Decoding Trump
President Trump is using American power in ways none of his modern predecessors have done, and the consequences are being felt around the world. Old certainties are crumbling, enemies are suddenly friends and longtime allies worry deeply about the state of U.S. democracy.
My colleague Peter Baker brings decades of experience to assessing the impact of the second Trump presidency. He has covered the past six presidencies going all of the way back to Bill Clinton. He also spent four years in Moscow, chronicling the rise of Vladimir Putin. Here are his answers to your questions, which have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Do you think that covering Trump extensively is actually playing into his hands, as it gives him the attention he craves? — Peter Schwans, Germany
He keeps us busy, no question about it. In Washington, it’s called flooding the zone. There’s a natural inclination to cover actions more than words because they have real-life impact, and words may only be bluster.
But a president’s words carry great power, and can be revealing of attitude and can lead to actions. We try to focus on comments that are indicative of what he thinks and where he may be taking the country. I don’t think ignoring him is the best way to handle it.
Over your career reporting on presidents, have you noticed a change in the personalities you’ve dealt with? From an outside perspective, there’s a sense of U.S. politics deteriorating. — Ellie O’Donnell, Ireland
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The post Ask a Correspondent, With Our Chief White House Reporter appeared first on New York Times.
