The Washington Post documented 30573 false or misleading claims made by Donald Trump during his entire first presidential term. This averaged to 21 lies per day. A thorough look at records shows that the frequency of these claims increased over the years. There were about 6 false or misleading claims made in his first year and this increased to 22 per day in his third year and 39 per day in his fourth and last year.
Falsehoods marked several of his statements, speeches, and other pronouncements during the first 100 days of his second term. These include overstating the issues about the persistent U.S. trade deficits and misrepresenting tariff impacts, reiterating debunked allegations about election fraud and crimes, and taking credit during favorable economic performance or deflecting blame during economic downturns.
Pathology or Strategy: Supposed Reasons Why Donald Trump Lies
Nevertheless, despite attempts to either counter or correct false information, staunch Trump allies and supporters are receptive, even going as far as further disseminating and reinforcing his false and misleading claims. Furthermore, despite being called out and made aware of his falsehoods, as well as what initially seemed blunders in the interpretation of facts, Trump has refused to be corrected and has not retracted.
His frequent use of falsehoods and tall tales has drawn criticisms and extensive analysis. Several experts have identified specific factors in their attempt to explain this behavior. Their collective evaluation suggests a combination of psychological strategic, and cultural factors, thus indicating that the reasons why Donald Trump lies perhaps stem from both pathology and strategy. Take note of the following explanations:
Assumptions Based on Pathology
Several observers have noted that Trump exhibits narcissistic tendencies or other personality trait disorders. These are considered one of the reasons behind his leaning toward making false claims or exaggerating truths. Psychology professor Geoff Beattie, in his 2024 explainer article, noted that some of the lies told by Trump were trivial and a lot were self-aggrandizing. There were also falsehoods that challenged verified information.
Politicians often deceive the public to gain some advantage but, as underscored by Beattie, none has lied like Trump. Some experts have further argued that he might be engaging in some form of self-deception that involves convincing himself of certain falsehoods to appear more convincing to others. This self-deception can make his statements more persuasive to his audience. Those with narcissistic tendencies are prone to this behavior.
Over 200 mental health professionals signed an open letter in October 2024 asserting that Trump showcases symptoms consistent with the so-called malignant narcissism. This term encompasses traits like narcissism, paranoia, antisocial behavior, and sadism that render him unfit for leadership. Forensic psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee published a book in 2017 containing essays from professionals that examined the mental health status of Trump.
Not all mental health experts agree with the statements hurled toward Trump because of the ethical concerns about the dangers of diagnosing public figures without a personal examination. However, as part of their counterarguments, critics of Trump explained that the mental health status of an influential public figure should be analyzed. Historian Estelle Freeman said that professionals have responded to unstable politicians in the past.
Intentional and Outright Strategy
The contention of some mental health professionals against diagnosing Trump without a personal examination has its merits. It is impossible to conclude that he suffers from a personality disorder or mental health issue without an actual diagnosis. Nevertheless, in setting aside pathological or medical basis, another probable reason Donald Trump spreads false or misleading claims centers on a deliberate communication and political strategy.
Several commentaries have explained how Trump and his cohorts use particular rhetorical approaches to spread propaganda and maintain a populist political stance. For example, political historian Timothy Snyder, as mentioned in an interview with CNN, accused Trump of using the big lie technique, a term which was introduced by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf and is defined as a propaganda tactic involving gross distortion of the truth.
Brian Stelter of CNN and Carlos Maza of Vox also likened the communication style of Trump to the firehose of falsehood technique. This is derived from various Soviet propaganda techniques and is a model for Russian propaganda under Vladimir Putin. It involves rapid, continuous, and repetitive dissemination of messages containing false information across all viable channels to reinforce narratives and overwhelm fact-checking efforts.
His background in New York real estate has also been attributed to his transactional or dealism mindset, which according to Jemima Kelly of the Financial Times, prioritizes winning and success over consistency and truthfulness. Psychology professor Dan P. McAdams also explained that Trump tends to operate in the present and focus on immediate gains over long-term prospects to sustain immediate victories and public perception.
Important Pointer: Pinpointing Why Exactly Donald Trump Lies
The exact reasons why Donald Trump lies cannot be determined without direct admissions from him or conclusive evidence pointing out how his use of falsehoods reflects an underlying mental health issue or a cunning strategy to maintain power and influence. It could be a combination of both pathology and strategy. Several supporters sometimes argue that Trump speaks of hyperbole or makes claims that represent truthful exaggeration.
Nevertheless, regardless of the reasons, what is more important is for critics, media professionals and fact-checkers, and members of the opposition to call out false or misleading claims, provide necessary corrections or counterpoints, and develop and utilize evidence-based tactics to prevent the further dissemination and acceptance of false information. Unchecked claims exploit the public and create vulnerabilities in democratic institutions.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Fact Checker. 20 January 2021. “In Four Years, President Trump Made 30,573 False or Misleading Claims.” The Washington Post. Available online
- Kelly, J. 27 April 2025. “Trump and the Art of Dealism.” Financial Times. Available online
- Kessler, G., Rizzo, S., and Kelly, M. 2020. Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth: The President’s Falsehoods, Misleading Claims and Flat-Out Lies. Scribner. ISBN: 978-1982151072
- Lee, B. X. 2017. The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN: 978-1-250-17945-6
- Maza, C. 1 September 2018. “Why Obvious Lies Make Great Propaganda: The Propaganda Trick Trump and Putin Use.” Vox. Available online
- McAdams, D. P. 2020. The Strange Case of Donald J. Trump: A Psychological Reckoning. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0197507445
- Stelter, B. 11 January 2021. “Experts Warn that Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ Will Outlast His Presidency.” CNN. 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