Former President Donald Trump went on one of his wild Truth Social rages, blasting out more than 30 of those posts in less than two hours. He did this the day after Democrats were celebrating big wins in special elections across multiple states, including New York, California, Virginia and New Jersey. His posts varied widely in subject matter, reflecting his perspectives on recent political developments and his ongoing engagement with followers.
In a notable shift towards self-promotion, Trump recommended several books to his audience, including works by authors such as Nicole Parker, Gianno Caldwell, Barry Loudermilk, Peter Navarro, and Christina Bobb. Perhaps more importantly, Trump wrote the foreword for Bobb’s book. Their inclusion of these recommendations is a step to making him stay relevant and influential in his supporter base.
Filming spaces in advance of his arrest, Trump’s posts featured videos where he stood in front of a podium in a nondescript room. He provided reflections on his recent in-person meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He gave an account of his G2 sitdown with China’s President Xi Jinping. Trump had repeatedly attacked the Affordable Care Act as “really bad healthcare… Obamacare is a disaster.” He directed fire towards Democrats, calling them “crazed lunatics.”
Immediately after those electoral results on Tuesday night, Trump jumped on Truth Social and expressed his anger in all capital letters. Instead, he urged Republicans to follow through on their threats and use the so-called “nuclear option” to end the filibuster. Yet his passionate screed caused many political analysts and commentators to instantly question the health of his mental faculties.
Trump reiterated threats he made over the weekend regarding Nigeria, stating that if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria.” He even shared an image of himself with Vice President JD Vance. His caption, “1 year since elected” is further testament to his continued deep interest in participatory politics.
His social media frenzy was a reaction to a recent string of Republican electoral defeats. The successful campaign was a testament to his enduring sway over the party. Trump drew attention to economic issues by stating, “Walmart just announced that Prices for a Thanksgiving Dinner is now down 25% since under Sleepy/Crooked Joe Biden, in 2024. AFFORDABILITY is a Republican Stronghold. Hopefully, Republicans will use this irrefutable fact!”
Taken together, Trump’s stupendous politics posts spell out his strategy to completely control the political conversation. Just as importantly, he’s trying to bring his base to the table with every tweet. He is gutting through the fallout from last week’s elections. His missives help expose the longer-term problems confronting the Republican Party, particularly in its ability or inability to adapt to recent Democratic victories.