Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump

by Jennifer R. Mercieca

Winner, Bronze, 2020 Foreword Indies, Political and Social Sciences

Winner, 2021 PROSE Award for Government & Politics

"Deserves a place alongside George Orwell’s 'Politics and the English Language'. . . . one of the most important political books of this perilous summer."—The Washington Post

"A must-read"—Salon

"Highly recommended"—Jack Shafer, Politico

Featured in "The Best New Books to Read This Summer" and "Lit Hub's Most Anticipated Books of 2020"—Literary Hub

Historic levels of polarization, a disaffected and frustrated electorate, and widespread distrust of government, the news media, and traditional political leadership set the stage in 2016 for an unexpected, unlikely, and unprecedented presidential contest. Donald Trump’s campaign speeches and other rhetoric seemed on the surface to be simplistic, repetitive, and disorganized to many. As Demagogue for President shows, Trump’s campaign strategy was anything but simple.

Political communication expert Jennifer Mercieca shows how the Trump campaign expertly used the common rhetorical techniques of a demagogue, a word with two contradictory definitions—“a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power” or “a leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times” (Merriam-Webster, 2019). These strategies, in conjunction with post-rhetorical public relations techniques, were meant to appeal to a segment of an already distrustful electorate. It was an effective tactic.

Mercieca analyzes rhetorical strategies such as argument ad hominem, argument ad baculum, argument ad populum, reification, paralipsis, and more to reveal a campaign that was morally repugnant to some but to others a brilliant appeal to American exceptionalism. By all accounts, it fundamentally changed the discourse of the American public sphere.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Language, Political Science

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2020

Reviews

[Gabrielė Bužinskaitė]

Is Donald Trump a rhetorical genius? If you measure it by his results: extremely loyal voter base, two presidencies, and billions of dollars earned in between them (all without previous experience in politics)—he sure is.

In this book, the author analyses the rhetoric of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and his strategic use of high levels of public distrust and polarization to his advantage.

Mercieca focused on six rhetorical tactics Trump used (and still uses nearly a decade later): appealing to popularity, hinting without direct claims, casting himself as a saviour, insulting opponents, using threats, and dehumanising certain groups of people.

While this book is an excellent way to practically learn to spot rhetorical tactics and why they’re so effective, it’s written in a painfully repetitive manner. After reading one-third of the book, you won’t hear anything new.

[Robert]

This is a brilliant analysis of the rhetorical devices that Trump used in his 2016 presidential campaign.

Once she explains them they seem rather obvious, but I think most people didn't realize that these rhetorical patterns had been studied and categorized by experts going all the way back to the ancient Greeks.

It is really scary how many of these rhetorical tactics are common with demagogues/populists all over the world. You listen to a speech by Javier Bolsanaro or Rodrigo Duterte, you will see them do similar things.
-Obscenely insult critics instead of answering their criticisms.(Ad hominem)
-Threaten physical violence to their opponents. (Ad Baculum)
-Spread bizarre conspiracy theories with not even an attempt at providing evidence (Paralipsis).

For reference, the 6 strategies that Professor Mercieca identifies are:

Ad Populum - My argument is right because it's popular/ because I'm popular (e.g. frequent references to crowd sizes as evidence that everyone agrees with him)

Ad Baculum - Agree with me or bad things will happen to you ("lock her up!')
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumen...

Reification - People who don't agree with us are not even human (refugees are "invaders")

Ad Hominem - Insult the person rather than respond to their arguments (All the nicknames that Trump gave to his rivals)

Paralipsis - Bring something up, but pretend it's not coming from you ("A lot of people are saying ...")
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophasis

American exceptionalism - Our country is special, if you want it to keep being special, vote for me! ("America First")

So if you have any interest in politics, you should definitely read this. You will never listen to a Trump speech the same way again!

[Alex Gruenenfelder]

I believe I learned about this book from a POLITICO article that quoted its author, Jennifer Mercieca, which is how I've found many great books. Rather than interviewing administration officials or opponents, this book on former president Donald Trump is backed by the author's scholarship on rhetoric. It discusses a variety of simple rules of demagoguery, which it then applies to numerous situations from the 2016 campaign trail. This book's opening line should prepare all readers, as they seek to learn about our politics on a deeper level: "Warning: This book is going to make you angry."

This book has already aged, given that it came right off of the 2016 campaign and didn't get to capture how much Trump's rhetoric evolved when he was in office. The fears of authoritarianism that haunted Trump's campaign have now turned even more real thanks to January 6th and 2020 election denial. But although the book has aged somewhat, Mercieca's arguments are more crucial than ever. The dangers of Donald Trump are even more clear in this 2024 cycle than they were in 2016, with Trump's rhetoric continuing to evolve. I recommend this book to voters who are nervous about the appeal of Donald Trump and wish to understand it, as well as political junkies interested in the study of rhetoric.

[Christa]

Laudable aims, Interesting ideas, but a bit repetitive.

[Jon]

An important call for political and rhetorical education in the service of defending democracy.

[Mr. Book]

You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at Mr. Book's Book Reviews.

Mr. Book just finished Demagogue For President: The Rhetorical Genius Of Donald Trump, by Jennifer R Mercieca.

This book was published in 2020.

This book looks at six strategies that Trump used to gain the White House the first time: ad populum (claiming something is true because it’s popular or he’s right because he has a lot of supports), ad baculum (threats of violence or other retribution), deification (anyone who doesn’t agree is subhuman), ad hominem (attacks on the person rather than substance of the argument), paralipis (making claims, but denying they come from him) and American exceptionalism.

There are 18 chapters, each covering a different rally, TV appearance or interview in which one of these strategies were used. The book did a very good job both showing how Trump was using the techniques, as well as the threat that he poses to the country. While is was written pre-January 6, it foreshadows those events.

I give this book an A.

Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

This review has been posted at Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.

Mr. Book finished reading this on December 14, 2024.

[Kurt Achin]

Excellent and important book. Identifies and categorizes Trump's rhetoric into six techniques so old, there are latin or latin-derived names for them (ad hominem, ad baculum, etc.) That Trump's long career as a-- let's use the word "salesman" -- has equipped him to wield these techniques of manipulation so effortlessly is in its way impressive. But this book will disrupt the impression that his communication style is in any way new or unprecedented.

This is an academic volume, written by a seasoned academic, and reads as such. I'd love to see the book restructured into a second, more accessible, mass market oriented spin-off edition that might reach a broader public with its warnings. Such a book, perhaps differently titled, would be less concerned than this one with absolute thoroughness, which leads to a feeling of repetitiveness as multiple themes of Trump's political rise are examined. Instead, it would act as a decoder ring to help the Trump tribe shake off some of the thrall. Or, if not a book, an extensive cover article in a magazine like The Atlantic.

[Thomas Schulte]

Mercieca is an American scholar of rhetoric writing here about the rhetorical style of Donald Trump. She steps back and exhibits this style as purposeful, effective, and exemplary of successful demagogue. She part particularly highlights with multiple examples Trump's use of argumentum ad baculum (Latin for "argument to the cudgel" or "appeal to the stick"), a type of argument made when one attempts to appeal to force and threats. She also points out his apophasis, a rhetorical device wherein the speaker or writer brings up a subject by either denying it, or denying that it should be brought up. Accordingly, it can be seen as a rhetorical relative of irony. Here she refers to this saying-but-not saying as paralipsis.

[Daniel]

Interesting take on the challenge to democracy posed by Donald Trump. Focusing on his speeches, especially at his rallies, during the 2016 presidential campaign, Mercieca outlines how there was most certainly a method to the campaign’s apparent madness. The study is definitely a very academic study, and beyond the well-written summaries of the argument and its political implications in the introductory and concluding chapters, most readers who are no rhetoricians or linguists may find the book a bit exhausting (and perhaps depressing, too).

[Scottie]

Restarted this book after letting it fall to the back burner earlier in the summer. It’s definitely a drier read, but on the shorter end for an analytical book like this, so worked best to give it my full attention for a couple days. Clearly well researched & argued, though sometimes the structure didn’t make sense or seemed nebulous or repetitive. Giving it a lower rating based on my own reading experience/enjoyment, not necessarily the quality of the book itself. Feels useful to read at this point in the 2024 campaign for sure!

[jacob]

Brilliantly illuminates rhetorical devices you'll never again miss—and, lucky you, you'll have plenty of chances over the coming half decade (plus?) to study them. Probably could have been a bit shorter, but highlighting the fact that a successful demagogue uses the same tactics over and over is no doubt part of the point. Furthermore, it's not Mercieca you grow tired of, but rather, the book's "protagonist," if you will.

[Chantel Hilton]

I appreciate her analysis of Trump’s rhetoric and why it appeals to some of our population. Rhetorical tools are powerful indeed. Trump is an amazing entertainer and marketer. He exemplifies a power-hungry villain in America’s story. I look forward to our country recovering from the Trump years. I also look forward to not being sick to my stomach, over the daily headlines.

Chaos will create change and then we can redefine what we value as a society. I miss the Obama and Biden years.

[Timothy Hoff]

Five starts for thorough exploration of Trump's rhetorical style. Yes, thorough.
Three stars for turning a brilliant essay into a needlessly repetitive thingy of book length. Whew.
Four stars: 5 stars plus three stars divided by two. Not bad at all. Easy to read. Just too durn long.

[Alison Curwen]

Very technical. Clearly well written. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a deep dive into language, the origins, techniques (pros and cons), and strategies people employ to manipulate audiences.

[Peter Ling]

I am guessing that this is not a book for Trump fans but for college audiences. Once you understand that Trump uses many of the standard rhetorical techniques to elicit strong emotional responses and to cement the identification that his followers have with him, you have the book

[Lauretta]

This book is mostly about,the troubles of Trump. He seems to have some kind of scheme to rip someone off.

[Brian Stillman]

With a light touch, in the 'Conclusion,' Mercieca hints a book (like hers) could be given to a Trump fan as an instrument to ply them away from their belief.

The rest was solid.

[Josh Hedgepeth]

I heard an interesting discussion about this book on NPR.

[Patrick]

The linguistics of Trump. It turns out that he talks weird for good reasons: money and power.

[Amy Letinsky]

Brilliant.

[Carrie Starnes]

Interesting but too long in details for me. I learned nothing new about the former POTUS himself but I did learn why his tactics worked on some Americans.

[Cassie]

Required reading.

Key word: Spectacle.

[Jess Alexander]

If you only listened to the audiobook, be warned the endnotes aren’t there nor are the charts.

[Andrew Clay Pauley]

Review coming!