Of course, the big news on Tuesday was Donald Trump himself. He was recently caught on a hot mic lamenting his anger at a violation of the Israel/Iran ceasefire. In a candid moment, he stated, “They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” highlighting the emotional responses that often accompany political discourse. This event has sparked a national debate on whether political leaders should use bad words. It’s a trend we’re seeing everywhere across the world.
Trump’s comment is not an isolated incident. He joins a short list of statesmen and politicians who have had to go beyond substitutionary language to express their sentiments. In 2006, then-President George Bush was snagged on a hot mic. At one point he was caught on an open mic using very inappropriate profanity while discussing the issue with then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. Even the politicians and world leaders are resorting to swearing to let off steam. This trend shows their commitment to flexing their advocacy muscle in a deeper and more impactful way.
The trend of political leaders swearing in public is nothing new. In recent years, we’ve witnessed too many examples of how politicians fail to censor themselves. Sadly, sometimes these moments are captured on video or recorded so everyone can hear. More commonly, these hair on fire moments occur outside of prepared remarks. In all, they provide us an interesting picture of the more human side of leadership. Such moments, though always contentious, highlight the emotional impact behind the politics and policy decisions that we make.
Global responses to international incidents differ dramatically. Supporters view them as a refreshing blast of plain-spoken truth, and their detractors decry the lack of civility. Strong language will drive the strongest reactions from constituents and that public perception is a powerful tool of a legislator. Swearing is a technique politicians use to portray their exasperation with the impossibility of it all. They’re counting on it to help them win public support for their cause.
The political landscape has shifted dramatically. It’s why people rush to post and scrutinize every instance of unfilteredness on social media. Those recordings are more frequent than ever. This habit further conflates private self-interest and public good in the campaign counterculture.