Many Trump followers claim they trust and admire him because “he means what he says”. His blunt speaking style, however crude and vulgar, is perceived as evidence of honesty.
During the 2016 campaign, a Trump voter explained to CNN “He’s not a politician, and he doesn’t act like one. He’s rough around the edges, but at least you know what he believes. He’s not afraid to say it.”
Following Trump’s defense of white supremacists at the 2018 Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally, one supporter stated “He’s not afraid to speak the truth, even when it’s not popular. That’s why I trust him. He says what he believes, and you don’t get that with other politicians.”
In response to a Trump tweet criticizing NFL players kneeling in protest during the national anthem, a Trump loyalist posted “Trump says what he believes, and that’s why he’s the only politician I trust. No more phonies!”.
Statements such as these are not difficult to find. A simple internet search will reveal countless examples.
So, with this in mind, let’s recall some of the things that Donald Trump has said…
Terminate the Constitution
In the midst of his crusade to convince Americans that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, Trump threatened to “terminate” the Constitution. On his Truth Social media platform, he wrote “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution”.
“Do Whatever the Hell They Want”
As part of his isolationist “America First” agenda, Trump encouraged Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that he believes are not contributing enough to their defense budgets.
“Grab Her by the Pussy”
In an audio recording during filming of a 2005 Access Hollywood episode, Trump was caught bragging about grabbing women “by the pussy”.
“I Like People Who Weren’t Captured”
As part of his longstanding animosity toward John McCain, a former prisoner of war, Trump famously remarked, “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” Rather than defending the war hero, Trump apologists chose to defend the draft dodger, dismissing this remark as nothing more than “Trump being Trump”.
The Woodward Tapes
Despite repeated public statements reassuring the American public that COVID-19 was not a threat, Trump confided to journalist Bob Woodward, as early as February 2020, that the virus was much more “deadly” than the flu.
Promises to Release His Income Tax Returns
Throughout the 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to release his income tax returns, conforming with a longstanding tradition that has been followed by all modern U.S. presidential candidates. Eight years later, he has still not fulfilled that promise.
Promises to Release His Medical Records
In an August 2024 interview with CBS political correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns, Trump stated that he would “gladly” release his medical records. He has since refused to release any medical records.
Vowed to Pursue Lawsuits
After more than a dozen women accused Trump of sexual misconduct during the 2016 campaign, Trump vowed to take legal action against them, declaring “Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign. Total fabrication. The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over.” Not one of these women has been sued by Trump because he knows that their accusations would be substantiated in court.
Because Golf
And, finally, my favorite, because it illustrates what a frivolous man he is.
More than once, during the 2016 campaign, Trump promised to work tirelessly as president, stating, “I will be the hardest working president in history.” He also claimed that he wouldn’t take vacations or play golf, declaring “I’m going to be working for you. I’m not going to have time to go play golf.”
During his first 100 days in office, Trump golfed 19 times, or more than once a week on average. In comparison, Barack Obama golfed once during the same period of his presidency. During the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic when more than 200,000 Americans died, Trump golfed at least 25 times. Trump is known to have golfed at least 142 times during his presidency, with a roughly equal number of visits to his golf properties when it was unclear whether he actually played or not.
Final Thoughts
It is important to emphasize that none of the above examples in which Trump vowed or threatened to take some type of action involved circumstances that were beyond his control. Obviously, neither Congress nor the courts prevented him from releasing his taxes, suing those that he accused of defamation, or refraining from playing golf.
A Trump supporter once told me, “Trump is lying to you, but not to me.” What he meant was that he could distinguish when Trump meant what he said and when he did not. Assuming that this belief is characteristic of Trump supporters in general, then the claim that they trust him because he always says what he believes is something they know to be untrue.
Most of the Trump supporters that I have known have an impressive ability to hear only what they want to hear and see only what they want to see. When inconsistencies between what Trump says he will do and what he actually does are brought to their attention, they typically respond with indifference, as if it is of no significance. Yet, ironically, they will continue to insist that they trust him because he “says what he believes.”
Unless he is exaggerating his wealth and success, misrepresenting property values, fabricating conspiracies or “alternative facts”, or defending himself in court, I agree that Donald Trump does mean what he says — except, of course, when he doesn’t.
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