His harshest critics describe him as someone who has a thought process of a five-year-old. It cannot be helped. Donald Trump Jr. often speaks and writes in a manner devoid of coherence and actual thinking. He showcases an unhinged stream-of-consciousness approach to communication and one of the best examples of cognitive dissonance.
Meanwhile, for some of his staunchest supporters and defenders, this is a deliberate strategy aimed at appealing to a broader audience. Other observers have also pointed out that his inclination to spout obvious lies or spread false information is part of his propaganda technique. There is still a strong case that Trump is simply a bad communicator.
Word Salad: Exploring the Possible Reasons Why Donald Trump Talks Nonsense
Trump, during a May 2025 media conference in Qatar and while commenting on the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, noted that drones kill lots of people and even those who are hiding behind trees end up surrounded by these unmanned aerial vehicles, which circle them with fire and knock down trees in the process. He then shifted topic and talked about Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and blamed Joe Biden for neglecting the airports.
Moreover, during his 2024 presidential campaign trail, he made several wild claims. These include accusing illegal immigrants in Ohio of eating cats and ducks and dismissing the campaign crowds in Kalama Harris as merely generated by artificial intelligence. The Economic Club of New York also once asked him what he would do to make child care affordable. Trump ended up with what reporters like Alex Woodward described as a two-minute word salad.
The aforementioned are some of the more popular examples of how Trump has spoken nonsense and blurted incoherence. He is also notorious for making brazen and obvious lies. A dedicated team of fact-checkers at The Washington Post documented 30573 false or misleading claims during his first presidential term from 2017 to 2021. His campaign trail during the 2024 presidential race and second-term presidency has been marked by false claims
Communication Strategy
Several observers have identified concepts to ground the tendency of Trump to talk nonsense on a deliberate communication strategy. For example, according to humanities professor Tim Kenyon, Trump makes outlandish claims as a form of distraction. This is attuned with the established trend in U.S. politics in which politicians and influencers, as described by media analyst Brian Stelter, flood the zone with nonsense to disorient the media and public.
The aforementioned approach to communication aims to create chaos and make it more difficult for people or watchdogs to focus on facts or hold political figures accountable. It then negatively shapes public perception and the resulting public discourse through confusion and distraction. Overwhelming the audience with false information or random nonsense can leave them confused and overwhelmed and desensitize them to dangerous messaging.
Stelter and Carlos Maza of Vox also likened the communication style of Trump to the firehose of falsehood propaganda technique which was inspired by Soviet propaganda techniques and used by Russia under Vladimir Putin. The technique generally involves rapid, continuous, and repetitive dissemination of false information using all relevant channels to reinforce intended narratives and overwhelm the efforts of media and fact-checking organizations.
Demonstrated Madness
Others argue that the reason why Trump often talks nonsense stems from his poor communication skills which further stem from a specific pathology. Note over 200 mental health professionals signed and published an open letter in October 2024 asserting that he showcases symptoms consistent with malignant narcissism. Psychology professor Geoff Beattie also suggested that Trump might be engaging in some form of self-deception to appear convincing.
Some have noted that the incoherent or rambling speech of Trump may be a sign of age-related cognitive decline. This is based on observers noting how he seemed to struggle with retrieving words, completing a sentence, or remaining on topic. The health-focused STAT News publication compared his speech patterns from the 1980s to 2017. The analysis revealed a shift from articulate business talk to more fragmented and often repetitive language.
Another explanation is that he simply lacks the patience or interest to prepare coherent thoughts and messaging. Former aides and ghostwriters, such as “Art of the Deal” author Tony Schwartz describe him as easily bored, uninterested in reading, and unwilling to sit through briefings. There is also an argument that his communication approach reflects the influence of decades in reality TV and tabloid media in which slogans and hyperbole are common.
Talking in Tongues: Pointers on the Communication Style of Donald Trump
The communication style of Trump is unlike that of most modern political figures and traditional statesmen. Nevertheless, regardless if it is a deliberate propaganda technique, a manifestation of cognitive decline, or the result of a media-saturated persona obsessed with spectacle, the outcome is the same. His often nonsensical public speech, media interviews, and social media posts cloud meaningful discussion, blurs truth, and fosters confusion.
Understanding how Trump communicates is crucial in helping the public recognize facts from falsehoods and assisting the media in framing related coverages or reportages with proper contextualization. A thorough awareness empowers the audience and other stakeholders with the ability to evaluate messages, resist and oppose propaganda, and make informed decisions in a political environment increasingly shaped by spectacle over substance.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Beattie, G. 21 October 2024. “Why Does Donald Trump Tell Such Blatant Lies.” The Conversation. Available online
- Begley, S. 23 May 2017. “Trump Wasn’t Always Linguistically Challenged. What Could Explain the Change?” STAT News. Available online
- Fact Checker. 20 January 2021. “In Four Years, President Trump Made 30,573 False or Misleading Claims.” The Washington Post. Available online
- Kenyon, T. 25 February 2025. “Why Donald Trump is Such a Relentless BS.” The Conversation. Available online
- Maza, C. 1 September 2018. “Why Obvious Lies Make Great Propaganda: The Propaganda Trick Trump and Putin Use.” Vox. Available online
- Stelter, B. 30 November 2020. “Firehose of Falsehood: How Trump is Trying to Confuse the Public About the Election Outcome.” CNN. Available online
- Stelter, B. 16 November 2021. “This Infamous Steve Bannon Quote is Key to Understanding America’s Crazy Politics.” CNN. Available online
- Woodward, A. 5 September 2024. “Trump Tries to Explain How He Plans to Make Childcare More Affordable. It Was a Word Salad.” The Independent. Available online