Shark Radar

Broader review of the most significant events worldwide
May 29, 2020, 12:59 PM GMT
#Politics

Trump's Bad Romance with Twitter

The last few days have been quite turbulent for the liberal American democracy, but I shall do my best not to use George Orwell's writings to contextualise the latest developments. It seems like the easiest choice, which unfortunately is the allure of the cliche.

Less than 30 years after the infamous beating of Rodney King by the LAPD, the public in the States was outraged once again to hear about the brutal murder of George Floyd by a policeman in Minneapolis. Amidst erupting riots in the city and heated debates in the public sphere over matters of police brutality and racism, President Donald Trump has once again managed to shift the focus of the entire issue at hand towards himself.

Trump lashed out against Twitter after the social media decided to flag one of his posts for 'glorifying violence'. Trump's almost instantaneous barrage of threats and complaints afterwards exposes a great deal about the fragile facade in front of the carefully projected persona of a strong leader who always looks ready to get down to business.

To get back at Twitter, Trump used the 'Freedom of Speech' wild card, to make it look as though the media is deterring him from expressing his opinions. Alas, they are making one refer to Orwell even when one's committed to staying away from tired clichés.

Twitter's actions seem to have struck a chord with Trump, whose brash flare up against the social media appears to reveal deeply-rooted Presidential fears that eventually he is going to be caught red-handed for his oftentimes brazen Tweets.

One is left to wonder what Eric Blair would have made out of Trump's rhetoric.