How to Beat Trump’s Noise Machine

And then, Trump returned to a favorite punching bag: Canada. Meanwhile, bond markets were signaling alarm, and U.S. business leaders and American farmers were condemning his tariffs policies and foreign wars for driving up fuel and fertilizer costs and undermining access to foreign markets for American goods.

Each of these interventions, whether reckless, self-destructive trade barriers, massive military invasions, or offensive divisive speeches, soaks up attention. All of these interventions initially diverted media coverage as intended, even if they ultimately backfired. The provocations and the uproar they generate drown out other serious problems while the ricochet effects magnify Trump’s presence, making him seem everywhere, all the time. That is the point.

Indeed, Trump has a unique, almost superhuman ability to bury bad news until supporters and detractors alike are no longer talking about issues and failures that would sink virtually any other politician. Buried under this avalanche of manufactured headlines are his approval ratings, which are the lowest of either of his either term: 32% in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.