Running head: MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN 1

Making America Great Again

Tracie Gambill

IU East
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Making America Great Again

"Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the

general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea."

Adolf Hitler wrote these words in his book Mein Kampf (1926) (NaziI Propaganda, 2015). Now

in 2015, Republican Party Candidate, Donald Trump may be one of the best propagandist in

modern times for the same reasons that Adolf Hitler was in the 1920s and 1930s. Even though

Donald Trump does not give the public any specific plans on how he will make America great

again, he is like other historically great propagandists because he has everyone believing what he

says and it shows by his lead in the Republican polls.

Donald Trump and his social media team are running a presidential campaign based on

the idea that Americans feel that America is no longer great. Mr. Trump has struck a nerve with

the average working class American and found the major anger points that they have with the

United States government; the political class and current affairs. He plays on the belief that

politicians say much and do little (Donald Trump - 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates,

n.d.). He wants everyone to know that he is not a politician but an extremely successful business

man and therefore, he can run the United States of America better than any politician. Mr. Trump

claims, Americans deserve better than what they get from their politicians who are all talk

and no action! (The Iowa Republican, 2015).

History has given the world many good propagandists but there have been some truly

great propagandists like Alexander the Great and Adolf Hitler. After investigating the Trump

Campaign it is clear that Donald Trump may find himself in the great category regardless of

whether he becomes President of the United States. Charisma is very important in becoming one

of the great propagandists as well as understanding the current state of the public and then giving
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the public what it is they want. Donald Trump has these qualities. He understands what

Americans want and even if he does not plan on actually giving it to them, he does plan on

telling them what they want. A CNN reporter said that New Hampshire residents here were

angry about everything from border security and the economy to Benghazi, Obamacare and

more. Trump was speaking to their grievances, an approach that helps explain his rise in the

polls (Murray, 2015).

Every generation of Americans have had their own issues to deal with. Some generations

had wars where people were both for and against the idea of going to war. Some had economic

issues and others had specific government issues such as people for raising taxes and against

raising taxes. Whatever the generational issue, Americans were splitsome for an idea and

some against an idea. However, rather than trying to find a specific issue to deal with Donald

Trump is targeting something that all American people have in common. The idea that the

American people want to Make America Great Again (Make America Great Again!, n.d.). This

idea targets all of the American people regardless of race, education, or economic class.

The campaign slogan is Make America Great Again and Donald Trump is doing

everything in his power to show America that it has been in trouble. His campaign continually

emphasizes that negatives about the current United States and how there are no more victories

in this country (WSVN-TV, 2015). Mr. Trump uses the social media to reach out to his audience.

He sees something that currently angers Americans and immediately jumps on his Twitter or

Facebook accounts to point out to his followers that they are right to be angry about the current

event. After validating their anger, he points out that America is in trouble and it is every

Americans job to make it great again. How? By making Donald Trump president. Why?

Because Donald Trump is successful.

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Donald Trump uses words like loser and failure to describe his opponents. He uses

words like unacceptable and serious trouble (The Iowa Republican, 2015) to describe the

countrys current state. Whenever he speaks about anything or anyone, he does so in a negative

manner. This technique consists of linking a person, or idea, to a negative symbol, and attaching

a negative label to a person or thing. The propagandist who uses this technique hopes that the

audience will reject the person or the idea on the basis of the negative symbol, instead of looking

at the available evidence. People engage in this type of behavior when they are trying to avoid

supporting their own opinion with facts. Rather than explain what they believe in, they prefer to

try to tear their opponent(s) down (van Amelsvoort, 2011). However, when Donald Trump

describes himself or his ideas, he uses positive words like winner and successful. In Mr. Trumps

words, I am the only one who can make America truly great again! (The Iowa Republican, 2015).

The American people are looking for a hero to save them and apparently, Donald Trump is that hero.

Mr. Trump also uses hooks to pull people towards him. Propaganda generally has a

human face, and an emotional appeal in order to gain public support. Every big media event

needs what journalists refer to as the hook. An ideal hook becomes the central element of a

story that makes it newsworthy, evokes a strong emotional response, and sticks in the memory

(van Amelsvoort, 2011). Donald Trump as well as social media in general are great at using these

hooks to gain attention. In November 2015, Mr. Trump tweeted that the majority of murders are

committed by black people. This information was in fact, incorrect statistics but that did not stop

Mr. Trump from passing along false social media information along. He knew that it would cause

an emotional appeal and it gained him more attention as well as support from those who feel that

blacks are a reason for Americas crime rate. When it was brought to his attention that he had

incorrect facts he did not bother to correct it or apologize for it and it was too late to matter with
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his followers. He had hooked the people that he wanted to hook. Propaganda uses information

(words, images, sounds, etc.) to manipulate peoples behavior or beliefs. Regardless of whether

the message is true or false, it is always manipulative. The target of a successful propagandist

will feel that s/he has made a voluntary choice, even though s/he was never given a chance to do

so (van Amelsvoort, 2011). Donald Trump is an expert in being manipulative.

So how does Mr. Trump find ways to manipulate the people of America? He pays

attention to the current emotional climate of the country. According to ABC News, 53% of

Americans have issues with the current state of the economy. 51% the possibility of future

terrorist attacks in the U.S.; 43% Crime and violence; 39% Illegal immigration (Feather, 2015).

Donald Trump has attacked all these issues in way or another but most importantly he has seized

the important news headlines and used them to his advantage. One example of how Mr. Trump

uses the headlines is the killing of Kate Steinle by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco. The

Trump campaign used her killing for a reason for securing the border and putting a stop to the

illegal immigration issues.

Another example of using Americans fears, emotions and headlines is the recent

statement that Donald Trump used about terrorism and Muslims. Mr. Trump built upon these

already present American feelings and stated what most Americans were thinking but not saying.

Many Americans are fearing the Muslim culture and the new refugees coming into the country.

His campaign made an official statement that, Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and

complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can

figure out what is going on (Diamond, 2015). Even though this is not the political correct thing

to say it did not stop Donald Trump because he knew that it would hit home how the American

people are feeling.

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Another great propagandist did the same thing. The German people were feeling

something similar and Adolf Hitler ran with those feelings and fears. As Trump continues to

discuss ways to keep the American people safe from immigrants it brings up another Hitler

reference. It is becoming more obvious that Donald Trump may have something in common

with the Nazis. When the Nazis took power in 1933, they took steps to separate Jewish Germans

from their fellow citizens (Friedman, 2015). However, the people of the United States do not

seem to see the connection because they are so filled with negative emotions at the moment and

this is what Donald Trump is using to keep his lead. Then again, the German people did not see

what was happening to them until it was too late as well and while he [Donald Trump] is

nowhere near the Nazis' plans for a Final Solution. But he is not far from the first steps they

took (Friedman, 2015).

As a great propagandist, Mr. Trump continues to show his audience what they want to

hear based on their current state of mine and their backgrounds rather than building a campaign

on strategic plans. He has built a huge fan base and following completely by giving the public

what they want which is a good presentation and an uncensored statement that creates an

emotional response. Mr. Trump uses the media to get his uncensored messages out to the public.

He chooses the most credible sources as well. According to the textbook, source credibility is

one contributing factor that seems to influence change (Jowett & O'Donnell, 2015) and when

Donald speaks he tends to do it through media like CNN or through other national leaders that

his audience already looks up.

Not even Donald Trumps Republican opponents are not safe from Mr. Trumps

uncensored statements either. While he continues to use the negative words to describe his fellow

Republican candidates, he has also made verbal attacks against them with no apologies for doing
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so. As his opponents begin to rise in the polls, he individually verbally assaults them. An

example of this occurred in September 2015 when he attacked Carly Fiorina for her looks. He

has made fun of disabled people. He has made jokes about Ben Carson as well as the other

candidates. This is all part of the counter propaganda going on in the Trump campaign. Trump

uses these shock attacks to control the media. Rather than following the republican that begins

rising in the polls the media immediately stops and listens to the attack that Trump is making. He

brings the attention back to himself.

This ability to keep the attention on himself is the center of his propaganda. Donald

Trump has managed to build a following by those who are looking for the uncensored comments.

His campaign camp does not stop his either. They send out press releases to reconfirm the

uncensored statements that Mr. Trump says and as an intelligent business man, he uses his

business to keep his opponents in line legally as well. Has anyone seen commercials or

advertisements against Donald Trump from his opponents? No.

So how does Trump get away with attacking others but no one can attack him? According

to On Politics,

For months now, Donald Trumps corporate lawyer has threatened to sue his boss

political rivals whenever they run ads criticizing the Republican presidential contender.

Wednesday, one of Washingtons top GOP election lawyers hit back, filing a Federal

Election Commission complaint saying Trump is illegally using company resources to

carry out his campaigns dirty work (Schouten, 2015).

The reasoning behind the law suit threats is that anything Donald Trumps opponents may claim

about him could hurt his business. Again, another well thought out and smart strategy on Donald

Trumps part. All of his opponents except for one are all career politicians which makes them
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open for public scrutiny but as a businessman, Trump does not have to be completely open. He

can hide behind his business thus managing public opinion and this is what adds to his greatness

as a propagandist.

As long as Donald Trump can continue to manage public opinion as use the media he will

continue to gain lead in the polls because for any propaganda to survive and flourish, the media

needs to be controlled (van Amelsvoort, 2011) and control is exactly what Trump and his

campaign workers do. He does not admit to anything nor does he apologize for anything he says.

Instead Donald Trump does what all the great propagandists do, they aim is to divert attention

from troublesome issues and reveal only partial facts (van Amelsvoort, 2011). As the textbook

states, Successful propaganda campaigns tend to originate from strong, centralized, decision-

making authority that produces a consistent message throughout its structure (Jowett &

O'Donnell, 2015) and the consistent message is that Donald Trump is going to Make America

Great Again even though he does not have a plan on how to accomplish this.

Even though no actual plans with specific actions have been published by the Trump

camp, one thing is certain and that is that everything that Mr. Trump does is carefully planned

outeven the music he plays at his rallies. He has chosen music to get attention as well. Some of

the attention has been bad because he did not get permission to use the music from the rightful

owners but that still gets him attention. As for the music he has gotten the rights to use, the music

has been an effective propaganda technique because it touches the emotions easily, suggests

associations and past experiences, invites us to sing along, and embraces ideology in the lyrics

(Jowett & O'Donnell, 2015).

Besides the music, Trump rallies are more like sporting events complete with food

vendors and alcohol; excited fans and long waiting lines. People will wait in line for hours at a
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chance to meet the entertainer and business mogul. They cannot wait to hear him speak about the

things that anger them the most. He speaks to them at their level. He makes his audience feel like

he is one of them. Donald Trump does not just give a speech, he entertains them like hes a host

at a party. He has a vision and he shares it without making real plans but the people love him for

that vision and for his uncensored way of saying it.

Donald Trump has been leading the polls since he began his campaign. He has followed

the model of propaganda completely. The Trump camp or his institution have worked famously

with his propaganda agents. They have used Americas emotions to their advantage. Americans

are upset with the way the United States government has been ran recently and Mr. Trumps

campaign seems to hitting home for many people. He has managed to touch so many people with

his ideas on Making America Great Again! and this is evident by his increasing popularity.

Donald Trump has managed to use the social networks and various media to reinforce the mood

and message of the public. He truly is a well-oiled propaganda machine. As of today, Mr. Trump

is changing the way people are thinking about career politicians. The question have how much

change has his propaganda created will not be evident until the Republican primaries are held. In

the meantime, his opponents are struggling to get Americans to listen to them.
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References

Diamond, J. (2015, December 8). Donald Trump: Ban all Muslim travel to U.S. Retrieved from

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/politics/donald-trump-muslim-ban-immigration/

Donald Trump - 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates. (n.d.). Retrieved from 2016

Republican Presidential Candidates: http://2016.republican-candidates.org/Trump/

Feather, A. (2015, March 19). Top 15 Issues That Have Americans Worried. Retrieved from ABC

News: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-15-issues-americans-

worried/story?id=29758744

Friedman, M. P. (2015, December 9). Donald Trumps ban on Muslims echoes earliest days of

Nazi propaganda: expert. The New York Daily News. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/guest-column-trump-ban-muslims-wrong-

article-1.2459376

Jowett, G., & O'Donnell, V. (2015). Propaganda & Persuasion. Thousand Oaks: Sage

Publications.

Make America Great Again! (n.d.). Retrieved from Make America Great Again!:

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/

Murray, S. (2015, July 18). Why Donald Trump is surging in the polls. Retrieved from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/17/politics/donald-trump-summer-surge/

NaziI Propaganda. (2015, August 18). Retrieved from Holocaust Encyclopedia:

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005202

Schouten, F. (2015, December 9). FEC complaint: Trump uses corporate money for campaign's

'dirty work'. Retrieved from USA Today: http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/12/09/fec-

complaint-trump-uses-corporate-money-for-campaigns-dirty-work/
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The Iowa Republican. (2015, March 18). Trump Announces Formation of Presidential

Exploratory Committee | The Iowa Republican. The Iowa Republican. New York, NY,

USA. Retrieved from http://theiowarepublican.com/2015/trump-announces-formation-of-

presidential-exploratory-committee/

van Amelsvoort, A. L. (2011, November 24). Propaganda techniques and how to counter them.

Retrieved from Eclecticism: https://alcva.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/propaganda-

techniques-and-how-to-counter-them/

WSVN-TV. (2015, June 16). Donald Trump 2016 announcement. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UCveugU_i0&feature=youtu.be