Trump Outdoes Biden in Message Discipline: "Shock & Awe" vs "Aw Shucks"
Wondering why the Democrats lost the White House? Look at what is happening now.
I did not see this coming. The second Trump Administration is eclipsing the Biden-Harris Administration in shaping media coverage.
As I wrote in my last article, Trump’s appointees are skillfully crafting a message of “shock and awe” around federal immigration actions during the first days of his second administration by amplifying federal law enforcement and military actions and shutting down news about anything else.
I note five ways about how this happened:
First, Trump wisely picked Susie Wiles - an experienced and respected “behind the scenes” political operative who headed his second election campaign as Chief of Staff.
Second, one of the most bombastic members of his first administration, Stephen Miller, has adopted Wiles's “behind-the-scenes” persona to reduce his media coverage and elevate coverage of immigration issues, in the second Trump Administration.
Third, Tom Homan - who headed US Customs & Immigration Enforcement (ICE) during the first Trump Administration - and who told the President (when asked by Trump if he would join a second administration before he had even announced his candidacy): “I'll tell you what, sir, I'm so pissed off (about the situation at the Southern Border under Biden) I'll come back for free."
Fourth, Mike Banks - who served as Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s “Border Czar” - and saw migrants bused to “Sanctuary Cities”- has assumed command of the US Border Patrol under President Trump.
Fifth, Trump gained congressional approval of his controversial pick to head the Defense Department, Peter Hegspeth. He has made sure the DoD is amplifying the message of Trump’s Immigration Efforts and has shut down military news about anything else.
Put that all together, and it amounts to experienced political operatives working in concert to communicate Trump’s desired message of “shock and awe " about federal immigration actions right after he assumed office again.
NBC News Justice and Intelligence Correspondent Ken Dilanian noted the Trump Administration's choreography of media coverage for maximum impact, saying, "The political messaging component of this is fascinating."
By contrast, Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not allow National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby to address the media from the White House podium about her President’s tentative Israel-Hamas cease-fire, which should have made headlines on her last day.
Instead, the event was planned as a send-off for her, which is pathetic.
To say that the Biden Administration’s communications campaigns were -ahem - less than effective in highlighting their President’s achievements is also painfully obvious.
The Democrats have four more years to consider the disastrous results of their failed communications strategies while the Trump Administration builds on its early successes during its second term in office.
As a media professional with decades of national, regional & local news experience, I must confess that (like NBC) I am impressed by the messaging discipline displayed in the second term of the Trump administration (and am appalled at the dysfunction of the communications by the Biden Administration as it left office).
In future editions of US Border News, I will continue to cover the Trump Administration’s efforts to shape public opinion about immigration & other border matters.
What are your thoughts about the success (and failures) of the media operations of the Trump & Biden Administrations?
Share your opinion in the comments on this article!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
