The rise of Donald Trump is (still) a shock. Just last week many again wondered if this was the beginning of the end for Trump’s campaign based on his implication that those who are pro Second Amendment could take care of Hillary Clinton should she win in November. The answer? Likely not. Cue head scratching
As perplexing as his bruising, bare-knuckle, low-grade combat seems, the shock of Trump’s rise begins to fade when we notice how he’s tapped into the daily “reality” of both the educated and uneducated on social media.
Sadly, Trump resonates with Americans because he mirrors the erosion of civility that is best captured in an Instagram/Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat world. Donald Trump IS the personification of a social media troll.
Here are the top 3 social media characteristics brought to life by this year’s GOP nominee as he seeks the highest office in the world.
#1 — 140 characters or less
In a sound bite culture, where emotion undermines substance, enter Trump. The man whose bark doesn’t really have much bite. He says he’s going to make things great. He says we’re supposed to trust him. He says he’s going to make “Mexico pay for that wall.” But we’re never told how.
Fortunately for Trump, such an explanation would involve more than 140 characters, and so the majority of America doesn’t demand one from him. The man who’s all about one-liners clearly commands this social media generation who lets him get away with it. We have become a people with attention spans who prefer things to be kept short and simple, and the Donald is more than happy to oblige.
#2 — Punch and Counterpunch
No matter the medium on which he’s attacked — prime-time interview, presidential speech, rally, press conference — Trump immediately takes to Twitter to counterpunch his opponents. He can’t let accusations fall on deaf ears. He seeks out fights. He gives life to criticism that then perpetuates more news stories.
But Trump doesn’t have to be hit first in order to hit back. Sometimes he calls people out who’ve said nothing negative about him. It’s like he’s bored and needs to remind the world that he’s still here, still relevant.
Whether a punch or counterpunch, no one has escaped his ire. He’s called out Susanna Martinez, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, Megyn Kelly … the list goes on. In fact, it might be easier to write a list of names of people he hasn’t attacked, and most of them have the last name Trump.
#3 — Master of the Hashtag
If Twitter is Trump’s preferred mode of communication, it’s no surprise that he provides hashtags to accompany his rants. You’ve heard them over and over and over again: #CrookedHillary, #LyingTed, #LittleMarco, #LowEnergyJeb, #CrazyBernie, #GoofyElizabethWarren. All are insulting, all end up trending, and, regardless whether you agree or disagree, all are catchy. A win for #TheDonald.
For the man who made a name for himself saying “you’re fired!”, Trump is not afraid to put a face to the most venomous rants while many either shy away from engaging (for fear for social retribution) or hide behind the anonymity of social media — think of that faceless egg on Twitter. And in an election cycle where few are happy with their options and most are angry about the state of Washington, it starts making sense that a personification of the frustration is appealing.
Beverly Hallberg is president of District Media Group. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
