Why listening to Donald J. Trump is dangerous
26 June 2025
In my opinion, listening to Donald Trump, especially live or on video, is dangerous. It is far less risky to read about what he says instead.
Why is this the case?
First, Donald J. Trump appears to be deranged (mentally unstable), possibly even suffering from dementia or another serious disorder. This alone is reason to approach anything he says with extreme caution.
There are countless examples on social media of inappropriate posts from him. One of the most telling is a photo he created of himself as the new pope. What political leader or executive would do something like that? None, except Trump. His behavior is not normal.
Second, Trump lies constantly and shows no regard for the truth. This is well documented, though for reasons that remain unclear, many in the media continue to treat his words as credible.
Third, life is complicated. Anyone who never admits being wrong and who claims to know everything cannot be trusted.
Fourth, presidential statements carry weight and have real consequences. The most damaging were Trump's false and misleading claims about COVID, which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Listening to him without a critical mindset can lead to serious harm.
Even though we know what Trump is like and think we are prepared, repeated exposure to his speeches has an effect:
We may begin to see his irrational statements as normal.
We may try to make sense of his words, assuming he is being rational and honest, and end up accepting dangerous ideas or following misguided advice.
I am not sure why listening is more persuasive than reading a transcript, but it often seems to be.
I believe it is important to stay informed, so I will continue to read what he says. If a particular issue seems important and I need to hear him directly, I may watch a video. But by that point, I will already have thought critically about the topic. This makes it much easier to guard against his falsehoods and distortions.
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