.”
Did Trump pick the wrong battle?
But Trump, who rose to fame first as a media-hungry real estate developer and then as a TV personality, should understand the importance of celebrity. In the United States, athletes are often portrayed as heroes and celebrities are treated like royalty.
Politicians – with a few exceptions – are neither, but it's true that President Trump's base may see him as both a hero and royalty. The problem is, the rest of voters might not think so, and his feuds with the likes of Rihanna and Taylor Swift, who were notoriously lacking in talent before their 2023 Super Bowl performance, could backfire. That's true.
Bailey said those were strategic mistakes.
“Trump's base is rock solid,” Bailey explained. “There's nothing he can do to shake that base. And those who disagree with Trump are rock solid as well. They won't vote for him under any circumstances. What's left is the 10 to 15 percent who are 'on the fence.' They don't like Biden and they're confused by Trump.”
Does it cost money to vote?
Mollica said he doesn't believe all of this feud will affect Trump in this November's presidential election anyway. However, he added that he sees celebrity endorsements having an influence.
“A 2012 study published in the Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization found that Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama in the 2008 primary led to an increase in turnout and the number of votes cast. It has been shown that “But this is an exception. When a celebrity attends a rally or event, the attendees are likely aligned with the candidate on many issues.”
This doesn't mean politicians should ignore celebrities who also try to act as activists and crusaders, but they should keep their commentary to a minimum.
“It's best for candidates not to run against celebrities,” Mollica said. “If a prominent actor criticizes your stance on an important issue, it's fine to address it. But when you get into a long-running battle on any social network, it ends up becoming a public relations issue. It doesn't hurt to see the “battles” being waged on the topics potential voters want to pay attention to when casting their votes. ”
Superstars may be different.
But the question this year is whether Rihanna and Taylor Swift will voice their opinions about the former president and other candidates. Both women are billionaires, reportedly far wealthier than Trump, and each have far more followers on social media.
The difference is that while many people who would never vote for Trump may follow Trump, haters who dislike those singers' music are likely not to follow their statements and posts!
“When President Trump verbally attacks Taylor Swift, a popular character, he is alienating the 10 to 15 percent of people who decide the election,” Bailey warned. “They say, 'My daughter loves Rihanna, but my son laughs at Jimmy Kimmel's shenanigans.' Why would Trump say bad things about them? They'll remember it at the polls, and then he'll alienate the very group that felt alienated in 2016, and that helped propel him to the presidency by a slim margin.”
