Over the weekend, President-Elect Donald Trump attacked Congressman John Lewis over his remarks that Trump was an illegitimate President due to Russian involvement. Trump responded in his usual fiery manner by venting via Twitter calling Lewis all talk and no action. This is standard Trump behavior that has never left him since his days on the campaign trail. He promised that he would act more Presidential and tone down his rhetoric once he becomes President but it is clear now that candidate Trump will still operate under the same inflammatory manner that helped him take the White House when he starts to occupy it. If you criticize Trump for whatever reason and on whichever medium, expect a follow up from his Twitter account. Almost nobody is safe from his wrath, not a politician, not a reporter, not a Broadway musical, not a comedy show, not even a Civil Rights icon respected by Democrats and Republicans alike.
Trump claims to use Twitter because the mainstream media covers him unfairly. Through Twitter, he can reach out directly to his supporters unfiltered and unrestrained. This also conveniently allows him to circumvent the media. He can refuse to do interviews, hold off on press conferences, and not talk to any reporters if he chooses simply by Tweeting out his thoughts and ideas. His supporters can get a direct link to Trump, hanging on to his every word, while the media and his critics closely examine the 140 character. His tweets dominate the cable news cycle drawing in multiple political analysts to decipher what his tweets mean while holding a debate/panel between Trump's surrogates and Trump critics over what they mean. Its clockwork, Trump says something and takes a step back while everyone argues over what this could all mean thus creating purposeful confusion that engulfs the national discussion. The media is now starting to realize the frustrations of dealing with Trump and being used by him prompting some like CNN's Don Lemon wishing he had the ability to not cover his tweets at all. That still won't stop news executives to cash in on the ratings, even making the most mundane sudden breaking news.
Trump has millions of supporters that would defend him no matter how right or wrong he is. When going for the attack on someone on Twitter, its quickly retweeted and liked, sometimes followed by the more vicious direct messages, angry voicemails, and countless death threats sent by Trump's supporters. Trump as President would have control of the bully pulpit, the ability to use his platform to reach as many people as possible to shape thoughts and attitudes towards a specific topic. When he uses the bully pulpit on Twitter to attack someone, the results are uncontrollable. And he knows this. What raises the stakes even further is when he chooses to attack other countries. It will be difficult to smooth over whatever misunderstandings may arise through 140 characters. The world is listening to him and will be following his tweets as closely as we are in America, having their own team of experts and media analysts checking his Twitter account; especially since he will be the leader of the free world.
While frustrating that Trump still uses Twitter to bash his critics and is constrained by 140 characters to explain complex issues, Twitter is Trump's most powerful tool. There has been no other person who is prolific as he is when using it to reach out to his followers. Franklin Roosevelt had the radio, Ronald Reagan had the television, and Donald Trump has Twitter. However damaging it may be to the media and political/national discourse, this is what the next four years will look like.
