📣 Donald Trump: Anatomy of an Unconventional Communication Strategy

Donald Trump speaking — a direct and emotional style

[Disclaimer]

This article does not aim to analyze the content of Donald Trump's speeches or assess his political positions. It is a professional analysis focused exclusively on the communication techniques he uses. The goal is to understand the formal mechanisms deployed in his public speaking — their effectiveness, limitations, and implications.

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1. A disruptive style

Donald Trump doesn't speak like most Western leaders. That much is clear. Whether seen as a communication genius or an unpredictable showman, his style is striking — precisely because it breaks from established codes. While others adopt a polished tone, Trump favors rupture, impact, and repetition.

Linguist Aurélien Amet, in his analysis of Trump's speech in Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention, notes that Trump's speeches are, on average, understandable by a 9-year-old child. The Coleman-Liau readability index for this speech is 6.6, roughly equivalent to a sixth-grade reading level.

This simplicity is not accidental. The sentences are short (about 10 words), rarely include subordinate clauses, and are filled with concrete vocabulary, adverbs (“very”, “really”), superlatives (“the best”, “disaster”), and punchy expressions. Trump doesn't aim to explain. He aims to hit hard.

2. Emotion-driven communication built on conflict

Donald Trump's discourse is highly polarizing — not just in content, but in structure. Everything is designed to create a clear “us” versus “them” dynamic.

In his Milwaukee speech, we find:

• 262 instances of "I"

• 207 of "you"

• 295 of "we"

Opposing this group is a vague yet threatening “they,” alternately representing Democrats, elites, journalists, or undocumented immigrants. The word “invasion” appears thirteen times, alongside a warlike vocabulary: “kill,” “hurt,” “attack,” “rape.”

This strategy taps into a well-established mechanism: blaming and demonizing an enemy, and presenting oneself as the only safeguard. The speech leverages two core emotions: fear and hope.

3. Repetition as a method

Donald Trump is a master of repetition. His speeches function like marketing slogans. He hammers home the same ideas, phrases, and labels. Far from being a weakness, this approach aligns with a well-known psychological effect: the illusory truth effect. The more an idea is repeated, the more people tend to believe it — regardless of its factual accuracy.

The speech becomes a tool of conditioning. Hillary Clinton becomes “crooked Hillary,” Joe Biden becomes “sleepy Joe.” These repeated nicknames label opponents in the public’s subconscious.

4. A strategy of constant tension

Several analysts describe Trump’s posture as a form of calculated unpredictability, often linked to the so-called “madman theory” — a Cold War-era strategy where a leader acts irrationally to intimidate opponents through fear of their reaction.

This stance blurs the lines between strategy, spontaneity, and provocation. At times, it gives the image of a bold, unfiltered leader close to the people. At others, it suggests instability. But it’s clear that Trump willingly embraces communication imbalance as a tactic.

5. Well-exploited personal skills

Beyond stylistic choices, Trump instinctively displays several soft skills: self-confidence, personal impact, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. He dominates conversations with his presence, often interrupting, raising his voice, or steering topics entirely.

According to an analysis by Simundia, his communication style relies on:

• Strong verbal confidence

• Improvisational ability

• A well-developed sense of power dynamics

• Emotional dominance over interlocutors

6. Between effectiveness and division

In the strictest sense, Trump's communication is effective: it achieves its goals of mobilization, memorability, and media attention. It leverages proven techniques from marketing, storytelling, and social psychology.

But it also raises significant concerns:

• A weakened public debate, where emotion outweighs logic

• Deep political polarization

• Limited persuasion beyond his base

• Systematic disqualification of opponents, hindering dialogue

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Conclusion

Studying Donald Trump's communication is not an endorsement of his method. It's an opportunity to observe how certain levers — simplicity, repetition, opposition, emotion — can be pushed to the extreme to create a recognizable, impactful, and divisive style.

For communication professionals, this analysis offers a key reminder: form is never neutral. It shapes how content is perceived. A strategy that grabs attention may also block constructive exchange. Ultimately, it's up to each of us to decide where to draw the line.