Trump’s Renewed Media Strategy: Sanewashing Extreme Ideas as “Trolling”
Following President Trump’s press conference, his renewed calls for annexing Greenland and Panama, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico sparked predictable reactions. While some Republicans celebrated his “big visions,” media figures downplayed the seriousness of his threats, attributing them to “branding” or “trolling.” This “sanewashing,” as some critics call it, minimizes the danger of Trump’s increasingly extreme rhetoric, potentially influencing voter perceptions and underestimating the risk of his actions. The lack of strong pushback allows the erosion of checks and balances on his power, further normalizing his behavior.
John Q. Hosedrinker