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The Bully in the Pulpit
Author(s) -
Edwards George C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
presidential studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 1741-5705
pISSN - 0360-4918
DOI - 10.1111/psq.12644
Subject(s) - presidency , pulpit , political science , polity , rhetoric , democracy , political economy , public administration , law , politics , sociology , history , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology
Both the tone and substance of Donald Trump's public rhetoric are far beyond the norms of the presidency. In this article, I discuss prominent characteristics of the president's public discourse—including branding and delegitimizing opponents, fueling fear, prevaricating, and stoking divisions—and their consequences for both the president's attempts at leadership and the polity as a whole. I find that Trump's public discourse has diminished his ability to govern and has also been deleterious for American democracy.